In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

The Kalinga king of Dantapura had two sons, Maha Kalinga and Culla Kalinga. Soothsayers foretold that the younger would be an ascetic, but that his son would be a Cakka vatti. Knowing of this prophecy, Culla Kalinga became so arrogant that Maha Kalinga, on coming to the throne, ordered his arrest. But Culla Kalinga fled to Himava and lived there as an ascetic. Near his hermitage lived the king and queen of Madda who had fled with their daughter from their city of Sagala. Soothsayers had predicted that the princesss son would be a Cakka vatti, and all the kings of Jambudipa sought her hand. Her parents, not wishing to incur the enmity of any of the kings, fled with her from the city. One day a wreath of mango flowers which the princess dropped into the river was picked up by Culla Kalinga, who thereupon went in search of her. With her parents consent he married her, and to these two was born a son whom they called Kalinga.

When the stars revealed that Maha Kalinga had died, Kalinga was sent to Dantapura, to a courtier who had been an ally of Culla Kalinga. The princes identity having been duly established, he was crowned king, and his chaplain, Kalinga bharadvaja, taught him the duties of a Cakka vatti. On the fifteenth day after his coronation, the tokens of a Cakka vatti king appeared before him. (For details see J.iv.232). One day while riding through the air with his retinue, he came to the Bodhi tree under which Buddhas attain Enlightenment, and though he prodded his elephant until it died the animal found it impossible to fly over the spot. The royal chaplain investigated matters and reported his finding to the king who, having learnt from the chaplain of a Buddhas virtues, paid great honour to the tree for seven days. See also Samanakolanna.

Kalinga is identified with Ananda and Kalinga bharadvaja with the Bodhisatta.

The story was related in reference to the Bodhi tree planted, at Anandas suggestion, by Anathapindika, at the entrance to Jetavana, in order that people might worship it while the Buddha was away on tour. As soon as a seedling was planted from the great Bodhi tree at Gaya, it grew into a tree fifty cubits high, and the Buddha consecrated it by spending one night under it, wrapt in meditation (J.iv.228-36).

The Kalingabodhi Jataka is found also in the Mahabodhi vamsa (Mbv.62ff ); there it is given in much greater detail and differs in minor details from the Jataka version, containing, among other things, a long description of dibba cakkhu and the seven gems of a Cakka vatti.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Jataka.

Full-text: Mahakalinga, Kalinga Bharadvaja, Samanakolanna, Dantapura, Madda, Kalinga.

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