Gotta (lineage affiliation)

Gotta has been used mainly for the purpose of identification. Thus, Angulimala the robber who turned a monk, claims that he is of Gaggeya gotta by his father and of Mantani gotta by his mother.^[1] A man who sees a beautiful country woman (janapada kalyani) should enquire of her gotta among the matters.^[2] It has been seen that a man remembering his previous births comes to know of his earlier gotta. Ambattha, who is thought to be of Kan hayana gotta, is found da si putta of the sa kyas, when he follows the name and gotta of his ancestors (matapetikam namagottam anusarato).^[3] Other gottas mentioned specifically are Bharadvaja^[4], Kassapa^[5], and Akasa.^[6]

The Buddha acknowledges himself to be of Gotama gotta.^[7] Sometimes gotta name is preferred to the first name of a person when he is addressed. Thus the Buddha addresses brahman sangarava as Bharadvaja.^[8] Buddha addresses his father suddhodana as Gotama. The gotta in this sense denotes lineage affiliation.^[9]

However, gotta is used to indicate status. Thus, the Vinaya states, “There are two gottas, the low (hina) and the excellent one (ukkata). Kosiya gotta and Bharadvaja gotta, are low in this janapada; Gotama, Moggalana, Kaccana, Vasettha are high.^[10]