• Konāgamana (Konāgamana)

The twenty-third in the list of the twenty-four Buddhas and the second Buddha to be born in the Bhaddakappa. He was born in the Subhagavatī Park in Sobhavatī, the capital of King Sobha, his father being the brahmin Yaññadatta and his mother Uttarā.

He lived in the household for three thousand years, in three palaces, Tusita, Santusita and Santuttha; his chief wife was Rucigattā and their son was Satthavāha. Konāgamana left the world on an elephant and practised austerities only for six months, at the end of which time he was given milk-rice by the daughter of the brahmin Aggisoma and grass for his seat by the yavapālaka Tinduka. His Bodhi was an Udumbara tree. His first sermon was preached in the Migadāya near Sudassana-nagara, at the foot of a Mahā-sāla tree. He held only one assembly of his disciples, who numbered thirty thousand. His body was thirty cubits in height.

He died in the Pabbatārāma at the age of thirty thousand. His relics were scattered. His chief disciples were Bhīyya and Uttara among monks, and Samuddā and Uttarā among nuns, his constant attendant being Sotthiya. His chief patrons were Ugga and Somadeva among laymen, and Sīvalā and Sāmā among laywomen. The Bodhisatta was a khattiya named Pabbata of Mithilā. He held an almsgiving, heard the Buddha preach and joined the Order. (D.i.7; Bu.xxiv; BuA.213ff; J. i.42f; according to the Jātaka his body was twenty cubits high; Sp.i.190).

The banker Ugga built for the Buddha a Sanghārāma half a league in extent (J.i.94).

On the day of the Buddha's birth a shower of gold fell all over Jambudīpa, hence he was called Kanakāgamana, Konāgamana being a corrupt form of that word (BuA.213-14)

According to the Ceylon Chronicles (Dpv.ii.67; xv.25, 44, 48; xvii.9, 17, 73; Mhv.xv.91-124), Konāgamana visited their Island (then known as Varadīpa), with thirty thousand disciples, accepted the Mahānoma garden at Vaddhamāna, given by King Samiddha, and preached the doctrine. At the conclusion of his sermon, thirty thousand people realised the Truth. At the Buddha's wish, the nun Kantakānandā (v.l. Kanakadattā) brought to Ceylon a branch of the Bodhi-tree. The Buddha also preached at the Ratanamāla, the Sudassanamāla and the Nāgamālaka and gave his girdle for the people's worship. He left Mahāsumba and Kantakānandā to look after the new converts.

In Konāgamana's time Mount Vepulla was known as Vankaka, and the people living on the mountain were called Rohitassā, their term of life being thirty thousand years (S.ii.191). Konāgamana held the uposatha once a year (DhA.ii.236).

In the Northern books (E.g., Dvy.333; Mtu.i.114; ii.265f, 300, 302, 304, 430; iii.240-7, 330) Konāgamana is called Kanakamuni, Konākamuni, and Kanakaparvata.

A Thūpa, erected on the spot where Konāgamana was born, is thought to have existed down to the time of Asoka, who rebuilt it to double its original size and worshipped it in his twentieth year (Hultszch: Inscrip. of Asoka, p.165).

Hiouen Thsang (Beal., op. cit., ii.19) says he saw thūpas at Konāgamana's birthplace and also at the spot where he met his father after the Enlightenment.

Fa Hien (Travels, p.36) saw thūpas at the latter place and also at the place of the Buddha's death.