Buddhadatta

1. Buddhadatta Thera. He lived in Uragapura in South India and wrote his works in the monastery of Bhūtamangalagāma in the Cola country, his patron being Accutavikkama.

He studied, however, at the Mahāvihāra in Anurādhapura. Tradition says (e.g., SadS., p.55) that he met Buddhaghosa.

Buddhadatta's works include the Vinaya-Vinicchaya, the Uttara-Vinicchaya, the Abhidhammāvatāra and the Rūpārūpa-Vibhāga. The Madhuratthavilāsinī and the Jinālānkāra are also sometimes ascribed to him. Svd.1195,1199; Gv.59,66,69.

For details see P.L.C.105 ff.

2. Buddhadatta. Head of a dynasty of twenty five kings who reigned in Rājagaha. His ancestors reigned in Mithilā. Dpv.iii.30; the MT. (P.129) calls him Samuddadatta.

Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G P Malalasekera (1899-1973), which is available as printed version from

Buddhadatta

Scholar and commentator who lived in Uragapura in Kāñcī, after having studied at the Mahāvihāra in Anurādhapura. Among his works are the Vinaya-Vinicchaya, the Uttara-Vinicchaya, the Abhidhamma-avatāra, and the Rūpārūpavibhāga. Tradition has it that he met Buddhaghoṣa, but this cannot be confirmed.

Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G P Malalasekera (1899-1973), which is available as printed version from