• Mātanga

1. Mātanga. The Bodhisatta born as a candāla. See the Mātanga Jātaka.

2. Mātanga. A Pacceka Buddha (M.iii.70; ApA.i.107). He was the last of the Pacceka Buddhas and lived near Rājagaha. At the last birth of the Bodhisatta the devas, on their way to do him honour, saw Mātanga and told him, "Sir, the Buddha has appeared in the world." Mātanga heard this as he was issuing from a trance, and, going to Mount Mahāpapāta where Pacceka Buddhas die, he passed away. ApA.i.170; SnA.i.128f; Mtu.i.357.

3. Mātanga. A hermit. One day he arrived in Benares and went to a potter's hall for the night. He found the place already occupied by another hermit named Jātimā, and was told by the potter that he could only stay there with Jātimā's permission. Jātimā agreed to his staying, but, on finding that Mātanga was a candāla, he wished him to occupy a place apart. During the night Mātanga wished to go out, and, not knowing where Jātimā was lying, trod on his chest. When Mātanga returned he took the other way with the idea of passing near Jātimā's feet, but meanwhile Jātimā had changed his position, and Mātanga again trod on his chest. Jātimā thereupon cursed him, saying that his head would split in seven pieces at sunrise. Mātanga thereupon stopped the sun from rising (SA.ii.176f).

The rest of the story is as in the Mātanga Jātaka. It may be a variety of the same legend. cp. also Nārada and Devala.

4. Mātanga. Father of Mātangaputta (q.v.).