• Kirapatika

A household of Vesalī, a pious follower of the Buddha. Once when the Buddha was staying in Vesalī, a poor man, wishing to give alms to him and to the monks, asked Kirapatika for money to provide the alms; Kirapatika gladly gave him much money and the Buddha and the monks were invited. But the monks, having heard of the man's poverty, had a full meal earlier, so that when the man served them with the food he had prepared they could eat but very little. The man was greatly offended and the Buddha, hearing of it, made an order to the monks prohibiting such conduct (Vin.iv.75f).

Buddhaghosa says (Sp.iv.817) that the householder's name was Kira, but that he was called Kirapatika on account of his great influence. He gave his workmen regular and generous wages.