One of the four great monarchies in the time of the Buddha, the other three being Magadha, Kosala and Vamsa (or Vatsa).
Avanti is also mentioned among the sixteen Mahájanapadá (A.i.213; iv.252, 256, 260).
Its capital was Ujjení. But according to another account (D.ii.235), Máhissati is mentioned as having been, at least for some time, the capital of Avanti. It is quite likely that ancient Avanti was divided into two parts, the northern part having its capital at Ujjení and the southern part (also called Avanti Dakkhinápatha) at Máhissati (Máhismatí) (Bhandarkar: Carmichael Lectures (1918), p.54). This theory is supported by the fact that in the Mahábhárata (ii.31, 10), Avanti and Máhismatí are referred to as two different countries.
In the Buddha's time, the King of Avanti was Pajjota, a man of violent temper (Vin.i.277), and therefore known as Canda Pajjota. He wished to conquer the neighbouring kingdom of Kosambí, of which Udena was king, but his plans did not work out as he had anticipated. Instead, his daughter Vásuladattá became Udena's wife and the two countries continued to be on friendly terms. The romantic story of this marriage is given in DhA.i.191ff. For a summary see Vásuladattá.
The kingdom of Assaka is invariably mentioned in connection with Avanti. Even in the Buddha's life-time, Avanti became a centre of Buddhism. Among eminent monks and nuns who were either born or resided there, are to be found
It is said that when Pajjota heard of the Buddha's advent to the world, he sent his chaplain's son, Kaccána, with seven others, to invite him to Avanti.
Having listened to the Buddha's teaching, the messengers became arahants, and when Kaccána conveyed to the Buddha the king's invitation to Avanti, he was asked by the Buddha to return and represent him. Kaccána returned to Avanti and converted Pajjota to the faith of the Buddha (ThagA.i.485). Henceforward Mahá Kaccána seems to have spent a good deal of his time in Avanti, dwelling in the city of Kuraraghara in the Papáta Pabbata (S.iii.9, 12; iv.115-16; A.v.46; also UdA.307).
The religion thus introduced, however, does not seem to have spread to any extent until much later; for we find Mahá Kaccána experiencing great difficulty in collecting ten monks, in order that Sona Kutikanna might receive the higher Ordination; in fact it was not until three years had elapsed that he succeeded (Vin.i.195). Later, when Sona Kutikanna visited the Buddha at Sávatthi, he conveyed to the Buddha Mahá Kaccána's request that special rules might be laid down for the convenience of the monks of Avanti Dakkhinápatha and of, other border countries (Vin.i.197-8). The Buddha agreed, and among the rules so laid down were the following:
By the time of the Vesáli Council, however, Avanti had become one of the important centres of the orthodox school, for we find Yasa Kákandakaputta sending messengers to Avanti to call representatives to the Council, and we are told that eighty-eight arahants obeyed the summons (Vin.ii.298-9).
Among other localities in Avanti (besides those mentioned above) were Ghanaselapabbata, Makkarakata and Velugáma, and, in Jaina works, we find mention also of Sudarsanapura (Law: Ksatriya Tribes, p.148).
Even in the Buddha's day there were rumours of the King of Avanti making preparations to attack Magadha, but we are not told that he ever did so (E.g.,M.iii.7). Subsequently, however, before the time of Candagupta, Avanti became incorporated with Magadha. Before Asoka became King of Magadha he was the Magadha Viceroy of Avanti and ruled in Ujjeni, and it was in Ujjeni that Mahinda and Sanghamittá were born and grew up (Mhv.xiii.8ff). But the country seems to have retained its name at least as late as the second century A.D., as may be seen from Rudradáman's Inscription at Junagadh (Buddhist India, p.28).
Avanti is now identified with the country north of the Vindhaya Mountains and north-east of Bombay, roughly corresponding to modern Málwa, Nimár and adjoining parts of the Central Provinces (Law: Geography of Early Buddhism, p.22).
In the Milindapañha (Trs.ii.250, n.1) Avanti is mentioned as one of the three mandalas or great divisions of Jambudípa, the other two being Pácína and Dakkhinápatha.
According to a late tradition recorded in the Buddhavamsa (Bu.xxviii.10), the Buddha's mat (nisídana) and rug were deposited, after his death, in Avanti.
It has sometimes been suggested that Avanti was the home of modern Páli (E.g.,in Bud. India, pp.153-4). It has further been suggested that the Avanti school of monks - founded by Mahá Kaccána, who was considered the greatest analytical exponent of the Buddha's time - living in comparative isolation (as seen above) on account of difficulty of access (Avanti, however, lay on the road taken by Bávari's ten disciples on their way from Patitthána to Sávatthi), and laying special stress on dhutaváda practices (Vin.ii.299) - developed branches of knowledge dealing mainly with grammar and doctrinal interpretation by ways of exegetical analysis. The Páli grammar ascribed to Kaccáyana and the Netti-ppakarana were both works of this school. For a discussion of this see PLC.181ff
Avanti was one of the parts into which the earth was divided by King Renu, with the help of his Great Steward, Mahá-Govinda. The King of Avanti at the time was Vessabhú and his capital Máhissati. D.ii.235-6.
2. Avanti.-King of Ujjeni in a past age. During his reign the Bodhisatta was born, under the name of Citta, in a Candála village outside Ujjeni. His story is related in the Citta-Sambhúta Játaka. J.iv.390ff.