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Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c14.s8: The Koliyas

Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c14.s8

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English

The Koliyas

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The Koliyas of Rāmagāma and Devadaha were also one of the republican clans living at the foot of the Himalayas, close to the settlement of the Sakyas. They attained prominence in the Buddhist texts on account of the relation that they had with Buddha through his mother and wife. The first visit paid by Buddha to this country was from Vesālī in the fifth year of his ministry when a fight became imminent between the Sakyas and the Koliyas over the right of drawing water from a stream.¹ It was when the armies of the two clans were arrayed in the battle-field that Buddha intervened and brought about an amicable settlement by his thoughtful and pacifying discourses. Many members of both the clans were struck by Buddha’s greatness and were moved so much by his teachings that they retired from the world to become bhikkhus. Of those who were converted to Buddhism at this place, the names of Puṇṇa-govatika and Seṇiya-kukkuravatika of H a l i d-d a v a s a n a should be mentioned, as they were typical brāhmanic ascetics believing in the efficacy of severe penances.² Kakudha Koliyaputta became a *saddhivihārika* (novice) of Moggallāna,³ while Suppāvāsā Koliyadhītā was praised by Buddha as an *upāsikā* who was the best of the *paṇītadāyikā* (givers of sweet food).⁴ Pāṭaliyagāmaṇī of U t t a r a became a lay-devotee after he was convinced of the excellences of Buddhism by a pretty long discourse dealing with the various contemporary doctrines.⁵ Suppāvāsā, wife of the Licchavi Mahāli, another *upāsikā*, was a great benefactress of the Saṅgha. She lived at S a j j a n e l a⁶ which was visited by Buddha on more than one occasion. The Koliyas of Rāmagāma obtained a share of Buddha’s relics and erected a stūpa on the same.

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¹ See *ante*, p. 93-4, Burlingame’s *Buddhist Legends*, III, pp. 70 ff.; *Jātakas*, V, pp. 412-413; Hardy’s *Manual of Buddhism*, pp. 317-20.

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² *Majjhima*, I, p. 387.

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³ *Aṅguttara*, III, p. 122.

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⁴ *Ibid*, I, p. 26; II, p. 62.

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⁵ *Saṃyutta*, IV, pp. 340-358.

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⁶ *Aṅguttara*, II, p. 62.

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