1. Campá.-A city in India on the river of the same name; it was the capital of Anga and was celebrated for its beautiful lake, the Gaggará-pokkharaní (q.v.), which was excavated by Queen Gaggará. On its banks was a grove of campaka-trees, well known for the fragrance of their marvellous white flowers, and there, in the Buddha's time, wandering teachers were wont to lodge. The Buddha himself stayed thereon several occasions (Vin.i.312; S.i.195; A.iv.59, 168; v.151, 189). Sáriputta (A.iv.59) and Vangísa (S.i.195) are also said to have stayed there. The Mahá Parinibbána Sutta (D.ii.147) mentions Campá as one of the six important cities of India, its foundation being ascribed to Mahágovinda (D.ii.235). It lay at a distance of sixty yojanas from Mithilá (J.iv.32). In the Buddha's time the people of Campá owed allegiance to Bimbisára, as king of Magadha, and Bimbisára had given a royal fief in Campá to the brahmin Sonadanda (D.i.111). Campá was evidently an important centre of trade, and we are told that merchants travelled from there to Suvannabhúmi for purposes of trade (E.g., J.vi.539). Most probably it was the Indian colonists from Campá who named one of their most important settlements in Indo-China after this famous old town. The ancient name of Campá was probably Málini or Málina.( Campasya tu puri Campá, yá Málinyabhavat purá; Mbh.xii.5, 6, 7; Matsyapurána 48, 97, etc.; Law, A.G.I.6, n.2).
The ninth chapter of the Mahá Vagga of the Vinaya Pitaka (Vin.i.312ff; see also Vin.ií.307) contains several important regulations laid down by the Buddha at Campá regarding the validity and otherwise of formal acts of the Sangha.
Campá is mentioned as the birthplace of Sona-Kolivisa, Jambugámika, Nandaka and Bharata, and among those who resided there were Báhuna, Vajjiyamáhita and Thullanandá and her companions.
The Sonadanda, the Dasuttara, the Kandaraka and the Kárandava Suttas were preached there.
According to Buddhaghosa (MA.ii.565), Campá was so called because the whole place abounded in large Campaka-trees.
Campá is generally identified with a site about twenty-four miles to the east of the modern Bhagalpur, near the villages of Campánagara and Campápura (C.A.G.I.5). It was visited by Hiouen Thsang (Beal, Records ii.187f), and Fa Hien calls it a great kingdom with many places of worship (p.65).
The Buddha's bathing-robe was enshrined in Campá (Bu.xxviii.9). See also Kála Campá, probably another name for Campá.
2. Campá, Campaká.-One of the two chief women disciples of Kakusandha Buddha. Bu.xxiii.21; J.i.42.
3. Campá, Campaká.-Birthplace of Paduma Buddha (Bu ix.16; J.i.36). Near by was the Campaka-uyyána.
4. Campá.-The river which flowed between Anga and Magadha (now called Chándan). The Nága Campeyya held sway over the river. J.iv.454f.
5. Campá.-A channel branching off from the Parakkama-samudda, from the sluice near the Candí gate. Cv.lxxix.4.5.