Mātaṅga
1. Mātaṅga.– The Bodhisatta born as an outcaste (caṇḍāla). See the Mātaṅga Jātaka.
2. Mātaṅga.– 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 Mātaṅga and told him, “Sir, the Buddha has appeared in the world.” Mātaṅga 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.128 f; Mtu.i.357.
3. Mātaṅga.– A hermit. One day he arrived in Bārāṇasī and went to a potter’s hall for the night. He found the place already occupied by another hermit named Jātimanta, and was told by the potter that he could only stay there with Jātimanta’s permission. Jātimanta agreed to his staying, but, on finding that Mātaṅga was an outcaste (caṇḍāla), he wished him to occupy a place apart. During the night Mātaṅga wished to go out, and, not knowing where Jātimanta was lying, trod on his chest. When Mātaṅga returned he took the other way with the idea of passing near Jātimanta’s feet, but meanwhile Jātimanta had changed his position, and Mātaṅga again trod on his chest. Jātimanta thereupon cursed him, saying that his head would split in seven pieces at sunrise. Mātaṅga thereupon stopped the sun from rising (SA.ii.176 f).
The rest of the story is as in the Mātaṅga Jātaka. It may be a variety of the same legend. Cp. also Nārada and Devala.
4. Mātaṅga.– Father of Mātaṅgaputta (q.v.)