1. Cūlanāga Thera.-Generally referred to as Tipitaka-Cūlanāga. He was evidently a very famous commentator, and his opinions are quoted in the commentaries of Buddhaghosa. (E.g., MA.i.126; SA.iii.206; DhsA.229, 267, 284; Vm.389; also FsA.405). Cūlanāga was the pupil of Summa Thera of Dīpavihāra (AA.ii.845) and a contemporary of Tipitaka-Cūlabhaya Thera, who seems to have differed from him most violently on certain points (See VihhA.16; also DhsA.230). Cūlanāga lived in the reign of Kutakanna-Tissa (16-38 A.C.), and we are told (VibhA.452) that the king held him in great respect. Once the Elder had a boil on his finger, and the king, visiting him, put the finger in his mouth to alleviate the pain. The boil burst and the king swallowed the pus therefrom. When the Elder lay dying the king carried on his head the pot containing his stools, lamenting, "The mainstay of the Dhamma is lost." The Samyutta Commentary (SA.ii.201) tells of an incident which occurred when Cūlanāga was preaching in the Lohapāsāda. A brahmin, listening to him, was so convinced by the sermon of the impermanence of all things, that he ran home and clasped his son to his heart, saying that he was undone. The Elder once received a bowl which it was not right for him to keep and he gave it to the Sangha (Sp.iii.699). Cūlanāga does not always seem to have agreed with his teacher in his interpretations of various matters (VibhA.342). Once when it was announced to Summa that Cūlanāga had explained the word thūpīkata in a certain way, he expressed great sorrow and resentment and declared that though he had seven times read the Vinaya with Cūlanāga, he had never taught him such an explanation; but Cūlanāga was able to uphold his contention (Sp.iv.892; for another incident see Cūla-Summa). Cūlanāga once preached the Chachakka Sutta in Ambilahāla Vihāra, and on that occasion the audience of men extended to a distance of one gāvuta and that of devas to a distance of a league. At the end of the discourse, one thousand monks became arahants (MA.ii.1025).
2. Cūlanāga.-A Thera of Vasālanagara. With his brother Mahānāga, he entered the Order and, for thirty years, lived in Cittalapabbata, where he attained arahantship. He refused to reveal his identity to his mother when visiting her because he did not wish to have any attachments. SA.ii.125.
3. Cūlanāga.-A Thera of Ceylon. An eminent teacher of the Vinaya. Vin.v.3; Sp.i.62.
4. Cūlanāga.-A monk of Pidhānagalla in the time of Dutthagāmanī. Sanghadattā (q.v.) gave him a robe.
5. Cūlanāga.-A monk of Asiggāhaka-parivena. One day, after having obtained alms in Candavankavīthi, he fed a starving bitch. That same evening he got large quantities of ghee and molasses which he gave to his colleagues. For thirty two years he gave alms to thousands of monks from food given to him by the people of Candavankavīthi. Later, he became an arahant. Once, 500 monks on pilgrimage to the Bodhi-tree, took him with them to avert danger. In four months they reached Kottapattana and in seven months the Bodhi-tree, being well entertained everywhere. On the way back Cūlanāga was seized with a colic and died; but before death he advised his colleagues to cremate his body and take his ashes that they might be provided with their wants. Ras.ii.122f.
6. Cūlanāga.-A fortress in Rājarattha (in Ceylon). Ras.ii.145.