• Sujáta

1. Sujáta. The twelfth of the twenty four Buddhas.

• He was born in the city of Sumangala,
• his father being the khattiya Uggata and his mother Pabhávatí.
• He was called Sujáta because his birth brought happiness to all beings.
• He lived as a householder for nine thousand years in three palaces - Siri, Upasiri and Nanda
• his wife being Sirinandá and his son Upasena.
• He left home on a horse, named Hamsavaha,
• practised austerities for nine months,
• and attained Enlightenment under a bamboo (mahávelu) tree,
• after a meal of milk rice given by the daughter of Sirinandanasetthi of Sirinandans;
• grass for his seat was given by an Ajívaka named Sunanda.
• His first sermon was to his younger brother, Sudassana, and the chaplain's son, Deva, in the Sumangala Park.
• He performed the Twin Miracle at the gate of Sudassana Park.
• The Bodhisatta was a Cakkavatti, and entered the Order under the Buddha.
• Sujáta's chief disciples were Sudassana and Deva (Sudeva) among monks
• and Nágá and Nágasamálá among nuns.
• Nárada was his attendant.
• Sudatta and Citta were his chief lay patrons among men
• and Subhaddá and Padumá among women.
• His body was fifty cubits high;
• he lived for ninety thousand years, and died at Siláráma in Candavatí city, where a thúpa, three gávutas in height, was erected in his honour. Bu.xiii.1ff.; BuA.168 ff.; J.i.38; Mhv.i.8, etc.

2. Sujáta. Cousin of Padumuttara Buddha and brother of Devala. He later became one of Padumuttara's Chief Disciples (Bu.xi.24; BuA.159; DA.ii.489). Heraññakáni (Upaddhadussadáyaka) Thera, in a previous birth, gave him a piece of cloth for a robe (ThagA.i.266; Ap.ii.435), while Khemá gave him three meal cakes and cut off her hair as an offering to him (ThigA.127; AA.i.187). Dhammadinná also did obeisance to him and offered him alms (ThigA.196; MA.i.516).

3. Sujáta. An Ajívaka, who gave grass for his seat to Piyadassí Buddha. BuA.172.

4. Sujáta. A king, father of Náriváhana (q.v.).

5. Sujáta. A king, who later became a hermit. He was the Bodhisatta in the time of Tissa Buddha. Bu.xviii.9f.; J.i.40.

6. Sujáta. A yavapálaka, who gave grass for his seat to Vipassí Buddha. BuA.195.

7. Sujáta. A king of fifty seven kappas ago; a former birth of Ramsisaññaka Thera. Ap.i.210.

8. Sujáta. The name of Upáli Thera (q.v.) in the time of Padumuttara Buddha. ThagA.i.229.

9. Sujáta Thera. He was a brahmin of Benares, father of Sundarí Therí. While grieving for the death of his son, he met Vásitthí Therí, and from her he heard about the Buddha, whom he visited at Mithilá.

He entered the Order under the Buddha, attaining arahantship on the third day (ThigA.229).

It is perhaps this Thera who is mentioned in the Samyutta Nikáya (S.ii.278f ) as having won the special praise of the Buddha because of his bright expression.

10. Sujáta. A householder of Benares. He once went to hear the leader of a company of ascetics preach in the royal park and spent the night there. During the night, he saw Sakka arrive with his apsarases to pay homage to the ascetics, and he fell in love with one of them. His passion for her was so great that he died of starvation. The story is given in the Mahásutasoma Játaka. J.v.468f.

11. Sujáta. The Bodhisatta born as a landowner of Benares. See the Sujáta Játaka (3).

12. Sujáta. Son of the Assaka king in Polanagara. He was expelled from the country at the request of his stepmother and lived in the forest. At that time Mahá Kaccána, following on the holding of the First Council, was living in the Assaka country. One of Sujáta's friends, a devaputta in Távatimsa, appeared before Sujáta in the shape of a deer, and, after leading him to Mahá Kassapa, disappeared. Sujáta saw the Thera and talked with him. Mahá Kassapa saw that Sujáta had but five months to live, and, after stirring up his mind, sent him back to his father, urging him to good deeds. When the king heard his story he sent a messenger for Mahá Kaccána. Sujáta lived another four months and, after death, was reborn in Távatimsa. Later he visited Mahá Kaccána to show his gratitude and revealed his identity.

The story is known as the Cúlarathavimána. Vv.v.13; VvA.259-270.

13. Sujáta. Called Sujáta Pippaláyana of Mahátittha. He married the daughter of the brahmin Kapila, a previous birth of Bhaddá Kápilání. ThigA.73.