KÃÂtyÃÂyana or MahÃÂkÃÂtyÃÂyana (Sanskrit; Pali: KaccÃÂyana, sometimes shortened to KaccÃÂna; also MahÃÂkaccÃÂna, or MahÃÂkaccÃÂyana) was a disciple of Gautama Buddha. He is listed as one of the ten principal disciples and was foremost in expanding on and explaining brief statements of the Buddha.
In Thai Buddhism, he is also known as Phra Sangkajai and often portrayed as extremely portly.
In the PÃÂli tradition, KÃÂtyÃÂyana was born as Nalaka (), born of a Brahmin family in the city of Ujjayini (, modern-day Ujjain). His father was appointed as an advisor to King Candapradyota, ruler of the state of Avanti. His name is explained by the golden hue of his skin (his parents called him KañcanamÃÂnava, meaning the 'young man with golden colored skin' After his father died, KÃÂtyÃÂyana became an advisor to the same king. At the king's request, KÃÂtyÃÂyana left with a group of seven friends to visit the Buddha to invite him to come to Avanti. The eight friends gained enlightenment while listening to him preach, and were ordained by the Buddha. As a monk, KÃÂtyÃÂyana became known by his gotra name.
NÃÂgÃÂrjuna cites a text which he calls the KÃÂtyÃÂyanavavÃÂda ("Advice to KÃÂtyÃÂyana") in his Mà «lamadhyamakakÃÂrikà(15.7). This text appears to have been a Sanskrit parallel of the PÃÂli KaccÃÂnagotta Sutta.
There is a famous incident given in Verse 43 of the Dhammapada commentary in which a man named Soreyya was traveling with a friend and happened to see KÃÂtyÃÂyana adjusting his robes. Upon seeing his golden complexion, Soreyya began to fantasize that KÃÂtyÃÂyana should become his wife or that his wife's complexion should be like that of KÃÂtyÃÂyana. Due to the nature of this thought, he transformed into a woman. He married a wealthy man from Taxila and bore him two sons.
Soreyya later approached KÃÂtyÃÂyana and explained the situation, apologizing for his misconduct in thought. KÃÂtyÃÂyana accepted his apology, upon which Soreyya regained his male form.
Another story relates the incident of a man named VassakÃÂra, minister of King AjÃÂtasattu. Upon seeing KÃÂtyÃÂyana descend from a mountain, the minister stated that he looked like a monkey. The Buddha advised the minister that he should ask KÃÂtyÃÂyana for forgiveness, lest he would be reborn as a monkey in the Veá¹Âuvana forest. VassakÃÂra was certain that he would be reborn as a monkey, though, and as a precaution, he supplied that area with fruit and other trees. After death, he was reborn as the Buddha had predicted.
In the lifetime of Padumuttara Buddha, KÃÂtyÃÂyana made the resolve to attain greatness after hearing the praise of another monk that shared his name. In this life, he was a vidyÃÂdhara and offered the Buddha three kanikÃÂra flowers. After building a hut in the shape of a lotus and naming it Paduma (Pali; lit. "lotus"), he became a king named Pabhassara after thirty kalpas.
It is also mentioned that he was a vidyÃÂdhara in the time of Sumedha Buddha.
In the time of KÃÂÃ Âyapa Buddha he was a householder of Benares. He offered a golden brick to a caitiya that housed the Buddha's remains, and made a vow that in the future his body would have a golden complexion.
Instead of the Buddha himself, the newly ordained and enlightened KÃÂtyÃÂyana returned to Avanti to teach King Candapajjota. The king was highly pleased with his attainments. He provided a royal park for KÃÂtyÃÂyana to live and treated him with great honor. KÃÂtyÃÂyana made numerous converts in Avanti, until the land sparkled with monk's robes, the texts say. He spend most of his time in Avanti, on a mountain called Kuraraghara. Nevertheless, he is said to have travelled to listen to the Buddha's sermons often, to the extent that his fellow disciples regularly left an empty seat for him to sit on. As Buddhism developed in Avanti, KÃÂtyÃÂyana made requests for amendments in monastic discipline to fit in better with the unique nature of the far land of Avanti.
In the DivÃÂyadÃÂna, KatyÃÂyÃÂna is also depicted as propagating Buddhism in the Northwestern city of Roruka. After having received a painting of the Buddha produced by King BimbisÃÂra's artists, a king called Rudrayana wished to meet Buddhist monks and learn about Buddhist doctrine. The Buddha sent KÃÂtyÃÂyana to teach the king. KatyÃÂyÃÂna was received well and managed to introduce Buddhism in the region, with two monks ordaining under him. When Rudrayana's harem was interested to listen to his teachings too, KÃÂtyÃÂyana refused, however, pointing to a prohibition that the Buddha had given in this regard. KatyÃÂyÃÂna had a nun send to them instead. As for Rudrayana, after the queen fell ill and died, he wanted to be with her in the afterlife, and decided that ordination as a monk could take him there.
After the First Buddhist Council, KÃÂtyÃÂyana lived in a woodland near Kosambë.
KÃÂtyÃÂyana build up a reputation for expanding on brief statements and verses of the Buddha, that were sometimes not understood by the disciples. For this he was declared as foremost. Several early discourses are attributed to him. The PÃÂli texts state KÃÂtyÃÂyana taught the Madhupiá¹Âá¸Âika Sutta, the KaccÃÂyana Sutta, and the ParÃÂyana Sutta. In the Madhura Sutta, King Avantiputta of Madhuràapproached KÃÂtyÃÂyana some time after the Buddha's parinirvana with a question regarding the Brahmin's claims to superiority due to their caste. KÃÂtyÃÂyana pointed out that wealth confers power to people regardless of caste and that Brahmins experience the same results of good or evil conduct in the same way those of other castes do. Tradition also holds that KÃÂtyÃÂyana was the author of some verses of the TheragÃÂthÃÂ, where he gives advice to meditators.
KÃÂtyÃÂyana figures frequently in MahÃÂyÃÂna texts. In the Vimalakërti Nideà Âa, he is one of the disciples who refuses to visit the lay bodhisattva (Buddha-to-be) Vimalakërti.
In Chapter 3 of the Lotus Sutra entitled "Simile and Parable", KÃÂtyÃÂyana is one of four disciples to understand the Buddha's intention to his sermon about the burning house, and who rejoice in the idea of the united vehicle (ekayÃÂna). In Chapter 6 entitled "Bestowal of Prophecy", the Buddha bestows prophecies of enlightenment on numerous disciples, including KÃÂtyÃÂyana. It is predicted that KÃÂtyÃÂyana will become a Buddha named JÃÂmbà «nadÃÂbhÃÂsa.
Tradition attributes to KatyÃÂyana the authorship of two late PÃÂli canonical texts, that is, the Nettipakarana, a commentary on Buddhist doctrine; and the Peá¹Âakopadesa, a treatise on exegetical methodology. These are early commentaries, and they were the only commentaries considered by some traditions to be part of the early collection of discourses. Apart from these, the KaccÃÂyanavyÃÂkaraá¹Âa, a work on PÃÂli grammar, is also traditionally attributed to him. In the SÃÂrvÃÂstivÃÂda tradition, the Abhidharma text JñÃÂnaprasthÃÂna is attributed to him.
The JñÃÂnaprasthÃÂna is more likely to have been composed by an author KÃÂtyÃÂyana who lived several hundred years later. It is possible that the PÃÂli texts attributed to him were composed by a school that descended from him. Tradition associates his name with a Buddhist community in Avanti, which is also believed to have been the origin of the PÃÂli Canon.
Sanskrit sources state that KÃÂtyÃÂyana was the initiator of the early Sthavira school of Buddhism.
KÃÂtyÃÂyana is often depicted holding an alms bowl in front of his chest.