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), and again in the Sigāla Jātaka (J.ii.6). Near by was the Rajatapabbata. This cave was also the dwelling-place of the geese mentioned in the Kacchapa Jātaka (J.ii.176), and 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 Kańcanagūha is mentioned as the abode of the spider Unnābhi and the ninety-six thousand geese who took shelter in it, waiting for the rains to clear. Near the cave was the Chaddantadaha and 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 Kańcanapabbata) to the west of the Chaddanta lake, and is said to be twelve leagues in extent. There lived the elephant king with eight thousand 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 thousand (J.v.381).
In the Sudhābhojana Jātaka (J.v.392), the cave is stated to have been on the top of Manosilātala.
The Kańcanagūha is mentioned in literature as the dwelling-place of maned lions (kesarasīhā) (E.g., UdA.71, 105).