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Kañcanaguhā

A cave in the region of the Himavā, according to one description (J.ii.176; but see J.v.357, where it is said to be near Cittakūṭa) in the face of the Cittakūṭa-pabbata. This cave was the abode of the Bodhisatta when he was born as a lion, as described in the Viroca Jātaka (J.i.491 f), and again in the Sigāla Jātaka (J.ii.6). Nearby was the Rajata-pabbata. This cave was also the dwelling-place of the geese mentioned in the Kacchapa Jātaka (J.ii.176), and in the cave grew the Abbhantaramba (J.ii.396), the property of Vessavaṇa. In the scholiast to the Hatthipāla Jātaka (J.iv.484), the Kañcanagūha is mentioned as the abode of the spider Unnābhi and the ninety-six thousand geese who took shelter in it, waiting for the rains to clear. Near the cave was the Chaddantadaha and the Buddha, when he was born as the elephant Chaddanta, made the cave his headquarters (J.v.37 f). In this context the cave is described as being in the Suvaṇṇa-pabbata (probably another name for Kañcanapabbata) to the west of the Chaddanta lake, and is said to be twelve leagues in extent. There lived the elephant king with eight thousand companions. Nandatāpasa once lived for seven days at the entrance to the cave, going to Uttarakuru for his food (J.v.316, 392).

The Pākahaṃsas of great power also lived in the cave (J.v.357, 368), once as many in number as ninety thousand (J.v.381).

In the Sudhābhojana Jātaka (J.v.392), the cave is stated to have been on the top of Manosilātala.

The Kañcanagūha is mentioned in literature as the dwelling-place of maned lions (kesarasīhā) (e.g., UdA.71, 105).