Kaushambi
Kaushambi
憍賞弥国 (Skt; Pali Kosambi; Jpn Kyoshomi-koku)
The capital of Vatsa, one of the sixteen great states in India in Shakyamuni's time. Kaushambi was one of the major cities in India, and one of the places where Shakyamuni Buddha concentrated his teaching efforts. Buddhist scriptures identify the king of Kaushambi in Shakyamuni's time as Udayana, who converted to Buddhism and became a patron of Shakyamuni. King Udayana is celebrated in Buddhist scriptures for having fashioned an image of the Buddha, which is described as the first such image ever made. Another resident of Kaushambi described in Buddhist texts is a wealthy man named Ghoshila, also the Buddha's follower. He built a monastery in a grove that he owned and offered the monastery and grove to the Buddha. They are named after him, respectively Ghoshila Grove and Ghoshila Monastery.
