One of the Licchavis. His personal name (mūla-nāma) was Mahāli, but he was called Otthaddha because he had a hare-lip (addhotthatāya) (DA.i.310).

He went to visit the Buddha at the Kūtāgārasālā in Vesāli, at a time when the Buddha had given orders that no one should be allowed to see him; but through the intervention of the novice Sīha, Otthaddha was admitted to the Buddha's presence with a large retinue of followers, all splendidly adorned in various ways, though it is stated that earlier in the day they had taken the uposatha-vows. The conversation that took place between Otthaddha and the Buddha is recorded in the Mahāli Sutta (D.i.150ff).

Buddhaghosa calls Otthaddha a rājā.


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