Avaroja
A householder in the time of VipassÄ« Buddha; he had a nephew who was also called Avaroja after his uncle. When the uncle undertook to build a gandhakuá¹i for the Buddha, the nephew wished to have a share in the work, but this the uncle would not allow. The former thereupon proceeded to erect a KuñjarasÄlÄ (Elephant Hall), on the site opposite the gandhakuá¹i, adorned with the seven kinds of precious minerals. In the centre of the KuñjarasÄlÄ was a jeweled pavilion beneath which was a Teacher’s Seat. At the foot of the seat were set four golden rams, of which there were two more under the foot-rest and six round the pavilion. At the festival of dedication, Avaroja invited the Buddha with sixty-eight thousand monks, giving alms to suffice for four months and various gifts to monks and novices.
This Avaroja, the nephew, became Meṇá¸aka, the famous seá¹á¹hi of Benares, in the present age (DhA.iii.364ff).
A story similar to that of the two Avarojas is told of AparÄjita, uncle and nephew of the same name, who also were householders in the time of VipassÄ« Buddha. We are told that this nephew also became Meṇá¸aka Seá¹á¹hi in his last birth.' We have here, evidently, a confusion of legends (DhA.iv.202-3).
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