Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c36.2145

v2.c36.2145

Sānu Thera.—He was born in a family of Sāvatthi after his father had left home for the ascetic life. The mother, naming him Sānu, took him at the age of seven to the monks for ordination, thinking thus to ensure for him supreme happiness. He was known as Sānu (Sānu-Sāmaṇera) the Novice, and became a very learned teacher of the doctrine, practising the meditation of love (mettā), and was popular among gods and men. His mother in a previous birth was a Yakkha. Later, Sānu lost his intellectual discernment and grew distraught and longed to go roaming. His former Yakkha-mother seeing this, warned his human mother as described in the Sānu Sutta (q.v.). The latter was overwhelmed with grief, and, when Sānu visited her, he found her weeping. She told him that he was as good as dead in that he had rejected the Buddha’s teaching and turned again to lower things, hence her sorrow. Sānu was filled with anguish, and, strengthening his insight, he soon won arahantship.¹