• Candagutta

1. Candagutta.King of Jambudīpa. He belonged to the Moriya dynasty and gained the throne through the scheming of Cānakka, who slew the rightful king Dhanananda and his heir Pabbata. (The Mahāvamsatīkā gives details of how Cānakka contrived to make Candagutta king (pp.181ff)). Candagutta reigned twenty-four years and was succeeded by his son Bindusāra. His grandson was Asoka (Mhv.v.16ff). Candagutta's senior contemporary in Ceylon was Pandukābhaya, who died in the fourteenth year of Candagutta's reign (Dpv.vi.15; Sp.i.72; see also Dpv. v.69, 73, 81; both the Dpv. and the Sp. talk of Pakundakābhaya (sic)).

The Milinda (p.292; see also Kathāsaritsāgara i.30) mentions a soldier Bhaddasāla, in the service of the Nanda royal family, who waged war against Candagutta. In this war there were eighty "Corpse Dances" in which dead bodies danced. The Theragāthā Commentary (i., p.440) states that the father of the Thera Tekic-Chakāri incurred the displeasure of Candagutta, who, at the instigation of Cānakka, cast him into prison.

2. Candagutta Thera.Saddhivihārika of Mahā Kassapa Thera. His colleague was Suriyagutta. SA.iii.125.

3. Candagutta.One of the eight khattiyas sent by Asoka to accompany the Bodhi-tree to Ceylon. He took a prominent part in the celebrations when the Tree left Pātaliputta (Mbv.152), and later, on his arrival in Ceylon, was appointed by Devānampiyatissa to beat the golden drum at the Bodhi-tree ceremonies. He was given the office of Malayarāja and the Virabāhujanapada was bestowed on him for his maintenance (Mbv.165).

4. Candagutta.An arahant Thera who came from Vanavāsa with 80,000 others for the foundation of the Mahā Thūpa in Anurādhapura. Mhv.xxix.42; Dpv.xix.8.