• Ankura

Tenth son of Devagabbhā and Upasāgara (J.iv.81f), and one of the Andhakavenhudāsaputtā.

Ankura gave his share of the kingdom, won by the dāsaputtā, to his sister Añjanā, and started in trade (J.iv.81f). The Peta Vatthu (Pv.23ff.; PvA.111ff) contains an account of Ankura's later career. Once he took a caravan of a thousand carts from Dvāravatī to Kamboja, led by himself and a brahmin colleague. On the way their water supply fails, but they are befriended by a Yakkha of great power, who, in his previous life, had been one of Ankura's trusted and loyal servants. Annoyed by the suggestion of the brahmin that instead of proceeding to Kamboja they should entice the Yakkha back with them to Dvāravatī, the Yakkha appears before them in person, and in answer to Ankura's questions, tells him that he had been a tailor in Bheruva, where lived the generous Asayha. When suppliants came in search of Asayha's house, the tailor showed them the way. Impressed by the story, Ankura returns forthwith to Dvāravatī, and spends the rest of his life, 60,000 years (10,000 says DhA.(loc infra);Sp.i.245), in acts of unparalleled munificence. (There were as many as 3,000 cooks to supply food in his alms-halls and 60,000 youths to cut firewood.) He is reborn in Tāvatimsa.

In the assembly of the devas who gather to listen to the Buddha's preaching of the Abhidhamma, Ankura occupies a place in the back row, (12 leagues away says DhA.iii.219; 10 leagues away says Pv.28, v.65) while Indaka, who had given but one spoonful of rice to Anuruddha Thera, sits quite close to the Buddha. The Buddha notices this and remarks that Indaka had been lucky in finding a worthy donee; the recipients of Ankura's gifts had not been distinguished for their holiness. Gifts should, therefore, be given discriminately. At the end of this discourse Ankura becomes a sotāpanna. DhA.iii.222; ibid., iv.82. See also Lüders, ZDMG. 58, 700.