Cūlasumana

1. Cūlasumana Thera.-An Elder of Ceylon, master of the Tipitaka and a well-known commentator. His explanation, given at Lohapāsāda, of the meaning of ubhatobhāgavimutta is regarded as the most authoritative interpretation (DA.ii.514). The Visuddhimagga (p.364; see also s.v. Cūlasumma) also mentions a Cūlasumana, resident at Ninkaponnakapadhānaghara on Cittalapabbata. He had discarded desire, and therefore the thought arose in him that he was a saint.

2. Cūlasumana.-A householder of Ceylon who fell down dead when Piturājā (q.v.) looked at him and gnashed his teeth in anger. Sp.ii.440f.

3. Cūlasumana.-A novice. In a past life he was the Sumanasetthi, under whom Annabhārā (q.v.) worked. In this age he was born at Munda, near the Viñjhā mountains, as the son of Mahāmunda. When Anuruddha became an arahant and looked back into his past lives he saw how Sumana had helped him. He therefore visited Mahāmunda and enjoyed his hospitality during one rainy season. At the end of his stay he obtained Munda's consent to ordain Cūlasumana, who became an arahant while his head was being shaved. Once, when Anuruddha suffered from indigestion, the novice Sumana, having discovered that the water from Anotatta would cure him, went there and brought the water, in spite of all the efforts of the Nāga-king Pannaka (q.v.) to prevent him. Later, Pannaka, realising the novice's power, asked his pardon and became his friend and servitor. When Anuruddha went with Sumana to Sāvatthi to visit the Buddha, some of the monks began to play with Sumana, patting his head and tweaking his ears. In order to show them Sumana's power, Anuruddha asked Ananda to summon all the novices in the monastery and ask them to fetch water from Anotatta that he might wash his feet. Only Sumana, the youngest of them all, was able to do this, and his fame spread beyond all measure (DhA.iv.128ff).

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