Kosambi, aka: Kosambī; 4 Definition(s)
Introduction
Kosambi means something in Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
The capital of the Vatsas or Vamsas (J.iv.28; vi.236). In the time of the Buddha its king was Parantapa, and after him reigned his son Udena. (MA.ii.740f; DhA.i.164f). Kosambi was evidently a city of great importance at the time of the Buddha for we find Ananda mentioning it as one of the places suitable for the Buddhas Parinibbana (D.ii.146,169). It was also the most important halt for traffic coming to Kosala and Magadha from the south and the west. (See, e.g., Vin.i.277).
The city was thirty leagues by river from Benares. (Thus we are told that the fish which swallowed Bakkula travelled thirty leagues through the Yamuna, from Kosambi to Benares, AA.i.170; PsA.491). The usual route from Rajagaha to Kosambi was up the river (this was the route taken by Ananda when he went with five hundred others to inflict the higher punishment on Channa, Vin.ii.290), though there seems to have been a land route passing through Anupiya and Kosambi to Rajagaha. (See Vin.ii.184f). In the Sutta Nipata (vv.1010-13) the whole route is given from Mahissati to Rajagaha, passing through Kosambi, the halting places mentioned being Ujjeni, Gonaddha, Vedisa, Vanasavhya, Kosambi, Saketa, Savatthi, Setavya, Kapilavatthu, Kusinara, Pava, Bhoganagara and Vesali.
Near Kosambi, by the river, was Udenas park, the Udakavana, where Ananda and Pindola Bharadvaja preached to the women of Udenas palace on two different occasions (Vin.ii.290f; SNA.ii.514; J.iv.375). The Buddha is mentioned as having once stayed in the Simsapavana in Kosambi (S.v.437). Maha Kaccana lived in a woodland near Kosambi after the holding of the First Council (PvA.141).
Already in the Buddhas time there were four establishments of the Order in Kosambi - the Kukkutarama, the Ghositarama, the Pavarika ambavana (these being given by three of the most eminent citizens of Kosambi, named respectively, Kukkuta, Ghosita and Pavarika), and the Badarikarama. The Buddha visited Kosambi on several occasions, stopping at one or other of these residences, and several discourses delivered during these visits are recorded in the books. (Thomas, op. cit., 115, n.2, doubts the authenticity of the stories connected with the Buddhas visits to Kosambi, holding that these stories are of later invention).
The Buddha spent his ninth rainy season at Kosambi, and it was on his way there on this occasion that he made a detour to Kammassadamma and was offered in marriage Magandiya, daughter of the brahmin Magandiya. The circumstances are narrated in connection with the Magandiya Sutta. Magandiya took the Buddhas refusal as an insult to herself, and, after her marriage to King Udena, tried in various ways to take revenge on the Buddha, and also on Udenas wife Samavati, who had been the Buddhas follower. (DhA.i.199ff; iii.193ff; iv.1ff; Ud.vii.10).
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesTheravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
India history and geogprahy
Kosambī.—The earliest mention of Kosambī is found in Kauśāmbī Pillar Edict of Aśoka. During the time of Aśoka, Kosambī, Skt. Kauśāmbī, was the headquarters of a province. The place is identical with Kosam, a village twenty-eight miles south-west of Allahabad and about eight miles to the south of Karari, the chief town of Karari paxgana in the Manjhanpur tahsil of the Allahabad district. The spade of archaeologist has uncovered the ruins of the city of Kauśāmbī, which lie at Kosam. above mentioned village. Among other things, eight inscriptions of the Magha dynasty come from the village of Kosam. Five Bandhogarh inscriptionsof the third century A.D. mention a merchant, who belongs to Kosambī. One of the Bharhut inscriptions also refers to the city of Kosamba, i.e., Kauśāmbī. The city of Kauśāmbī was an important shopping place of the persons travelling along the great trade route connecting Sāketa and Sāvatthi in the north with Patiṭhāna or Paithan on the bank of the Godāvarī in the south.
Source: archive.org: Geography in Ancient Indian inscriptionsKosambī (कोसम्बी) or Kausāmbī was the ancient captial of Vatsa or Vaṃsa: one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas of the Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—The kingdom of the Vaṃsas or Vatsas is mentioned in the Aṅguttara Nikāya as one of the sixteen great countries of India. The capital of the country was Kausāmbī (Kosambī) identical with modern Kosam near Allahabad. In the Dīgha Nikāya we find that Kosambī was suggested as one of the great cities where the Blessed one should attain Mahāparinibbāna. In the Sutta Nipāta Commentary we are told that the city of Kosambī was visited by the followers of Bāvarī, a leader of the Jaṭilas.
Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
kosambī : (f.) name of the capital of Vatsas.
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Relevant definitions
Starts with: Kosambi Jataka, Kosambi Sutta, Kosambika, Kosambika Setthi, Kosambivasi Tissa, Kosambiya Sutta.
Full-text (+70): Kaushambi, Ghositarama, Simsapavana, Kosambaka, Kosambika, Kosambaka Vatthu, Vamsha, Sanghabedaka Jataka, Mandissa, Parantapa, Urudhammarakkhita, Devakatasobbha, India, Badarikarama, Pilakkhaguha, Vanasa, Cula Magandiya, Vatsa, Cula Gavaccha, Kusamba.
Relevant text
Search found 27 books and stories containing Kosambi, Kosambī; (plurals include: Kosambis, Kosambīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Buddha and His Disciples (by Venerable S. Dhammika)
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Part 1 - Story of the three rich men in Kosambī < [Chapter 27b - The Buddha’s Ninth Vassa at Kosambī]
Chapter 27a - An Account of Rich Man Ghosaka of Kosambī Country < [Volume 3]
Part 4 - Righteous (Dhammavādi) and Unrighteous (Adhammavādi) < [Chapter 28 - The Buddha’s Tenth Vassa at Pālileyyaka Forest]
Vinaya Pitaka (3): Khandhaka (by I. B. Horner)
On going to Pārileyyaka < [10. The monks from Kosambī (Kosambaka)]
On eighteen cases < [10. The monks from Kosambī (Kosambaka)]
The Bhikkhus Rules (by Bhikkhu Ariyesako)
Disputes < [Chapter 5 - Miscellaneous]
The Jataka tales [English], Volume 1-6 (by Robert Chalmers)
Jataka 428: Kosambī-jātaka < [Volume 3]
Jataka 81: Surāpāna-jātaka < [Book I - Ekanipāta]
Jataka 371: Dīghitikosala-jātaka < [Volume 3]
Vinaya Pitaka (1): Bhikkhu-vibhanga (the analysis of Monks’ rules) (by I. B. Horner)