Dakkhinágiri (v.l. Dakkhinagiri)
A janapada (district) in India, the capital of which was Ujjeni, and over which Asoka ruled as Viceroy. It also contained the city of Vedisá (Sp.i.70; Mhv.xiii.5).
Dakkhinágiri lay to the south of Rájagaha, beyond the hills that surrounded the city - hence its name (SNA.i.136; MA.ii.795; SA.i.188). In the district was the brahmin village of Ekanálá (SN., p.13). The road from Sávatthi to Rájagaha lay through Dakkhinágiri, and the Buddha traversed it in the course of his periodical tours through Magadha, residing in the Dakkhinágiri-vihára in Ekanálá (S.i.172; SA.ii.133; Vin.i.80). It was during one of these tours that he converted Kasí-Bháradvája and Dhammasava (q.v.) and his father. On another of these occasions the Buddha saw the Magadhakhetta, which gave him the idea of designing the robe of a monk to resemble a field (Vin.i.287). Ananda is also said to have travelled through Dakkhinágiri, gathering a large number of young men into the Order, who, however, do not appear to have been very serious in their intentions, as their behaviour earned for Ananda the censure of Mahá Kassapa (S.ii.217f). Later, we find Punna with a large following in Dakkhinágiri refusing to join in the findings of the Rájagaha Council, and preferring to follow the Dhamma according to his own lights (Vin.ii.289).
Dakkhinágiri was the residence of Nandamátá of Velukantaka and she was visited both by Sáriputta and by Moggallána during a tour in the district (A.iv.64). In Dakkhinágiri, Sáriputta heard of the lack of zeal of Dhánańjáni (M.ii.185; see J.i.224 for another incident connected with Sáriputta's tour). The Arámadúsa Játaka (q.v.) was preached in Dakkhinágiri.
The Dakkhinágiri-vihára was, for a long time, a great monastic centre, and at the foundation of the Mahá Thúpa there were present from there forty thousand monks led by Mahá Sangharakkhita. Mhv.xxix.35.
1. Dakkhinágiri-vihára.-See Dakkhinágiri.
2. Dakkhinágiri-vihára.-A monastery built by Saddhátissa in Ceylon (Mhv.xxxiii.7). It was restored by Dhátusena (Cv.xxxviii.46), and Kassapa V. granted a village for its maintenance (Cv.lii.60). It is probably identical with the Dakkhinágiridalha-vihára, in which Aggabodhi I. erected an assembly-hall (Cv.xlii.27). It has sometimes been identified with the present Mulkirigala-vihára (Cv.Trs.i.33, n.3).
It was once the residence of Appihá-Sámanera (MT.552) and of Kála Buddharakkhita (MA.i.469).