Ajita
Ajita (Skt. ; Tib. Ma Phampa; Wyl. ma pham pa) — one of the Sixteen Arhats.
At his birth Ajita had all the signs of great virtue. He and the daughter of King Prasenajit fell in love and, even though he was a commoner, Ajita gradually proved his worthiness to the king and they were married. The Buddha explained that in a past life they had made offerings to the Buddha Vipashyin who predicted that in a future life they would marry and then be attracted to the religious life. Ajita and his wife cut-off all worldly attachment and joined the Sangha. Ajita became celebrated as the most meritorious of the Buddha's disciples.
He now dwells on Drang-song (the hermit-sage mountain), with 100 arhats. Seeing Ajita with his hands in the meditation mudra gives the ability to enter into meditation with moral perfection, and he grants protection and steadfast devotion to practice.
Further Reading
- Crystal Mirror, volume VI, Dharma Publishing 1984
Source
(1) Another name for Bodhisattva Maitreya. Ajita means invincible.
(2)阿逸多( Jpn Aitta): A follower of Shakyamuni whose story appears in the Nirvana Sutra, where the great physician Jivaka relates it to assure Ajatashatru that his grave offenses can be eradicated. When Ajatashatru broke out in virulent sores and repented for having killed his father, Jivaka advised him to seek the teachings of Shakyamuni and told him the following story: Ajita, who lived in Varanasi, had an incestuous relationship with his mother and killed his father. When his mother had relations with another man, he killed his mother as well. He also killed an Arhat. He then went to Jetavana Monastery in Shravastiand sought admission to the Buddhist Order. Knowing that he had committed three of the Five cardinal sins, the Monks refused him. In Anger, he burned down many of the Monastery buildings and then went to Rajagriha to meet Shakyamuni and seek entry into the Order. Shakyamuni granted him admission and expounded teachings to eradicate his serious offenses and arouse in him the aspiration for supreme Enlightenment.
(3)[［阿耆多］]( Jpn Agita): Also known as Agnidatta. See; Agnidatta.
Source
1. Ajita.A Monk. He devoted his time to explaining the Pātimokkha rules to the Monks. At the time of the Second Council he was a Monk of ten years' standing and was appointed to assign seats to the Theras. Vin.ii.305
2. Ajita. A paribbājaka who visited The Buddha, and at whose instigation The Buddha preached to the Bhikkhus on the difference between Dhamma and adhamma. A.v.229ff.
3. Ajita. A Brahmin, the Bodhisatta in the time of Sobhita Buddha. J.i.35.
4. Ajita.General of the Licchavis and follower of The Buddha. Immediately after his Death he was born in Tāvatimsa; he visited The Buddha to refute a statement made about him by the naked Ascetic Pātikaputta to the effect that he had been born in the Mahāniraya as a result of having followed the teaching of The Buddha. D.iii.15-16; DA.iii.825.
6. Ajita. Thera (Ap.i.335ff), probably to be identified with Ajita (5), but the story of his past differs completely from that of Ajita-mānava given in the Thag. Commentary. In the time of The Buddha Padumuttara he lit a lamp in front of the Enlightened One. As a result of this he enjoyed Happiness in Heaven for 60,000 Kappas, and when he was born from Tusita in this Buddha-age there was a great Light on the day of his birth. He is stated to have been a Disciple of Bāvarī (Ap.i.337, 28), but he heard of The Buddha while in Himavā. Later he became an Arahant.
7. Ajita. The lay name of Metteya Buddha in his last birth, when he will attain Enlightenment. Anāgata-Vamsa, pp. 43, 45, 56.
8. Ajita. A Pacceka-buddha who lived ninety-one Kappas ago. Dāsaka Thera, in a previous birth, gave him mangoes to eat (Ajina). ThagA.i.68.
9. Ajita. A Brahmin, a previous birth of Citapūjaka Thera; he offered Flowers to Sikhī Buddha. Ap.i.243.
Ajita Sutta. Preached by The Buddha to Ajita the Paribbājaka on the difference between Dhamma and adhamma. A.v.229ff.
