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#### Personalities of the Buddhist Suttas

Index

[193] At the top, Beggars, of those of my Beggars who are high-born is Bhaddiya Kaligodha's Son.

# Bhaddiya Kaligodha's Son

DPPN: "Called Kaligodhaputta, chief among monks of aristocratic birth. He belonged to a family of the Sakyan rajas of Kapilavatthu and entered the Order in the Anupiya Mango-grove with Anurudha and the others, soon afterwards attaining to arahantship. Dwelling in the bliss of Nibbana, under a tree in a lonely spot, Bhaddiya used to exclaim "Aho sukham, aho sukham." (How sweet it is! Or Oh, The Joy!) When this was reported to the Buddha, he questioned Bhaddiya, who answered that when he was ruling his principality he was well protected ["I had my army placed in the four directions, I had my City Guards, I had My Palace Guards, I had Guards stationed outside my bedroom door and I had guards stationed inside my bedroom door and yet I never felt safe!"], yet was ever fearful and nervous, whereas now, having renounced all, he was free from all fear.

Bhaddiya was the son of Kaligodha, the senior Sakyan lady of her time ... When Bhaddiya was ruling his Sakyan principality he had as general Sona Potiriyaputta, who later joined the Order. Anuruddha was Bhaddiya's great friend, and when Anuruddha wished to renounce the world, his mother agreed only on condition that Bhaddiya should accompany him, hoping, in this way, to hold him back. But Anuruddha overcame all Bhaddiya's objections and persuaded him to renounce the household life within a week. It is said that Bhaddiya attained arahantship in the first rainy season after his ordination."