1. Abhaya Thera.-An arahant. He was a Brahmin of Sávatthi who, having heard the Buddha preach, entered the Order. One day, while going to the village for alms, he was disturbed in mind by an attractively dressed woman, but he recollected himself and developed insight (Thag.v.98; ThagA.i.201-2).
In a former birth he had met Sumedha Buddha in the forest and had offered him a wreath of salala-flowers. Nineteen kappas ago he was born sixteen times as king, his name being Nimmita. He is probably to be identified with the Thera Vatamsakiya of the Apadána (i.174).
2. Abhaya.-Commonly called Abhayarájakumára.
He was the son of King Bimbisára and of Padumavatí, the belle of Ujjeni. When the boy was seven years old, his mother sent him to the king and he grew up with the boys of the court. He first came under the influence of the Nigantha Nátaputta, who taught him a dilemma to set the "Samana Gotama." In the Buddha's reply, the prince recognised the defeat of the Nigantha and the supreme Enlightenment of the Exalted One, whose disciple he then became. Later, when the king died, Abhaya was disturbed in mind, and entered the Order. On the occasion of the preaching of the Tálacchiggalúpama Sutta (probably the same as S.v.455 and M.iii.169), he became a Stream-enterer and afterwards attained arahantship (Thag.26; ThagA.i.83-4 also ThagA.39. In ThagA. his mother's name does not appear). The Abhayarájakumára Sutta (M.i.392ff ) contains the dilemma episode. It also mentions that at the time the prince had a little son of whom he was evidently very fond.
In the Samyutta Nikáya (S.v.126-8) he is stated as having visited the Buddha at Gijjhakúta and discussed with him the views of Púrana Kassapa. The Buddha teaches him about the seven bojjhangas.
In the Vinaya (i.269), Abhaya is mentioned as having discovered Jívaka Komárabhacca lying on a dung-heap (cast there by the orders of his mother, the courtesan Sálávatí), and having brought him up.
The Anguttara Commentary (i.216), on the other hand, says that Abhaya was Jívaka's natural father.
As a reward for quelling a disturbance on the frontier, Abhaya was given a skilled nautch girl by his father, Bimbisára. For seven days he enjoyed her company to the exclusion of all else, but on the seventh day she died. Disconsolate, he sought comfort from the Buddha, who assuaged his grief (DhA.iii.166-67; cf. the story of Santati).
The Apadána (ii.502-4) gives the story of his past. He had been a brahmin of Hamsavatí, skilled in the Vedas; having heard the Buddha Padumuttara preach, he was converted and joined the Order, where he spent his time singing the greatness of the Buddha.
The Theragáthá Commentary (i.83-4) quotes, in his story, some verses in the Apadána, which in the Apadána itself are ascribed to a Thera Ketakapupphiya. They state that he offered a ketaka-flower to the Buddha Vipassí, Perhaps Ketakapupphiya was the title of another Thera, whose real name was Abhaya, and hence the stories were confused (ii.449-50).
See also Abhaya (3).
3. Abhaya.-A Licchavi of Vesáli generally (E.g., GS.i.200, n.2; ii.211, n.2; KS.v.107, n.2.), but wrongly, identified with Abhayarájakumára. On one occasion he comes with another Licchavi, Pandita Kumáraka, to Ananda in the Kútágárasálá in Vesáli, and discusses with him certain views held by Nigantha Nátaputta. Ananda teaches him the Buddha's three Ways of purification (For details see A.i.220-2). On another occasion he visits the Buddha, again at Vesáli, with the Licchavi Sálha; the latter asks the Buddha's views on purity of morals and self-mortification. The Buddha tells him of the Ariyan Way and explains its implications by various similes (See A.ii.202-4). We are not told that either of them became converts on this occasion.
4. Abhaya.-A Thera. He and Tissadatta Thera are mentioned together, in several Commentaries (DA.iii.786; MA.i.234; AA.i.273; VibhA.275) as examples of persons worthy of being associated with, because of their possession of ready attention (upatthita-sati). This perhaps refers to Abhaya (1) or, more probably, to one of the three Abhayas mentioned with their titles in the Digha Commentary on the Maháparinibbána Sutta (DA.ii.530: Mahágatimba-Abhaya, Dighabhánaka-Abhaya and Tipitaka Culábhaya) in its exegesis on the word upatthita-sati.
5. Abhaya.-King of Ceylon (then known as Ojadípa) in the time of Kakusandha Buddha. His capital was Abhayanagara. Sp.i.86; Mhv.xv.59.
6. Abhaya.-King of Ceylon (414-394 B.C.). He was the eldest son of Panduvásudeva and reigned in Upatissagáma. Later, when the usurper Pandukábhaya came to the throne, he killed all his other nine uncles, sparing only Abhaya, because the latter had befriended both him and his mother, Ummádacittá. (It was he who prevented Cittá from being killed at birth, Mhv.ix.3). Abhaya was made Nagaraguttika (Guardian of the City), administering the government by night; he was the first holder of that office. Mhv.ix.3, 9; x.52, 80, 105.
7. Abhaya.-Personal attendant of Atthadassí Buddha. Bu.xv.19.
8. Abhaya.-Eldest son of King Mutasíva of Ceylon. He renounced the succession in favour of his younger brother, Tissa, who later became known as Devánampiyatissa (MT.302).
9. Abhaya.-Father of Khañjadeva. Mhv.xxiii.78.
10. Abhaya.-A monk, chief of the ascetics who dwelt in the Pañca-parivenamúla monastery. He was sent by King Kittisirimegha (q.v.) to fetch the king's son (Cv.lxvii.61).
11. Abhaya.-Author of the Mahátiká on Saddatthabhedacintá (Gv.63). He was a native of Pagan, and is also credited with the authorship of the Sambhandhacintá-tíká. Bode, op. cit., 22, and n.8.
12. Abhaya.-A brigand, commonly called Cora-Abhaya (q.v.).
13. Abhaya (Abhayupassaya).-A nunnery built by King Mahásena. Mhv.xxxvii.43.
14. Abhaya.-Nephew of Khallátanága. MT.444.
For others named Abhaya see under their titles, e.g. Mahágatimba, Díghabhánaka, Meghavanna, etc.
15. Abhaya.-Called Abhidhammika Abhaya. A monk of Válikapitthi Vihára (q.v.).