moḷiya

MoḷiyaPhagguna

He was always friendly with the nuns and stood up for them in discussions with the monks. This was reported to the Buddha, who sent for him and preached the Kakacūpama Sutta. MN.i.122ff.

In the Saṃyutta Nikāya SN.ii.12f. is recorded a discussion between Moliya Phagguna and the Buddha, regarding the consciousness sustenance (viññāṇāhāra) Moliya asks a question as to who feeds on consciousness. The Buddha rejects the question as being wrongly put and similar questions follow, which the Buddha puts in a different form and to which he provides the answers. In another context SN.ii.50 in the same collection Kaḷārakhattiya is reported as saying to Sāriputta that Moliya Phagguna had reverted to the lay life.