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Migāra

1. Migāra.– A millionaire of Sāvatthi. His son, Puṇṇavaḍḍhana, married Visākhā. He was evidently not as rich as Visākhā’s father, Dhanañjaya, for he drove back, on the plea that he could not afford to feed them, the large retinue who wished to follow Visākhā, to her new home. Migāra was a follower of the Nigaṇṭhā, and was angry when Visākhā refused to wait on them and pay homage to them when they visited his house. One day, while Migāra was eating and Visākhā was standing by his side fanning him, a monk stopped at their door, and Visākhā stepped aside that Migāra might see him. However, Migāra refused to notice the monk, whom, therefore, Visākhā asked to go away, saying that Migāra ate “stale food” (purāṇaṃ). This greatly annoyed Migāra, and he ordered her to be cast out of the house. However, the servants refused to carry out his orders, and he was obliged to agree to Visākhā’s suggestion that the matter should be submitted for arbitration to the eight householders who had accompanied her to enquire into disputes of such a nature. To them, therefore, Migāra recited a list of all his grievances against Visākhā, but she was adjudged quite innocent and threatened to return at once to her father. Migāra begged her to stay, and she agreed on condition that he invited the Buddha and his monks for a meal. He did so, but the Nigaṇṭhā would not allow him to wait upon the Buddha. At the conclusion of the meal, however, out of politeness, he insisted on listening to the Buddha’s discourse, if only from behind a screen. At the conclusion of the discourse Migāra became a Stream-winner, and, realising the error of his ways, adopted Visākhā as his mother by sucking her breast.

Henceforth Visākhā was called Migāramātā. The next day, again, the Buddha was invited, and Migāra’s wife became a Stream-winner. From that day onwards they kept open house for the Buddha and his monks. As a token of his gratitude, Migāra held a great festival in honour of Visākhā, to which the Buddha and his monks were invited. She was bathed in sixteen pots of perfumed water and presented with a jewelled ornament called Ghanamatthakapasādhana (DhA.i.387 ff; AA.i.220; MA.i.471 f). It is probably this same Migāra whose grandson was called Sāḷha (q.v.) Migāranattā; but see Migāra (2).

2. Migāra.– Son of Visākhā and Puṇṇavaḍḍhana. DhA.i.407; AA.i.313 says he was their eldest son.

3. Migāra Rohaṇeyya.– A multi-millionaire of Sāvatthi. Ugga, Pasenadi’s minister, mentions him during a visit to the Buddha and remarks on his immense wealth. However, the Buddha reminds him that Migāra’s treasure is not real treasure in that it is subject to various dangers — fire, water, kings, robbers, enemies and heirs. A.iv.7.

The Commentary says (AA.ii.697) that Migāra was called Rohaṇeyya because he was the grandson of Rohaṇaseṭṭhi. He is probably to be distinguished from Visākhā’s son.

4. Migāra.– A general of Kassapa I. He built a pariveṇa called after himself and a house for an image of Abhiseka Buddha, for which he also instituted a festival. Cv.xxxix.6, 40.