Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c32.26

v2.c32.26

Ordinarily the attitude of the Yakkhas towards man is one of benevolence. They are interested in the spiritual welfare of the human beings with whom they come in contact and somewhat resemble tutelary genii. In the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta,²² however, the Yakkha-king, Vessavaṇa, is represented as telling the Buddha that, for the most part, the Yakkhas believe neither in the Buddha nor in his teachings, which enjoin upon his followers abstention from various evils and are therefore distasteful to some of the Yakkhas. Such Yakkhas are disposed to molest the followers of the Buddha in their woodland haunts.²³ But the Mahā Yakkhas,²⁴ the generals and commanders among Yakkhas, are always willing to help holy men and to prevent wicked Yakkhas from hurting them. Among Yakkhas are some beings who are *sotāpannas*—e.g., Janavasabha, Suciloma and Khara (*s.v.*). Some Yakkhas even act as messengers from another world, and will save prospective sinners from committing evil.²⁵ The case of the Yakkha Vajirapāṇi is of special interest.²⁶ He is represented as a kind of mentor, hovering in the air, threatening to kill Ambaṭṭha, if he does not answer the Buddha’s question the third time he is asked. In many cases the Yakkhas are “fallen angels” and come eagerly to listen to the word of the Buddha in order to be able to rise to a higher sphere of existence—e.g., Piyaṅkaramātā and Puṇṇabasumātā, and even Vessavaṇa, listening to Veḷukaṇḍakī Nandamātā reciting the Parāyaṇa Vagga.²⁷ At the preaching of the Mahāsamaya Sutta (*q.v.*) many hundreds of thousands of Yakkhas were present among the audience.²⁸