Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c11.60

v1.c11.60

Oṭṭhaddha.—One of the Licchavis. His personal name (mūla-nāma) was Mahāli, but he was called Oṭṭhaddha because he had a hare-lip (aḍḍhoṭṭhatāya).¹ He went to visit the Buddha at the Kūṭāgārasālā in Vesālī, at a time when the Buddha had given orders that no one should be allowed to see him; but through the intervention of the novice Sīha, Oṭṭhaddha was admitted to the Buddha’s presence with a large retinue of followers, all splendidly adorned in various ways, though it is stated that earlier in the day they had taken the uposatha-vows. The conversation that took place between Oṭṭhaddha and the Buddha is recorded in the Mahāli Sutta.² Buddhaghosa calls Oṭṭhaddha a rājā.