Phussa
1. Phussa.- The eighteenth of the twenty-four Buddhas. He was born in the SirimÄuyyÄna in KÄsi, his father being the warrior (khattiya) Jayasena and his mother SirimÄ. AA. (i. 144) says that his father was Mahinda and that he had three stepbrothers. One of them was Uruvela Kassapa (i. 165) in this birth.
He lived for six thousand years in three palaces: Garula, Hamsa and Suvannabhara. His wife was KisÄgotamÄ« and his son Ä€nanda (or AnÅ«pama). His body was fifty-eight cubits high. He left the world riding an elephant, and practised austerities for six months. A millionaire’s daughter, SirivaddhÄ, gave him milk rice, while an ascetic, named Sirivaddha, gave him grass for his seat, under an Ämanda (or Ämalaka )tree. His chief disciples were Sukhita (or Surakkhita) and Dhammasena among men and CÄlÄ (or SÄlÄ) and UpacÄlÄ (UpasÄlÄ) among women. His personal attendant was Sambhiya. Dhanañjaya and VisÄkha among men, and PadumÄ and NÄgÄ among women, were his chief lay patrons. The Bodhisatta was a khattiya named VijitÄvÄ« of Arimanda. The Buddha lived for ninety thousand years and died at the SonÄrÄma (SetÄrÄma) in KusinÄrÄ. His relies were scattered (Bu.xix.1ff.; BuA.192f.; PvA.19f). AmbapÄlÄ« was his sister. Ap.ii. 613.
2. Phussa Thera.- He was the son of a ruler of a province and was trained in all accomplishments. Having heard a great Thera teach, he left the world and joined the Order. He practised jhÄna and became an Arahant. One day an ascetic named Paṇá¸arassagotta heard him teach and questioned him on the future progress of bhikkhus. Phussa’s reply is contained in the TheragÄthÄ, vs. 949 80; ThagA.ii.82f.
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