The Buddha’s cousin and closest personal attendant, renowned for his devotion, retentive memory, and championing of women’s ordination.

A khattiya king of Haṃsavatī and father of Padumuttara Buddha, whose grandson later became attendant to Gotama Buddha.

A step-brother of Maṅgala Buddha who came to him with nine hundred million followers, all of whom attained Arahantship after hearing his teaching.

Son of Tissa Buddha, born to his mother Subhaddā.

Son of Phussa Buddha, born to his mother Kisāgotamī; a commentary instead gives his name as Anupama.

A Pacceka Buddha who lived ninety-one world-cycles ago; the commentaries record several Pacceka Buddhas bearing this name.

A king of vultures who dwelt on Gijjhakūṭa and, after hearing Kuṇāla’s teaching, discoursed on the faults of women; in a later life he became the Buddha’s attendant.

A king of fishes appointed to rule over them, who secretly began eating his own subjects and was eventually devoured by them after mistaking his own tail for a fleeing fish.

A yakkha to whom a shrine at Bhoganagara was dedicated, later converted into a monastery where the Buddha stayed and taught.

A wealthy but miserly banker of Sāvatthi who, after death, was reborn among outcastes and later revealed by the Buddha to be the true father of his former son, the banker Mūlasiri.

An Indian-born monk who settled in Sri Lanka and, as head of the Vanavāsi fraternity around the eighth or ninth century, wrote a subcommentary on Buddhaghosa’s Abhidhamma commentaries.

A teacher of Culla Dhammapāla and, according to one source, the author of the Saccasaṅkhepa; possibly identical with the scholar-monk described above as author of the Mūlaṭīkā.

A Sri Lankan monk of the Vanavāsi sect, teacher of Buddhappiya (author of the Rūpasiddhi) and of Vedeha (author of the Samantakūṭavaṇṇanā), who also produced Sinhalese translations of grammatical works.

Also known as Abhayagiri-Kavicakravarti, author of the Saddhammopāyana, written for his friend Buddhasoma.

A companion of Chapaṭa and co-founder of the Sīhala-Saṅgha in Burma, expelled from the community over a dispute involving a gift elephant, who died in 1246.

A monk of Haṃsavatī, author of a subcommentary on the Abhidhamma titled the Madhusāratthadīpanī.

One of the five daughters of the chief queen of a king of the Okkāka dynasty, whose chief queen was named Hatthā.