Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c16.358

v1.c16.358

**1. Campā.**—A city in India on the river of the same name; it was the capital of Aṅga and was celebrated for its beautiful lake, the Gaggarā-pokkharaṇī (*q.v.*), which was excavated by Queen Gaggarā. On its banks was a grove of *campaka*-trees, well known for the fragrance of their marvellous white flowers, and there, in the Buddha's time, wandering teachers were wont to lodge. The Buddha himself stayed there on several occasions.¹ Sāriputta² and Vaṅgīsa³ are also said to have stayed there. The Mahāparinibbāna Sutta⁴ mentions Campā as one of the six important cities of India, its foundation being ascribed to Mahāgovinda.⁵ It lay at a distance of sixty yojanas from Mithilā.⁶ In the Buddha's time the people of Campā owed allegiance to Bimbisāra, as king of Magadha, and Bimbisāra had given a royal fief in Campā to the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa.⁷ Campā was evidently an important centre of trade, and we are told that merchants travelled from there to Suvaṇṇabhūmi for purposes of trade.⁸ Most probably it was the Indian colonists from Campā who named one of their most important settlements in Indo-China after this famous old town. The ancient name of Campā was probably Mālinī or Mālina.⁹