1. Sumana. The fourth of the twenty four Buddhas.
He was born in Mekhala, his father being the khattiya Sudatta and his mother
Sirima. For nine thousand years he lived as a householder in three palaces -
Canda, Sucanda and Vatamsa (BuA.125 calls them Narivaddhana, Somavaddhana and
Iddhivaddhana) - his wife being Vatamsika and his son Anupama. He left the world
on an elephant, practised austerities for ten months, and attained enlightenment
under a naga tree, being given a meal of milk rice by Anupama, daughter of
Anupama setthi of Anoma, and grass for his seat by the Ajivaka Anupama. His
first sermon was preached in the Mekhala Park, and among his first disciples
were his step brother Sarana and the purohitas son Bhavitatta. His Twin miracle
was performed in Sunandavati. The Bodhisatta was a Naga king Atula. One of the
Buddhas chief assemblies was on the occasion of his solving the questions of
King Arindama on Nirodha.
Sarana and Bhavitatta were his chief monks and Sona and
Upasena his chief nuns. Udena was his personal attendant. Varuna and Sarana were
his chief lay supporters among men and Cala and Upacala among women. His body
was ninety cubits in height, and he died at the age of ninety thousand in
Angarama, where a thupa of four yojanas was erected over his ashes. Bu.v.1ff.;
BuA.125f.; J.i.30,34,35, 40.
2. Sumana. Attendant of Padumuttara Buddha (J.i.37;
Bu.xi.24). His eminence prompted Ananda (Sumana in that birth) to resolve to be
an attendant of some future Buddha. ThagA.ii.122; see also Ap.i.195.
3. Sumana. Step brother of Padumuttara, Buddha. He
obtained, as boon from the king, the privilege of waiting on the Buddha for
three months. He built in the park of Sobhana a vihara. The park belonged to the
householder Sobhana, and he built the vihara, on land for which he gave one
hundred thousand. There he entertained the Buddha and his monks. Sunanda is
identified with Ananda. ThagA.ii.122f.; AA.i.160f.; SA.ii.168f.
4. Sumana. A pupil of Anuruddha. He represented the
monks from Paveyyaka at the Second Council. Vasabhagami was his colleague. See
also Sumana (8). Mhv.iv.49, 58; Dpv.iv.48; v.24; Vin.ii.305, etc.
5. Sumana. A garland maker, given as an example of
one whose acts bore fruit in this very life (Mil.115, 291, 350; cf. DhSA.426;
PSA.498). He was Bimbisaras gardener, and provided the king daily with eight
measures of jasmine flowers, for which he received eight pieces of money, One
day, while on his way to the palace, he saw the Buddha, and threw two handfuls
of flowers into the air, where they formed a canopy over the Buddhas head. Two
handfuls thrown on the right, two on the left and two behind, all remained
likewise in the air and accompanied the Buddha as he walked through the city, a
distance of three leagues, that all might see the miracle.
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1. Sumana. An aggasavika of Anomadassi Buddha.
