Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c27.2330

v2.c27.2330

**Pokkharasāti, Pokkharasādi.**—A Mahāsāla brahmin of great wealth and learning who lived in **Ukkaṭṭhā**, on a royal demesne given by **Pasenadi**. **Ambaṭṭha** was the pupil of Pokkharasāti, who sent him to the Buddha at **Icchānaṅgala** to discover if the report of the Buddha's greatness were true. When Pokkharasāti heard later that Ambaṭṭha had been rude to the Buddha, he sought the Buddha by night and begged for his forgiveness. The next day he invited the Buddha to a meal, and having listened to his teaching, declared himself his follower and became a sotāpanna.¹ Owing to his eminence, he was present at the meetings of the brahmins held in **Manasākaṭa**² and Icchānaṅgala.³ **Vaseṭṭha**, of the **Vāseṭṭha Sutta**, was also his pupil.⁴ In the **Subha Sutta**,⁵ **Subha-Todeyyaputta**, another disciple, is reported to have said that Pokkharasāti—here described as **Opamañña** (of the Upamañña clan) and lord of **Subhagavana** (Subhagavanika)—treated as empty boasts the claims of brahmins and recluses to transcend ordinary human bonds and rise to the height of Ariyan knowledge. This evidently refers to a time prior to his conversion. The same Sutta mentions a slave-girl of Pokkharasāti, Puṇṇikā by name.