• Jambukola

A sea-port in Nāgadīpa in the north of Ceylon. Here Mahārittha and his companions embarked on their journey as envoys to Dhammāsoka (Mhv.Xi.23). Here also arrived the ship conveying Sanghamittā and the branch of the sacred Bodhi-tree, welcomed by Devānampiyatissa, who awaited her arrival in the Samuddapannasālā (Mhv.Xix.25f). A sapling from the Bodhi-tree was afterwards planted on the spot where it had stood after landing (Mhv.vs.59; Sp.i.100; Mbv.145-62, passim) and Devānampiyatissa built a vihāra there called the Jambukolavihāra (Mhv.Xx.25). From Jambukola to Tāmalitti by sea was a seven days' voyage (Mhv.Xi.23), and it appears to have taken five days to get to Anurādhapura from Jambukola (Mhv.vs.38). It was the seaport of Anurādhapura (E.g., VibhA.446).

Geiger thinks (Cv. Trs.i.293, n.1; see Cv.lxx.72; lxxii.136) that, besides the seaport, there was another locality in the interior of Ceylon bearing the same name, which he identifies with the modern Dambulla.