One of the chief lay patrons of Kassapa Buddha (Bu.xxv.41; J.i.92).

He spread the ground with bricks of gold for a space of twenty bow-lengths ¹ (usabha) and spent an equal sum on a monastery for the Buddha. He saw a man sleeping, and thought to himself that the man must be a thief. The man conceived a grudge against Sumaṅgala, and burned his fields seven times, cut the feet off the cattle in his pen seven times, and burned his house seven times. Then knowing that Sumaṅgala loved the Buddha’s Gandhakuṭi, he also set fire to that. It was burnt down by the time Sumaṅgala could arrive there; seeing it, he clasped his hands, saying that now he could build another in its place. Then the thief went about with a knife concealed on him, waiting to kill Sumaṅgala. One day Sumaṅgala held a great almsgiving, at the conclusion of which he said: “Sir, there is evidently an enemy of mine trying to do me harm. I have no anger against him, and will give over to him the fruits of this offering.” The thief heard and was filled with remorse, and begged his forgiveness. The thief was later born as a hungry ghost on Vultures’ Peak (Gijjhakuṭa). DhA.iii.61 f.