In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

An arahant. During the Akkhakkhayika famine, Dutthagamani provided him and four others with a dish of sour millet gruel, which was purchased with the proceeds of the sale of the kings earrings (Mhv.xxxii.30). Mahadeva took his portion to Sumanakuta and shared it with nine hundred others (Mhv.xxxii.49). He was also among the eight arahants who accepted a meal of pork from Saliya in his previous birth as a blacksmith (MT.606). He was probably so called because he lived at Kotapabbata in the Malaya country. MT.606 he is called Kotapabbatavasika.

It is said that for three years after his ordination Mahadeva lived in the Maindalaramaka vihara (Mahadeva called Maliyadeva in the context (AA.i.22), but further on in the same passage (p.23) he is addressed as Mahadeva). One day, while going for alms in Kallagama, near by, he was invited by an upasika to her dwelling, where she gave him a meal, and, regarding him as a son, invited him to take all his meals at her home. The invitation was accepted, and each day, after the meal, he would return thanks with the words May you be happy and free from sorrow (sukham hotu, dukkha mucca). At the end of the rainy season he became an arahant, and the chief incumbent of the Vihara entrusted him with the task of preaching to the assembled people on the Pavarana Day. The young novices informed the upasika that her son would preach that day, but she, thinking they were making fun of her, said that not everyone could preach. But they persuaded her to go to the vihara, and, when the turn of Maliyadeva came, he preached all through the night. At dawn he stopped, and the upasika became a sotapanna.

Maliyadeva once preached the Cha Chakka Sutta in the Lohapasada, and sixty monks, who listened to him, became arahants. He also preached the same sutta in the Mahamandapa, in the Mahavihara, at Cetiyapabbata, at Sakyavamsa vihara, at Kutali vihara, at Antara sobbha, Mutingana, Vatakapabbata, Pacinagharaka, Dighavapi, Lokandara, and Gamendavala, and, at each place, sixty monks attained arahantship. At Cittalapabbata he saw a monk of over sixty preparing to bathe at Kuruvakatittha, and asked permission to bathe him. The Elder, discovering from his conversation that he was Maliyadeva, agreed to let him do so, though, he said, no one had ever touched his body during sixty years. Later in the day, the Elder begged Maliyadeva to preach to him, and this he did. Sixty monks, all over sixty, were among the audience, and at the conclusion of the Cha Chakka Sutta they all became arahants. The same thing happened at Tissamahavihara, Kalyani vihara, Nagamahavihara, Kalacchagama, and at other places, sixty in all (MA.ii.1024f).

Malaya Mahadeva was among those various large groups who renounced the world in the company of the Bodhisatta: the Kuddalasamagama, Mugapakkha samagama,

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: Malaya, Mahadeva.

Full-text: Maliyadeva.

Relevant text

No search results for Malaya Mahadeva; (plurals include: Malaya Mahadevas) in any book or story.