India As Described In Early Texts Of Buddhism and Jainism

Author(s): Bimla Charn Law
Publisher: Bimlacharan Law

Page 41

GEOGRAPIY
Viñjhātavi represented the forests surrounding the Vindhya range, through which lay the way from Pāțaliputta to Tāmalitti. According to Buddhaghosa, it was then a forest without any human habitation (agāmakam araññam).
Over and above the natural forests and jungles there were hundreds and thousands of private and royal gardens and parks, and in some of the parks tho deer, set at liberty, roamed about freely. The migadāya (mrgadāva) at Isipatana near Benares, the one at Maddakucchi in Rājagaha, and that at Bhesakaļāvana were three among the notable deer-parks. Besides the tanks, large and small (taļāka-pokkharani) and wells (kūpā, udapānā), in which the Mid-land abounded, thero were several natural pools (jātasaras) and lakes (dahas), though none of them were so very important as to find mention by name,
It may, perhaps, be safely premised that the realms visited by the Buddha were all included ; by the Buddhists in their Middle country. Such realms were Kuru and Pañchāla in the west and north-west, Vamša or Vatsa in the west and south-west, Kāsi and Kosala in the middle, the Sakya and Koliya in the north, the Vajji and Malla in the east and north-east, and Anga;
1 Mahavamsa, xix, 6; Dipavamsa, xvi, 2. 2 Samantapāsådikā, iii, p. 666.