Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c12.s3.16

v1.c12.s3.16

It is doubtful how far Buddha was successful in winning over the other two kings, Pajjota of Avanti and Udena of Kosambī. The references to these kings in the Buddhist scriptures are few and far between. It is said that king Pajjota once sent Mahākaccāyana to welcome Buddha to his dominion, but Buddha, thinking his purpose would be better served by Mahākaccāyana himself preaching the doctrine, did not accede to the king's request. The king was satisfied with Mahākaccāyana's exposition of the Law and became an ardent follower of the religion.³ The Samyutta Nikāya⁴ and the Tibetan translation of the Vinaya⁵ state that king Udena of Kosambī became a convert to Buddhism. The Dhammapadaṭṭhakathā gives in detail the occasion of king Udena's conversion. He was much impressed by the piety of one of his queens Sāmāvatī who had been an upāsikā of Buddha and at whose request the king became a convert to the religion and made generous gifts.⁶ Evidence is not strong that these two kings actively aided the spread of Buddhism but yet it is a great gain that they did not actively oppose its propagation. The mere tolerance of the activities of the Buddhist preachers within their kingdoms should be taken as a favourable circumstance in the spread of the religion.