Geography of Early Buddhism

Northern India - 132 Uttarakuru: Uttarakuru is often mentioned in Pāli literature as a mythical region. It has also been mentioned in Vedic and later Brahmanical literature as a country situated somewhere north of Kashmīr.

Kalasigāma: Kalasigāma was the birth place of King Milinda (Milindapañho, p.

83); it was situated in the Island of Alasanda or Alexandria.

Kāsmīra: According to a Jātaka story (No. 406) the kingdom of Kāsmīr was included in the Gandhāra Kingdom.

It is stated in the Mahāvaṁsa that after the dissolution of the Third Buddhist Council, Moggaliputta Tissa thera sent Majjhantika thera to Kāsmīra-Gandhāra for propagation of the Buddhist faith. (See ante: Gandhāra).

During the reign of Asoka, Kāsmīra was included in the Maurya dominion. This is proved by the testimony of Yuan Chwang (Watters, I, pp. 267–71).

Kurudīpa: The Dīpavaṁsa (p. 16) refers to the Kurudīpa which, however, may be taken to be identical with Uttarakuru.

Takkasīlā: Takkasīlā (Sans. Takshasila) was the capital city of the Gandhāra kingdom, and according to the Jātakas (Telapatta Jātaka, No. 96;