Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c27.1219

v2.c27.1219

It is stated that Pasenadi wished to associate himself with the Buddha’s family so that their relationship might be even closer. For seven days he had given alms to the Buddha and one thousand monks, and on the seventh day he asked the Buddha to take his meals regularly at the palace with five hundred monks; but the Buddha refused the request and appointed Ānanda to take his place. Ānanda came daily with five hundred others, but the king was too busy to look after them, and the monks, feeling neglected, failed to come any more, only Ānanda keeping to his undertaking. When the king became aware of this he was greatly upset, and determined to win the confidence of the monks by marrying a kinswoman of the Buddha. He therefore sent messages to the Sākyan chiefs, who were his vassals, asking for the hand of one of their daughters. The Sākyans discussed the proposition in their Mote-Hall, and held it beneath the dignity of their clan to accede to it. But, unwilling to incur the wrath of their overlord, they sent him Vāsabhakhattiyā, daughter of Mahānāma and of a slave-woman, Nāgamundā. By her, Pasenadi had a son Vidūdabha. When the latter visited Kapilavatthu, he heard by chance of the fraud that had been practised on his father and vowed vengeance. When he came to the throne, he invaded the Sākyan territory and killed a large number of the clan without distinction of age or sex.¹⁷ It is said that when Pasenadi heard of the antecedents of Vāsabhakhattiyā, he withdrew the royal honours which had been bestowed on her and her son and reduced them to the condition of slaves. But the Buddha, hearing of this, related to Pasenadi the Katthahārika Jātaka, and made him restore the royal honours to the mother and her son. Mention is made of another son of Pasenadi, named Brahmadatta, who entered the Order and became an arahant.¹⁸