Culla-Anāthapindika

An eminent lay disciple of the Buddha. He was an Anāgāmī, and offered to perform a miracle himself before the Buddha showed the Twin Miracle (DhA.iii.210). Culla-Anāthapindika provided food for three months for the multitude, covering an area of twelve leagues, which had assembled at Sāvatthi to await the descent of the Buddha from Tāvatimsa after his preaching of the Abhidhamma Pitaka (DhA.iii.218; AA.i.71).

Five hundred monks fed daily at Culla-Anāthapindika's house in Sāvatthi (DhA.i.339). He was one of the seven lay disciples of the Buddha who had each five hundred followers (SA.iii.223). Culla-Anāthapindika is generally mentioned (E.g., J.i.148; ii.287, iii.520) together with Pasenadi, Visākhā, and Anāthapindika as the Buddha's eminent lay-patrons. His personal name is not known. The sobriquet was probably given on account of his generosity, rivalling that of Anāthapindika.

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