• Kaccáyana

1. Kaccáyana Thera.-Author of the Kaccáyanavyákarana, the oldest of the Páli grammars extant. Orthodox tradition identifies him with Mahá Kaccána.

He was probably a South Indian and belonged to the Avanti school founded by Mahá Kaccána (P.L.C.179ff; Gv.66; Svd.1233f). He was, perhaps, also the author of the Nettippakarana.

Kaccáyana probably belongs to the fifth or sixth century A.D.

The Gandhavamsa (p.59) ascribes to Kaccáyana the authorship of the

• Kaccáyanagandha,
• Mahániruttigandha,
• Cúlaniruttigandha,
• Petakopadesagandha,
• Nettigandha and
• Vannanítigandha.

2. Kaccáyana Thera.-An arahant. He was a disciple of Padumuttara Buddha, and was declared by him to be chief among those who could expound in detail what the Buddha stated in brief. It was this declaration made in the presence of Mahá Kaccána, which made the latter, in that birth an ascetic in Himavá, wish for a like proficiency for himself under a future Buddha. Ap.ii.464; ThagA.i.484.

3. Kaccáyana.-In the Vidhurapandita Játaka, the Yakkha Punnaka calls himself and is addressed as Kaccáyana (J.vi.273), Kaccána (J.vi.283, 286, 301, 327) and Kátiyána (J.vi.299, 306, 308). The scholiast seems to offer no explanation.

4. Kaccáyana.-See also Kaccána.