A province of Ceylon, identified with the modern Jaffna peninsula and the north west of Ceylon.
The Buddha's second visit to Ceylon was to Nágadípa, to settle a dispute between two Nágas, Mahodara and Cúlodara (Mhv.i.47).
Jambukola (q.v.) was a harbour in Nágadípa, and there a vihára was built by Devánampiyatissa (Ibid., xx.25) and later restored by Kanitthatissa (Ibid., xxxvi.9). This vihára was probably called Tissa vihára (See ibid.,36).
Another vihára, called Sálipabbata, was built by Mahallaka Nága (Ibid.,xxxv.124). The Unnalomaghara, the Rájáyatana dhátucetiya and the Amalacetiya were probably all places of worship in Nágadípa (Cv.xlii.62).
The Valáhassa Játaka (J.ii.128) says that the coast of Ceylon, from the river Kalyání to Nágadípa, was once infested by yakkhinis. Once (J.iii.187) Nágadípa was known as Serumadípa, and near by was Karadípa, earlier known as Ahidípa (J.iv.238).
An old story, given in the Commentaries (E.g., VibhA.444), speaks of a king called Díparágá, who reigned over Nágadípa in great splendour. Nágadípa was once an important centre of Buddhism in Ceylon (E.g., ibid., 446, 467; AA.i.422. MA.i.545; see also J.R.A.S., vol. xxvi) and contained many places of pilgrimage. There is a legend (DA.iii.899; VibhA.433) which relates that, when the Buddha's sásana comes to an end, all the Buddha's relics in Ceylon will gather together at the Mahácetiya and travel to the Rájáyatanacetiya in Nágadípa, and then from there to the Mahábodhi tree at Gayá.
According to the Rasaváhiní (ii.19) the place was so called because it was given as gift to the woman named Nagá. See Nágá (7).