Vītasoka Thera

A younger brother of Dhammāsoka and a lay pupil of Giridatta Thera. One day he saw grey hairs on his head as he was being dressed and, seated as he was, he became a sotāpanna. Later he entered the Order and became an arahant.

In the time of Siddhattha Buddha he was a brahmin, skilled in various branches of learning, and later became an ascetic. On his way to see the Buddha he died, and was reborn in the deva world. (ThagA.i.295f.; two verses attributed to him are given in Thag.169 70). He is probably identical with Buddhasaññaka Thera of the Apadāna. Ap.ii.419f.; cf. Dvy.366f.

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