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Ukkaṭṭhā

A town in Kosala, near the Himavā. It has been given, free from all taxes (as brahmadeyya), to Pokkharasāti by the king of Kosala, in recognition of the former’s skill. It was thickly populated and had much grassland, woodland and corn.¹ The Icchānaṅgala wood was in the neighbourhood, and when the Buddha was staying in the wood Pokkharasāti first sent his pupil Ambaṭṭha and then went himself to visit the Buddha.²

There was a road that connected Ukkaṭṭhā with Setabyā ³ and with Vesāli.⁴ Chatta goes from Setabyā to Ukkaṭṭhā to learn under Pokkharasāti.⁵ It was in the Subhagavana at Ukkaṭṭhā that the Mūlapariyāya Sutta⁶ was taught and the Mūlapariyāya Jātaka ⁷ was related in connection with it. Ukkaṭṭhā was the residence of Aṅganika-Bhāradvāja.⁸

Buddhaghosa explains ⁹ that the city was so called because it was built by the light of torches (ukkā) at night, in order that it might be completed within the auspicious time.

In the Brahmanimantika Sutta,¹⁰ the Buddha says that it was while he was residing at Subhagavana that be became aware of the erroneous views of Baka-brahma and went to the Brahma-world to teach Baka the truth. The Divyāvadāna calls the city Ukkatā.¹¹

¹ D.i.87; DA.i.245. ² See the Ambaṭṭha Sutta. ³ A.ii.37. ⁴ J.ii.259.

⁵ VvA.229. ⁶ M.i.1 ff. ⁷ J.ii.259 ff. ⁸ ThagA.339. ⁹ MA.i.9; AA.ii.504.

¹⁰ M.i.326; but see S.i.142; J.iii.359. ¹¹ p.621.