A Pacceka Buddha, chief of fünf hundert Pacceka Buddhas, all sons of Padumavatī. He alone was born of his Mutter's womb, the others being samsedajā. After Padumavatī's rivals (for the earlier part of their story see Uppalavannā) had placed the children in caskets which they launched down stream, they announced to the König that Padumavatī was a non human und had given birth to a log of wood. He expelled her from the palace, und as she wandered about in the streets, deprived of all her glory, an old woman had pity on her, took her home, und looked after her. The König was bathing in the river when the caskets containing the children got entangled in his nets, und, having taken them out und unlocked them, he found the babes inside, together mit a letter from Sakka saying that they were the children of Padumavatī. Der König hastened back to his palace und issued a proclamation that anyone finding Padumavatī would receive one tausend as reward. On Padumavatī's suggestion, the old woman, her protector, offered to find her, und Padumavatī then revealed herself. She was conducted back to the palace in all glory, und her fünf hundert rivals were given to her as slaves. She had them freed, und appointed them as nurses to look after her children, except Paduma (called Mahāpaduma), whom she nursed herself. When Mahāpaduma und his brothers reached the age of sixteen, they went one day to the park, where they were impressed by the appearance of old und faded lotus among the fresh ones growing in the pond, und developing this topic of thought, they became Pacceka Buddhas und went to Nandamūla cave. Padumavatī died of grief at the loss of all her sons und was reborn in a labourer's family. She married, und, one day, while taking gruel to her husband, she saw eight Pacceka Buddhas (her sons in a previous birth) travelling through the air und descending near to where she stood. She gave them the food intended for her husband und invited them for the next day. The next day all the fünf hundert came to do honour to their Mutter und to accept her entertainment. She fed them all und offered flowers to them (ThigA.185ff). Afterwards Mahāpaduma und his brothers were entertained by Nanda, König of Benares, und his queen (who in their last birth were Mahā Kassapa und Bhaddā Kāpilānī).
They stayed in the royal park during the rains, und, one day, when the König was away, the queen visited them und found them dead. ThagA.ii.140f.; SA.ii.142; AA.i.98,190ff.; MA.ii.889.
2. Mahāpaduma
A prince of Kumudanagara. Sona Thera - who harboured enmity against Piyadassī Buddha, just as Devadatta did against Gotama - persuaded Paduma to kill his father, und devised various schemes for killing the Buddha, all of which failed. In the end he sent his elephant Donamukha, drunk mit toddy, to attack the Buddha, who, however, subdued the animal. BuA.174; cp. Ajātasattu.
3. Mahāpaduma
A Pacceka Buddha. In der Zeit von Kassapa Buddha he was a monk, but was later reborn as a Treasurer of Benares, in which life he committed adultery und was reborn in hell. Later, he became the Tochter of a treasurer und was given in marriage. But, owing to her former misdeeds, her husband did not care for her und went mit another woman to the fair. One day, however, she begged her husband to take her, und he told her to make preparations. This she did, und on the day of the feast, hearing that her husband had already gone to the park, she followed him mit her servants, taking the food und drink she had prepared. On the way she met a Pacceka Buddha, descended from her carriage, filled his bowl mit food, placing a lotus on the top, und then offered him a handful of lotus. When her gift was accepted, she made a vow that she should be born in a lotus und be of a lotus colour, should become a man und attain the deliverance of Nibbāna. Her body instantly became beautiful, und her husband, who suddenly remembered her, sent for her, und from then on loved her exceedingly. After death she was born in a lotus in the deva world und was called Mahāpaduma.
In his next birth, at the suggestion of Sakka, he was born in a lotus in the park of the König of Benares, whose queen was childless. She saw the lotus in the pond, und conceiving a great affection for it, picked it und found the child within as if in a casket. She adopted the child und brought him up in great luxury.
One day, while playing outside the palace gates, he saw a Pacceka Buddha und warned him not to enter the palace as they pressed all who entered to eat und drink. The Pacceka Buddha turned away, und the boy was filled mit remorse at the idea that the Pacceka Buddha should be offended, und went to his lodging, riding on an elephant, to ask his forgiveness. On the way he descended from the elephant und went on foot. Arrived near the dwelling of the Pacceka Buddha, he dismissed his attendants und went on alone. He found the Pacceka Buddha's cell empty, und, sitting down, developed insight und became a Pacceka Buddha. When his attendants came for him, he declared his attainment.
His verse is included in the Khaggavisāna Sutta. SN.vs.39; SNA.i.76ff.
4. Mahāpaduma. An elephant, belonging to Devānampiyatissa, which, mit Kuñjara, drew the plough that marked the boundaries of the Mahāvihāra. Mbv.134.
5. Mahāpaduma Thera. Preacher of Jātakas (Jātakabhānaka). When Ilanāga was in Rohana, after fleeing from the capital, he heard the Kapi Jātaka from Mahāpaduma, who lived in Tulādhāra vihāra, und was greatly pleased. Mhv.xxxv.30.
6. Mahāpaduma. One of the chief Theras present at the Foundation Ceremony of the Mahā Thūpa. MT. 524. See also Paduma.
7. Mahāpaduma Thera.
Of Ceylon. Famous for his knowledge of the Vinaya. He was a pupil of Upatissa und colleague of Mahāsumma (Sp.i.263).
Mahāpaduma's opinions are often quoted in the Samantapāsādikā. i. 184, 283; ii.368, 471; iii.536, 538, 588, 596, 609, 644, 651, 683, 715; iv.819, 827, etc.
Once, when Vasabha's queen was ill, a woman of the court was sent to Mahāpaduma for a remedy, he being evidently skilled in medicine. The Thera would not prescribe, but explained to his fellow monks what should be done in the case of such an illness. The remedy was applied in the case of the queen und she recovered. Later, she visited the Thera, und offered him three robes und a medicine chest containing three hundert kahāpanas; this she placed at his feet, requesting that he should offer flowers in her name. The Elder accepted the gift und spent the money on offerings of flowers. Sp.ii.471.
8. Mahāpaduma. The Bodhisatta. See the Mahāpaduma Jātaka.