Overview
Lay support is vital to anchor the monastic path. The Buddha identified two specific laymen (Upāsaka) who reached the pinnacle of devotion, service, and scriptural understanding, serving as the chief male patrons of the entire dispensation.
The List
- Anāthapiṇḍika (Sudatta): The chief patron on the Right. A fabulously wealthy financier who famously purchased the Jetavana grove by covering the entire ground with gold coins. He was supreme in the dispensing of material gifts (Dāna), feeding hundreds of monks daily.
- Citta Thera (Householder): The chief patron on the Left. A wealthy landowner from Macchikāsaṇḍa who attained the stage of a Non-returner (Anāgāmī). He was declared supreme in teaching the Dhamma among laymen, possessing an intellect so sharp he could debate with senior monastics.
Textual References
- Canonical: Etadagga Vagga (AN 1) – Formally defines these two as the premier male householders in the Sasana.