A country in which was the port of Suppáraka, birthplace of Punna Thera. From there he went with a caravan to Sávatthi, and, after hearing the Buddha preach, entered the Order. Later, obtaining the Buddha's permission, he returned to Sunáparanta (ThagA.i.158). There he attained arahantship, and five hundred men and five hundred women became lay followers of the religion. Under his direction they built a Gandhakuti, called Candanasálá, and Punna, wishing the Buddha to be present at the dedication festival, sent a flower through the air to the Buddha at Sávatthi as invitation.
The Buddha accepted this invitation and went to Sunáparanta with four hundred and ninety nine arahants, including Kundadhána and Ananda, all in pinnacled palanquins, provided by Vissakamma, acting under orders from Sakka. On the way the Buddha stopped at Saccabaddhapabbata, where he converted the tápasa of the mountain, who became an arahant and travelled on with the party in the five hundredth palanquin. The Buddha spent the day in Sunáparanta, and, on his way back, stopped on the banks of the river Nammadá. There the Nágarájá paid him homage, and the Buddha left his footprint in the Nága's abode for him to worship. MA.ii.101f.; SA.iii.176; according to the latter account the Buddha spent seven days in Sunáparanta, at the Mankuláráma.
The people of Sunáparanta were reported as being fierce and violent (M.iii.268; S.iv.61f).
Sunáparanta was also the birthplace of Culla-Punna and Isidinna (Isidatta) (q.v.).
Sunáparanta is probably identical with Aparanta; the Burmese, however, identify it with the country on the right bank of the Irrawaddy River, near Pagan. Sás. Introd., p.ix.