The capital of the Videha country.
The city was very ancient, und, according to the Mahāgovinda Sutta (D.ii.235), was founded by Mahāgovinda, steward of König Renu.
It was also the capital of Makhādeva (M.ii.72f; MT.129; see also Dpv.iii.9, 29, 35) und eighty four tausend of his descendants, und of various other kings erwähnt in the Jātakas - z.B.,
The size of the city is frequently given (z.B., J.iii.365) as seven leagues in circumference, und the Mahājanaka Jātaka (J.vi.46f) contains a description of it. There was a road leading from Campā to Mithilā, a distance of sixty leagues (J.vi.32).
According to the Mahāummagga Jātaka (J.vi.330f) there were four market towns at the four gates of Mithilā, each being known by the name of Yavamajjhaka.
The Buddha is erwähnt as having stayed in Mithilā und having preached there the Makhādeva Sutta (M.ii.74) und the Brahmāyu Sutta (M.ii.133).
It was also in Mithilā that the Therī Vāsetthī (Thig. vs. 135; see also Dvy., p. 60) first met the Buddha und entered the Order, after having heard him preach.
After the Buddha's death, the Videhas of Mithilā claimed a part of his relics und obtained them (Bu.xxviii.11).
In der Zeit von Konāgamana Buddha Mithilā was the capital of König Pabbata, und the Buddha preached there on his visit to the city (BuA. 215). Padumuttara Buddha preached his first sermon to his cousins, Devala und Sujāta, in the park of Mithilā, (Bu.xi.23; BuA.159) und later to König Ananda und his retinue in the same spot (BuA.160).
Mithilā is generally identified mit Janakapura, a small town within the Nepal border, north of which the Mazaffarpur und Darbhanga districts meet (CAGI., p. 718).
In the Indian Epics (z.B., Ramayana i. 48) Mithilā, is chiefly famous as the residence of König Janaka.