1. Upavána.-A thera. He belonged to a very rich brahmin family of Sávatthi, and having seen the Buddha's majesty at the dedication of Jetavana, he entered the Order and became an arahant with sixfold aññá. For some time, before Ananda was appointed upattháka, Upavána waited on the Buddha. Once when the Buddha was attacked by cramp, Upavána, with the help of his lay-friend Devahita, obtained hot water and suitable medicines, with which the ailment was healed; the Buddha, thereupon, expressed his gratitude. ThagA.i.308ff; this ailment does not seem to be mentioned in Milinda 134f. where several others are given. This incident is given at greater length in S.i.174f; see also DhA.iv.232f.
When the Buddha lay on his death-bed at Kusinára, Upavána was by his side fanning him; the Buddha, seeing that he obstructed the vision of the devas who had come to pay their last homage to the Teacher, asked Upavána to move away (D.ii.138f).
Two occasions are mentioned on which Upavána consulted the Buddha on matters of doctrine, once regarding the arising of suffering (S.ii.41-2) and once on the immediate and practical use of the Dhamma (sanditthikadhamma) (S.iv.41). There is also recorded a visit of Upavána to Sáriputta when they were both staying in the Ghositáráma at Kosambí. Sáriputta asks him about the bojjhangas as being conducive to a happy life and Upavána explains (S.v.76). On another occasion Upavána is the enquirer, and he asks Sáriputta about the "end-maker" (antakara); Sáriputta explains that the "end-maker" is the one who knows and sees things as they really are (A.ii.163).
When an unpleasant interview took place between Sáriputta and Láludáyí (q.v.) and no one was found to support Sáriputta, the matter is reported to the Buddha, who declares that Ananda should have taken Sáriputta's side. Soon afterwards Ananda seeks Upavána and tells him that he was too timid to interfere, and if the Buddha referred to the matter again, would Upavána undertake to answer? In the evening the Buddha engages Upavána in conversation and asks him to explain the five qualities which make a monk esteemed and loved by his colleagues. At the end of the discourse the Buddha applauds Upavána (A.iii.195f).
In Padumuttara's time Upavána had been a poor man. Seeing people making great offerings at the Buddha's Thúpa, he was much touched, and having washed his upper garment, he hung it as a flag over the Thúpa. A yakkha named Abhisammataka, who was the guardian of the cetiya, took the flag three times round the cetiya, he himself remaining invisible.
A monk whom the man consulted after this miracle foretold that for thirty thousand kappas he would be in the deva-worlds and that he would be deva-king eighty times. One thousand times he was Cakkavatti. In his last life his wealth was eighty crores. When he was Cakkavatti, his banner was held aloft, three leagues in height. Ap.i.70ff.
2. Upavána.-Son of Anomadassí Buddha. Bu.viii.19.