(See also Aṅgā) One of the stock list of the sixteen Powers or Great Countries (Mahājanapadā), mentioned in the Tipiṭaka.¹ The countries mentioned are Aṅga, Magadha, Kāsī, Kosala, Vajji, Mallā, Cetī, Vaṃsā, Kuru, Pañcāla, Macchā, Sūrasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhāra, and Kamboja. Other similar lists occur elsewhere.² It was to the east of Magadha, from which it was separated by the River Campā, and had as its capital city Campā, near the modern Bhagalpur.³ Other cities mentioned are Bhaddiya ⁴ and Assapura.⁵

The country is generally referred to by the name of its people, the Aṅgā, though occasionally ⁶ the name Aṅgaraṭṭha is used. In the Buddha’s time it was subject to Magadha,⁷ whose king Bimbisāra was, we are told, held in esteem also by the people of Aṅga,⁸ and the people of the two countries evidently used to pay frequent visits to each other.⁹ We never hear of its having regained its former independence, and traditions of war between the two countries are mentioned.¹⁰

In the Buddha’s time the Aṅgarājā was just a wealthy nobleman, and he is mentioned merely as having granted a pension to a Brahmin.¹¹

The people of Aṅga and Magadha are generally mentioned together, so we may gather that by the Buddha’s time they had become one people. They provide Uruvela-Kassapa with offerings for his great sacrifice.¹² It was their custom to offer an annual sacrifice to Mahā-Brahmā in the hope of gaining reward a hundred thousand fold. On one occasion Sakka appears in person and goes with them to the Buddha so that they may not waste their energies in futile sacrifices.¹³

Several discourses were taught in the Aṅga country, among them being the Sonadanda Sutta and the Cūḷa° and Mahā Assapura Suttas. The Mahāgovinda Sutta seems to indicate that once, in the past, Dhataraṭṭha was king of Aṅga. However, this perhaps refers to another country.¹⁴ Soṇa Koḷivisa, before he entered the Order, was a squire (paddhagu) of Aṅga.¹⁵