Biography (ජීවිත කථාව)
Birth and family
Koṇāgamana was born in Sobhavati city. His father was King Sañjaya, and his mother was Queen Uppalavatī. He belonged to the Kshatriya class.
Era and lifespan
Koṇāgamana lived in this Mahā‑kalpa after Kakusandha. In his time, the average human lifespan had shortened to 30,000 years. His own lifespan was recorded as 30,000 years.
Renunciation and enlightenment
After seeing the four sights, Koṇāgamana renounced worldly life. He attained enlightenment under the udumbara tree, rediscovering the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
Teachings and disciples
His first sermon was delivered at Migadāya to his first five disciples. His chief disciples were Buddhika and Sotthika. His attendant monk was Sumaṅgala. His Sangha grew vast, with countless arahants attaining liberation.
Symbolic meaning (සංකේතමය අර්ථය)
Koṇāgamana symbolizes Dharma’s persistence as lifespans continue to shorten. His era shows that even as worldly conditions decline, the Dharma remains a guiding light for liberation.
Sources and Further Reading (මූලාශ්ර සහ වැඩිදුර කියවීම)
- Mahāpadāna Sutta (DN 14) — SuttaFriends
- Mahāpadāna Sutta (DN 14) — SuttaCentral
- Koṇāgamana Buddha — Wikipedia
- Koṇāgamana Buddha — Dhamma Wiki