Cūḷasumana
1. Cūḷasumana Thera.- An Elder of Sri Lanka, master of the Tipitaka and a well-known commentator. His explanation, given at LohapÄsÄda, of the meaning of ubhatobhÄgavimutta is regarded as the most authoritative interpretation (DA.ii.514). The Visuddhimagga (p.364; see also Cūḷasumma) also mentions a Cūḷasumana, resident at Niá¹…kapoṇṇakapadhÄna-ghara on Cittalapabbata. He had discarded desire, and therefore the thought arose in him that he was a saint.
2. Cūḷasumana.- A householder of Sri Lanka who fell down dead when PiturÄjÄ (q.v.) looked at him and gnashed his teeth in anger. Sp.ii.440f.
3. Cūḷasumana.- A novice. In a past life he was the Sumanaseá¹á¹hi, under whom AnnabhÄrÄ (q.v.) worked. In this age he was born at Muṇá¸a, near the ViñjhÄ mountains, as the son of MahÄmunda. When Anuruddha became an Arahant and looked back into his past lives he saw how Sumana had helped him. He therefore visited MahÄmuṇá¸a and enjoyed his hospitality during one rainy season. At the end of his stay he obtained Munda’s consent to ordain Cūḷasumana, who became an Arahant while his head was being shaved. Once, when Anuruddha suffered from indigestion, the novice Sumana, having discovered that the water from Anotatta would cure him, went there and brought the water, in spite of all the efforts of the NÄga-king Paṇṇaka (q.v.) to prevent him. Later, Paṇṇaka, realising the novice’s power, asked his pardon and became his friend and servitor. When Anuruddha went with Sumana to SÄvatthi to visit the Buddha, some of the monks began to play with Sumana, patting his head and tweaking his ears. In order to show them Sumana’s power, Anuruddha asked Ä€nanda to summon all the novices in the monastery and ask them to fetch water from Anotatta that he might wash his feet. Only Sumana, the youngest of them all, was able to do this, and his fame spread beyond all measure (DhA.iv.128ff).
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