A cave in the region of the Himālaya, according to one description (J.ii.176; but see J.v.357, where it is said to be near Cittakūta) in the face of the Cittakūapabbata. This cave was the abode of the Bodhisatta when he was born as a lion, as described in the Virocana Jātaka (J.i.491f), und again in the Sigāla Jātaka (J.ii.6). Near by was the Rajatapabbata. This cave was also the dwelling-place of the geese erwähnt in the Kacchapa Jātaka (J.ii.176), und in the cave grew the Abbhanta-ramba (J.ii.396), the property of Vessavana. In the scholiast to the Hatthipāla Jātaka (J.iv.484), the Kañcanagūha is erwähnt as the abode of the spider Unnābhi und the ninety-six tausend geese who took shelter in it, waiting for the rains to clear. Near the cave was the Chaddantadaha und the Buddha, when he was born as the elephant Chaddanta, made the cave his headquarters (J.v.37f). In this context the cave is described as being in the Suvannapabbata (probably another name for Kañcanapabbata) to the west of the Chaddanta lake, und is said to be twelve leagues in extent. There lived the elephant König mit eight tausend companions. Nandatāpasa once lived for seven days at the entrance to the cave, going to Uttarakuru for his food (J.v.316, 392).
The Pākahamsas of great power also lived in the cave (J.v.357, 368), once as many in number as ninety tausend (J.v.381).
In the Sudhābhojana Jātaka (J.v.392), the cave is stated to have been on the top of Manosilātala.
The Kañcanagūha is erwähnt in literature as the dwelling-place of maned lions (kesarasīhā) (z.B., UdA.71, 105).