• Serī

A devaputta who visited the Buddha at Jetavana and held a conversation with him regarding the giving of food. He tells the Buddha that he was formerly a king, a great giver of gifts at the four gates of his capital. Then the women of the court wished also to give, and he allowed them to give at one gate; thus some of his own gifts came back to him. Then the nobles, the army, the brahmins and the householders wished to do the same, and he allowed them to distribute gifts, each class at one gate, and the result was that his gifts were not given at all. He then decreed that out of all his revenues one half should be given away from the source and only half sent to him (S.i.57f). Buddhaghosa adds (SA.i.90) that Serī was king of Sindhava and Sodhika, and that, at each gate, he gave away one thousand pieces daily.