Vāseṭṭha
1. Vāseṭṭha.– The constant attendant of Nārada Buddha. J.i.37; Bu.x.23.
2. Vāseṭṭha, Vāsiṭṭha.– The name of an old rishi held in high esteem for his knowledge. He was one of the originators of the Vedic runes.
Vin.i.245; D.i.104; M.ii.164, 200; Mil.162, etc; cf. Vasistha in Vedic Index.
3. Vāseṭṭha.– Name of a clan (gotta), probably tracing its descent to the sage Vāseṭṭha (Skt. Vasistha). In the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (D.ii.147, 159) we find the Mallā of Kusinārā addressed as Vāseṭṭhā, as well as the Mallā of Pāvā (D.iii.209). It was a clan held in esteem (ukkaṭṭha), e.g., Vin.iv.8.
4. Vāseṭṭha.– A young brahmin who, with his friend Bhāradvāja, visited the Buddha and held discussions with him. These discussions are recorded in the Tevijja Sutta, the Vāseṭṭha Sutta, and the Aggañña Sutta.
Buddhaghosa says (DA.ii.399; SNA.ii.463; cf. SN., p.116) that Vāseṭṭha was the chief disciple of Pokkharasāti. According to him again (DA.ii.406; cf.iii.860, 872), Vāseṭṭha’s first visit to the Buddha was on the occasion of the teaching of the Vāseṭṭha Sutta, at the conclusion of which he accepted the Buddha as his teacher. He again did so, when, at his next visit, the Buddha taught him the Tevijja Sutta. Soon after, he entered the Order, and, at the conclusion of the teaching of the Aggañña Sutta, he was given the higher ordination and attained Arahantship. He belonged to a very rich family and renounced four hundred million when he left the world. He was an expert in the three Vedas.
5. Vāseṭṭha.– A lay disciple, evidently distinct from Vāseṭṭha (3). He visited the Buddha at the Kūṭāgārasālā in Vesāli and the Buddha taught him (A.iv.258). See Vāseṭṭha Sutta (2). He is mentioned among the Buddha’s eminent lay disciples. A.iii.451.
6. Vāseṭṭha.– A brahmin; see Dhūmakāri. The scholiast explains (J.iii.402) that he belonged to the Vāseṭṭha-
7. Vāseṭṭha.– A brahmin of Kapilavatthu, father of Vappa Thera. ThagA.i.140.
8. Vāseṭṭha.– A very rich brahmin, father of Sela Thera. Ap.i.318.