• Ukkatthā

A town in Kosala, near the Himālaya. It has been given, free from all taxes (as brahmadeyya), to Pokkharasātī by the king of Kosala, in recognition of the former's skill. It was thickly populated and had much grassland, woodland and corn (D.i.87; DA.i.245). The Icchānangala wood was in the neighbourhood, and when the Buddha was staying in the wood Pokkharasātī first sent his pupil Ambattha and then went himself to visit the Buddha (see the Ambattha Sutta).

There was a road which connected Ukkatthā with Setavyā (A.ii.37) and with Vesāli (J.ii.259). Chatta goes from Setavyā to Ukkatthā to learn under Pokkharasātī (VvA.229).

It was in the Subhagavana at Ukkatthā that the Mūlapariyāya Sutta (M.i.1ff) was preached and the Mūlapariyāya Jātaka (J.ii.259ff) was related in connection with it. Ukkatthā was the residence of Anganika-Bhāradvāja (ThagA.i339).

Buddhaghosa explains (MA.i.9; AA.ii.504) that the city was so called because it was built by the light of torches (ukkā) at night, in order that it might be completed within the auspicious time.

In the Brahmanimantika Sutta (M.i.326; but see S. i.142; J. iii.359), the Buddha says that it was while he was residing at Subhagavana that be became aware of the erroneous views of Baka-brahma and went to the Brahma-world to teach Baka the truth.

The Divyāvadāna calls the city Ukkatā (p.621).