AmbaṭṭhaAmbaṭṭhamāṇava

A brahmin youth of the Ambaṭṭha clan who lived with his teacher, Pokkharasādi, at Ukkaṭṭha. He was learned in the three Vedas and the correlated branches of knowledge, includin …

A banker (seṭṭhi) of Sāvatthī who became famous because of his unparalleled generosity to the Buddha. His first meeting with the Buddha was during the first year after the Enlightenment, in Rājagaha …

In Pali Literature the Asuras are classed among the inferior deities together with the supaṇṇas, gandhabbas, yakkhas, garuḍas and nāgas. Rebirth as an Asura is considered as one of the four …

BimbisāraSeniya

King of Māgadha and patron of the Buddha.

According to the Pabbajā Sutta Snp.405ff. the first meeting between the Buddha and Bimbisāra took place in Rājagaha under the Paṇḍavapabba …

The name of certain Supaṇṇas. DN.ii.259

A wanderer. He visited the Buddha at Sūkarakhatalena and the Buddha preached to him the Dīghanakha Sutta, at the end of which he became a sotāpanna. In the sutta he is addressed as Aggivessana. MN.i.497f.

GaruḷāGaruḍāSupannaSuvaṇṇa

A class of mythical birds generally mentioned in company with Nāgas.

A very learned brahmin of Khāṇumata, which village had been given to him by King Bimbisāra as a brahmadeyya. The Buddha arrived at Khāṇumata when Kūṭadanta was making preparations for a great sacrific …

MahāmoggallānaMoggallānaKolita

The second of the Chief Disciples of the Buddha. He and Sāriputta went forth as disciples of Sañjaya. After some time, Sāriputta, wandering about in Rājagaha, met Assaj …

Wife of Nakulapitā. They were householders of Suṃsumāragiri in the Bhagga-country. When the Buddha visited the village and stayed at Bhesakalāvana, they went to see him. They immediately fell at his …

Husband of Nakulamātā. They were householders of Suṃsumāragiri in the Bhagga-country. When the Buddha visited the village and stayed at Bhesakalāvana, they went to see him. They immediately fell at h …

Nandaka¹

Once, at the Buddha’s request, he preached a sermon to the nuns; on the first day they became sotāpannas, and, on the second, five hundred of them attained arahantship. MN.iii.270 …

A class of beings classed with Garuḷas and Supaṇṇas and playing a prominent part in Buddhist folk lore. They are gifted with miraculous powers and great strength. Generally speaking, they are confused …

PokkharasātiPokkharasādi

A brahmin of great wealth and learning who lived in Ukkaṭṭha, on a royal demesne given by Pasenadi. Ambaṭṭha was the pupil of Pokkharasāti, who sent him to the Buddha at Icch …

A Yakkhinī, mother of Punabbasu. One evening towards sunset, when the Buddha was at Jetavana, she, with her daughter Uttarā on her hip and the boy’s hand in hers, came to the grove in search of food. …

Rohinī¹

The Therīgāthā Thig.271–290 contains a set of verses spoken by her in exaltation, when, after becoming an arahant, she recalled to mind the discussion she had had with her father w …

SakkaVatrabhūVāsavaMaghavāMāghaPurindadaSahassakkhaSahassanettaSujampatiKosiya

Almost always spoken of as chief of the devas. The Saṃyutta Nikāya SN.i.229 contains a list of his names.

• Maghavā, be …

SarakāniSaraṇāni

A Sākyan. When he died the Buddha declared that he was a sotāpanna, bound for enlightenment. But many of the Sākyans spoke scornfully of him, saying that he had failed in the train …

Subhā¹

A group of Brahmās; the group includes the Parittasubhā, the Appamāṇasubhā and the Subhakiṇhā. MN.iii.102

Subhā²Kammāradhītā

The daughter of a rich goldsmith of Rājagah …

Sujātā¹

The foremost laywoman in being first to go for refuge. DN.ii.135 AN.i.26

Sujātā²

A lay woman of Ñātikā. The Buddha said that she had become a sotāpanna and had thus as …

A poor leper of Rājagaha, who, one day seated in the outer circle of people, heard the Buddha preach and became a sotāpanna. While waiting the departure of the crowd so that he could pay homage to t …

A brahmin village of Kosala, its inhabitants were called Sāleyyakā. The Apaṇṇaka Sutta and the Saleyyaka Sutta were preached there. MN.i.285 MN.i.400

Kosala3town

Tissa¹

One of the two chief disciples of Vipassī Buddha. DN.ii.4

Tissa²

A monk who was reborn as a Brahmā with great iddhi-powers. Moggallāna visited him soon after his bir …

A Yakkhinī, mother of Punabbasu and Uttarā. Once as she passed Jetavana at sunset looking for food, with her daughter on her hip and holding her son by his finger, she saw the assembly, intently liste …

A class of non human beings generally described as non-human. They are mentioned with Devas, Rakkhasas, Dānavas, Gandhabbas, Kinnaras, and Mahoragas (? Nāgas).

Elsewhere AN.ii.38 they rank, in progr …

One of the principal disciples of the Buddha. He was a first cousin of the Buddha and was deeply attached to him. Ānanda entered the Order in the second year of the Buddha’s ministry, together with ot …