MÄtaá¹…ga
1. MÄtaá¹…ga. The Bodhisatta born as a candÄla. See the MÄtaá¹…ga JÄtaka.
2. MÄtaá¹…ga. A Pacceka Buddha (M.iii.70; ApA.i.107). He was the last of the Pacceka Buddhas and lived near RÄjagaha. At the last birth of the Bodhisatta the devas, on their way to do him honour, saw MÄtanga and told him, “Sir, the Buddha has appeared in the world.†MÄtanga heard this as he was issuing from a trance, and, going to Mount MahÄpapÄta where Pacceka Buddhas die, he passed away. ApA.i.170; SNA.i.128f; Mtu.i.357.
3. MÄtaá¹…ga. A hermit. One day he arrived in Benares and went to a potter’s hall for the night. He found the place already occupied by another hermit named JÄtimÄ, and was told by the potter that he could only stay there with JÄtimÄ’s permission. JÄtimÄ agreed to his staying, but, on finding that MÄtanga was a candÄla, he wished him to occupy a place apart. During the night MÄtanga wished to go out, and, not knowing where JÄtimÄ was lying, trod on his chest. When MÄtanga returned he took the other way with the idea of passing near JÄtimÄ’s feet, but meanwhile JÄtimÄ had changed his position, and MÄtanga again trod on his chest. JÄtimÄ thereupon cursed him, saying that his head would split in seven pieces at sunrise. MÄtanga thereupon stopped the sun from rising (SA.ii.176f).
The rest of the story is as in the MÄtanga JÄtaka. It may be a variety of the same legend. cp. also NÄrada and Devala.
4. MÄtaá¹…ga. Father of MÄtaá¹…gaputta (q.v.)
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