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Sīvalī

1. SÄ«valÄ«-. Daughter of Polajanaka. See the MahÄjanaka JÄtaka. She is identified with RÄhulamÄtÄ. J.vi.68.
2. SÄ«valÄ« Thera.- He was the son of SuppavÄsÄ, daughter of the king of Koliya. For seven years and seven days he lay in her womb, and for seven days she was in labour and was unable to bring forth the child. She said to her husband: “Before I die I will make a gift,†and sent gift by him to the Buddha. He accepted the gift and pronounced blessing on her. She was immediately delivered of a son. When her husband returned, she asked him to show hospitality to the Buddha and his monks for seven days.

From the time of his birth, SÄ«valÄ« could do anything. SÄriputta talked with him on the day of his birth and ordained him with SuppavÄsÄ’s permission. SÄ«valÄ« became a SotÄpanna in the Tonsure hall when his first lock of hair was cut, and a sakadÄgÄmÄ« with the second. Some say that after his ordination he left home on the same day and lived in a secluded hut, meditating on the delays in his birth, and thus, winning insight, attained Arahantship.

In Padumuttara Buddha’s time he made the resolve to be pre-eminent among recipients of gifts, like Sudassana, disciple of Padumuttara. To this end he gave alms for seven days to the Buddha and his monks.

In the time of Vipassī Buddha he was a householder near Bandhumatī. The people gave alms to the Buddha and the Order in competition with the king, and when they were in need of honey, curds and sugar, Sīvalī gave enough of these for sixty-eight thousand monks.

In the time of AtthadassÄ« Buddha he was a king, named Varuna, and when the Buddha died, he made great offerings to the Bodhi tree, dying under it later. Then he was born in the NimmÄnaratÄ« world.

Thirty-four times he was king of men, under the name of SubÄhu (Thag.vs.60; ThagA.i.135). According to the ApadÄna account (Ap.ii.492f) his father in his last birth was the Licchavi MahÄli.

The AsÄtarÅ«pa JÄtaka gives the reason for the delay in SÄ«valī’s birth. Cf.Ap.ii.494, vs.29f. The story of SÄ«valÄ« is given also at Ud.ii.8; AA.i.130f.; DhA.iv.192f.; ii.196; J.i.408f. The Ud. follows the DhA. (iv.192f.) very closely. Both Ud. and J. say that a lay supporter of MoggallÄna postponed his entertainment of the Buddha (who requested him to do so) to enable the Buddha to accept SuppavÄsÄ’s invitation after the birth of the child. Other accounts omit this. Ud. says nothing about SÄ«valī’s retirement from the world. The DhA. account of this differs from the others.

SÄ«valÄ« was declared by the Buddha (A.i.24) pre-eminent among recipients of gifts. It is said (ThagA.i.138; Ap.ii.495; AA.i.139) that when the Buddha visited Khadiravaniya Revata, he took SÄ«valÄ« with him because the road was difficult and provisions scarce. SÄ«valÄ« went to the HimÄlaya with five hundred others, to test his good luck. The gods provided them with everything. On GandhamÄdana a deva, named NÄgadatta, entertained them for seven days on milk rice.

3. SÄ«valÄ«.- Daughter of Ä€nanda gÄmaṇi and sister of CulÄbhaya. She reigned in Sri Lanka for four months (in 93 A.C.); she was then dethroned by IḷanÄga. Her surname was RevatÄ«. Mhv.xxxv.14; Dpv.xxi.40f.
4. SÄ«valÄ« Thera.- An eminent monk present at the Foundation Ceremony of the MahÄ ThÅ«pa. Dpv.xix.8.
5. Sīvalī. See Sīhasīvalī.
6. SÄ«valÄ«.- One of the founders of the SÄ«halasaá¹…gha in Burma (SÄs.,p.65). He later founded a sect of his own (SÄs.,p.67).

Dictionary of PÄli Proper Names • G.P. Malalasekera
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