Geography of Early Buddhism c7.37

c7.37

Before the time of the Buddha, Aṅga was a powerful kingdom. We are told in one of the Jātakas (Jāt., VI, p. 272) that Magadha was once under the sway of Aṅgarāja. We are informed by the Jātaka book that there was a river between Aṅga and Magadha which was inhabited by a Nāga-rāja who helped the Magadhan king to defeat and kill the Aṅga-rāja and to bring Aṅga under his sway. In one of the Jātakas (Jāt., V, pp. 312-316), it is stated that King Manoja of Brahmavaddhana (another name of Benares) conquered Aṅga and Magadha. In Buddha's time Aṅga lost her political power for ever. During this period Aṅga and Magadha were constantly at war (Jāt., IV, pp. 454-55). The Aṅga country became subject to Seniya Bimbisāra. This is clearly proved by the fact that a certain brahmin named Sonadaṇḍa with whom the Buddha had a discussion on the subject of caste, lived at Campā on the grant made by King Bimbisāra and used to enjoy the revenues of the town which was given to him by the King (DN., Vol. I, p. 111).