Sabbakāma

1. Sabbakāma. One of the chief disciples of Sumedha Buddha. J.i.38; Bu.xii.23.

2. Sabbakāma (v.l. Sabbakāmī). An arahant Thera. He was born in a noble family of Vesāli, shortly before the Buddha's death. When he came of age he gave away his possessions to his kinsfolk and joined the Order under Ananda. In the course of his studies, he returned to Vesāli with his teacher and visited his family. His former wife, afflicted, thin, in sad array and in tears, greeted him and stood by. Seeing her thus, he was overwhelmed with love and pity and felt carnal desire. When he realized this, he was filled with anguish and hurried to the charnel field, there to meditate on foulness. He developed insight and became an arahant. Later, his father in law brought his wife to the vihāra, beautifully dressed, and accompanied by a great retinue, hoping to make him return, but the Thera convinced them that he had rid himself of all such desires. See Thag. vss. 453 8.

Sabbakāma lived on to one hundred and twenty years of age, and was consulted by Yasa, Soreyya Revata, and others, in connection with the Vajjiputta heresy. He was, at that time, the oldest Thera in the world. He sat on the committee appointed to examine the points in dispute and decided against the Vajjaputtakas, giving his reasons point by point. For details see Vin.ii.303ff.; also Dpv.iv.49; v. 22; Mhv.iv.48, 576; Sp.i.34.

The Theragāthā Commentary adds (ThagA.i.467) that, before his death, Sabbakāmā requested the Brahmā Tissa (afterwards Moggaliputta Tissa) to see that the heresies, which were to arise in the time of Asoka, were put down. Sabbakāma's resolve to dispel heresy was made in the time of Padumuttara Buddha. Ibid., 465f.

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