Mithilā untranslated

Mithilā. The capital of the Videha country. The city was very ancient, and, according to the Mahā Govindasutta (DN.ii.235), was founded by Mahā Govinda, steward of King Reṇu. It was also the capital of Makhādeva (MN.ii.72f; Mhv­ṭ.129; see also Dpv.iii.9, 29, 35) and eighty-four thousand of his descendants, and of various other kings mentioned in the Jātakas – e.g., Aṅgati (vi. 220), Ariṭṭhajanaka (vi. 30), Nimi (iii.378), Videha (ii.39), Vedeha (vi.330), Mahā Janaka (vi. 30f.), Sādhīna (iv. 355), and Suruci (ii.333).

The size of the city is frequently given (e.g., Ja.iii.365) as seven leagues in circumference, and the Mahā Janakajātaka (Ja 539, Ja.vi.46f) contains a description of it. There was a road leading from Campā to Mithilā, a distance of sixty leagues (Ja.vi.32).

According to the Mahā Ummaggajātaka (Ja 546, Ja.vi.330f) there were four market towns at the four gates of Mithilā, each being known by the name of Yavamajjhaka.

The Buddha is mentioned as having stayed in Mithilā and having preached there the Makhādevasutta (MN.ii.74) and the Brahmāyusutta (MN.ii.133).

It was also in Mithilā that Vāseṭṭhī Therī (Thīg. vs. 135; see also Divy., p. 60) first met the Buddha and entered the Saṅgha, after having heard him preach.

After the Buddha’s death, the Videhas of Mithilā claimed a part of his relics and obtained them (Bv.xxviii.11).

In the time of Koṇāgamana Buddha Mithilā was the capital of King Pabbata, and the Buddha preached there on his visit to the city (Bv­a. 215). Padumuttara Buddha preached his first sermon to his cousins, Devala and Sujāta, in the park of Mithilā (Bv.xi.23; Bv­a.159), and later to King Ānanda and his retinue in the same spot (Bv­a.160).

Mithilā is generally identified with Janakapura, a small town within the Nepal border, north of which the Mazaffarpur and Darbhanga districts meet (CAGI.718).

In the Indian Epics (e.g., Rāmāyaṇa i. 48) Mithilā, is chiefly famous as the residence of King Janaka.