Cūḷa Nāga untranslated

Cūḷa Nāga 01. Cūḷa Nāga Thera, Cūla Nāga Thera. Generally referred to as Tipiṭaka Cūḷa Nāga He was evidently a very famous commentator, and his opinions are quoted in the commentaries of Buddhaghosa (e.g., MN­a.i.126; SN­a.iii.206; Dhs­a.229, 267, 284; Vm.389; also FsA.405). Cūḷa Nāga was the pupil of Summa Thera of Dīpavihāra (AN­a.ii.845) and a contemporary of Tipiṭaka Cūḷābhaya Thera, who seems to have differed from him most violently on certain points (See VihhA.16; also Dhs­a.230). Cūḷa Nāga lived in the reign of Kuṭakaṇṇatissa (16-38 CE.), and we are told (Vibh­a.452) that the king held him in great respect. Once the Elder had a boil on his finger, and the king, visiting him, put the finger in his mouth to alleviate the pain. The boil burst and the king swallowed the pus therefrom. When the Elder lay dying the king carried on his head the pot containing his stools, lamenting, “The mainstay of the Dhamma is lost.” The Saṁyutta Commentary (SN­a.ii.201) tells of an incident which occurred when Cūḷa Nāga was preaching in the Lohapāsāda. A Brahmin, listening to him, was so convinced by the sermon of the impermanence of all things, that he ran home and clasped his son to his heart, saying that he was undone. The Elder once received a bowl which it was not right for him to keep and he gave it to the Saṅgha (Vin-a.iii.699). Cūḷa Nāga does not always seem to have agreed with his teacher in his interpretations of various matters (Vibh­a.342). Once when it was announced to Summa that Cūḷa Nāga had explained the word thūpīkata in a certain way, he expressed great sorrow and resentment and declared that though he had seven times read the Vinaya with Cūḷa Nāga, he had never taught him such an explanation; but Cūḷa Nāga was able to uphold his contention (Vin-a.iv.892; for another incident see Cūḷa Summa). Cūḷa Nāga once preached the Chachakkasutta in Ambilahālavihāra, and on that occasion the audience of men extended to a distance of one gāvuta and that of Devas to a distance of a league. At the end of the discourse, one thousand monks became Arahants (MN­a.ii.1025).

Cūḷa Nāga 02. Cūla Nāga. A Thera of Vasālanagara. With his brother Mahā Nāga, he entered the Saṅgha and, for thirty years, lived in Cittalapabbata, where he attained Arahant-ship. He refused to reveal his identity to his mother when visiting her because he did not wish to have any attachments. SN­a.ii.125.

Cūḷa Nāga 03. Cūla Nāga. A Thera of Ceylon. An eminent teacher of the Vinaya. Vin.v.3; Vin-a.i.62.

Cūḷa Nāga 04. A monk of Pidhānagalla in the time of Duṭṭhagāmaṇī. Saṅghadattā (q.v.) gave him a robe.

Cūḷa Nāga 05. A monk of Asiggāhakapariveṇa. One day, after having obtained alms in Candavaṅkavīthi, he fed a starving bitch. That same evening he got large quantities of ghee and molasses which he gave to his colleagues. For thirty-two years he gave alms to thousands of monks from food given to him by the people of Candavaṅkavīthi. Later, he became an Arahant. Once, 500 monks on pilgrimage to the Bodhi-tree, took him with them to avert danger. In four months they reached Koṭṭapaṭṭana and in seven months the Bodhi-tree, being well entertained everywhere. On the way back Cūḷa Nāga was seized with a colic and died; but before death he advised his colleagues to cremate his body and take his ashes that they might be provided with their wants. Ras.ii.122f.

Cūḷa Nāga 06. A fortress in Rājaraṭṭha (in Ceylon). Ras.ii.145.

Cūḷa Nāgā. An Arahant Therī, mentioned as an eminent teacher of the Vinaya in Ceylon. Dpv.xviii.38.