• Kitāgiri (v.l. Kītāgiri)

A village of the Kāsis, on the road from Kāsi to Sāvatthi.

It was the headquarters of the followers of Assaji and Punabbasu, who lived there, behaving in a shameless and wicked manner. A certain monk, on his way to Jetavana, passed through the place and was asked by a pious layman to complain to the Buddha of their ill-behaviour. On hearing of it, the Buddha sent Sāriputta and Moggallāna to proclaim on them an act of banishment. (J.ii.387; Vin.ii.9f; iii.179f; DhA.ii.108f). Some time after, when the Buddha visited the place with a large company of monks, including Sāriputta and Moggallāna, the Assajipunabbasukā, were asked to provide lodgings for the visitors. They agreed to do so for the Buddha, but would have nothing to do with Sāriputta and Moggallāna (Vin.ii.171).

According to Buddhaghosa (MA.ii.668), Kitāgiri was the name of a nigama (township). In the Samantapāsādikā (iii.613f) it is called a janapada, favoured by adequate rain and fruitful crops, and therefore chosen by the Assaji-Punabbasukas.