The Great Chronicle of Buddhas
by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw | 1990 | 1,044,401 words
This page describes The Name Amaravati contained within the book called the Great Chronicle of Buddhas (maha-buddha-vamsa), a large compilation of stories revolving around the Buddhas and Buddhist disciples. This page is part of the series known as anudīpanī on words and phrases. This great chronicle of Buddhas was compiled by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw who had a thorough understanding of the thousands and thousands of Buddhist teachings (suttas).
Part 4 - The Name Amaravatī
Amarā means “God” (immortal being) and vatī means “possession”; hence, the great city which gods possess.
It is stated in the Bhesajjakkhandhaka of the Vinaya Mahāvagga and other places that, as soon as the Brahmins Sunidha and Vassakāra planned to found the city of Pāṭaliputta, gods arrived first and distributed among themselves plots of land. These plots of land occupied by gods of great power became residences of princes, ministers and wealthy persons of high rank; these plots of land occupies by gods of medium power became residences of people of medium rank and these plots of land occupied by gods of little power became residences of people of low rank.
From this statement it may be supposed that gods arrived in hosts to take up residences for themselves and occupied them where a great royal city was to be established. Amaravatī was so named to denote the presence of gods who marked out their own locations in the city and protected them for their habitation.
The Pāli word ‘vatī’ signifies possession in abundance. In this world, those who have just little wealth are not called wealthy men but those who possess wealth much more than others are called so. Therefore, the name Amaravatī indicates that, as it was a great royal residential city, it was occupied and protected by a large number of highly powerful gods.