Konagamana Buddha
Konagamana was the twenty-third Buddha, and the second among the five Buddhas born in the Bhadda Kappa (Aeon).
Born in Subhagavati Park in Sobhavati, the capital of king Sobha, he was the son of a Brahmin named Yannadatta. Uttara was his mother. His chief wife was Ruchigatta and Satthavaha was their son. He lived as a house-holder for three thousand years in three palaces: Tusita, Santusita and Santuttha. Then he renounced the worldly life by riding on an elephant. He practised austerities for six months. He accepted the milk-rice from a Brahmin woman Aggisoma; and the grass for his seat from Tinduka. His tree of Enlightenment was Udumbara. He preached his first sermon in Sudassana Nagara Park.
He died in Pabbatarama at the age of thirty thousand. His chief disciples among the monks were Bhiyya and Uttara; and Samudda and Uttaraa among the nuns. His chief attendant was Sotthiya. Ugga and Somadeva were his popular lay devotees among the men; and Sivala and Sama were the most popular devotees among the women.
When the Buddha was born, there followed a gold-shower all over the ancient India (Jambu dvipa). The Buddha was therefore called Kanakagamana, which in course of time became Konagamana. During his time Mount Vepulla of Rajgir was known as Vankaka; and the people of the region were called as Rohitassa.He died at Pabbatarama at the age of thirty thousand.
The Bodhisatta was born as a Khattiya (Chatriya) in Mithila at the time of Konagamana Buddha and his name was Pabbata then.
The archaelogical sources corroborate to the existence of the thupa erected on the birth place of the Konagamana Buddha as Asoka the Great doubled its size and worshipped it on his twentieth year of his reign. (See Hultszch, Inscription of Asoka p.165). Faxian (Fahsien), who visited India from 399-414 AD); and Xuangzang (Huan Tsang), who stayed in India from 629-645 AD also refer to the physical existence of the Konagamana’s thupas in the place of his birth.
The Sanskrit Buddhist texts like the Divyavadana (333 f.); Mahavastu (i. 114) refer Konagamana as Kanakamuni.
See Dipavamsa ii.67, xv.25, 34; Mahavamsa xv. 91-124; Digha Nikaya i.7; Majjhima Nikaya i.333; Buddhavamsa xxiv; Buddhavamsa Atthakatha 213-14; Dhammapada Atthakatha ii.236.
