A city in the Anguttarápa country (probably its capital). The Buddha once visited the city with 1,250 monks and the whole company was entertained by the Jatila Keniya (Vin.i.245ff). From Ápana the Buddha went on to Kusinárá (Vin.i.247). In the Samyutta Nikáya (S.v.225), Ápana is spoken of as a township of the Angas (Angánam nigamo) and the Buddha is mentioned as having stayed there with Sáriputta.
Several suttas were preached at Ápana, among them
the Potaliya Sutta (regarding Potaliya), (M.i.359ff)
the Latukikopama Sutta (to Udáyi) (M.i.447ff),
the Sela Sutta (regarding Sela) (M.ii.146ff; Sn.pp.102ff) and
the Saddha or Ápana Sutta (S.v.225-7).
Ápana was a brahmin village and was the home of the Elder Sela (ThagA.ii.47). On the occasion of the Buddha's visit to Ápana, during which he converted Sela and Keniya, he seems to have stayed at Ápana for over a week and ordained three hundred monks in the company of Sela (Sn., p.112).
According to Buddhaghosa (MA.ii.586), the village was called Ápana because it had twenty thousand bazaars (ápaná) and was therefore distinguished for its shops (ápanánam ussannattá). Near the village, on the banks of the river Mahí, was the woodland where the Buddha stayed during his visits.