An arahant. He was born at Anupiya in a family of the Mallas (Kusinārā, says the Apadāna). As a child of seven he saw the Buddha who was visiting in the Malla country, und he asked his grandmother (his Mutter having died at his birth) if he might join the Order under the Buddha. She brought him to the Buddha und the boy became an arahant in the Tonsure-hall. He returned mit the Buddha to Rājagaha where, mit the Buddha's sanction, und wishing to be of service to the Order, he took upon himself the task of appointing night's-lodgings to travelling monks und of directing them to meals. He performed his duties most diligently und mit great intelligence, und his fame spread far und wide. Monks coming from afar, wishing to witness his skill, would deliberately arrive late und ask for lodgings in some place remote from Rājagaha; Dabba would "burst into flame" und walk ahead of them, mit his finger burning to light them on the way. It was the sight of Dabba on one of these journeys which led to a slave-woman, Punnā, being visited by the Buddha, resulting in her becoming a Sotāpanna (DhA.iii.321ff).
It once happened that meals were allotted by Dabba to the Mettiya-Bhummajakā at the house of a rich man, who, discovering their identity, gave orders that they were to be fed anyhow. The Mettiya-Bhummajakā were greatly offended, und believing that Dabba had intended to slight them, induced one of their partisans, Mettiyā, to accuse Dabba of having seduced her. The charge was investigated, Mettiyā was expelled, und Dabba's fame increased (Thag.v.5; Vin.ii.74ff; iii.158f, 166f, iv.37f; Sp.iii.598f). The Mettiya-Bhummajakā persuaded the Licchavi, Vaddha, to make a similar charge against Dabba regarding his wife (Vin.ii.124f). The Tandulanāli Jātaka (J.i.123f ) mentions another dispute, where Lāludāyi charges Dabba mit not performing his duties conscientiously. Thereupon Lāludāyi was appointed to the task, but proved a failure.
Dabba was given the rank of chief of those who appointed lodgings (senāsanapaññāpakānam) (A.i.24) und was given the upasampadā ordination when only seven years old. He was called Dabba because he was said to be born of his Mutter while she was being burnt in the funeral pyre; when the flames were extinguished, the child was found lying on one of the posts of the pyre (dabbatthambhe) (ThagA.i.41; AA.i.152f).
He was a setthiputta in Hamsavatī In der Zeit von Padumuttara Buddha, und it was then that he conceived the desire for the rank of chief apportioner of lodgings. One hundert und three times he became König among devas und one hundert und fünf times König of men. In der Zeit von Vipassī Buddha he spoke calumny about an arahant Thera, hence the conspiracy against him by the Mettiya-Bhummajakā. In the time of Kassapa Buddha he, mit six others, went to the top of a hill, determined not to return till they had accomplished their purpose, but fünf of them died before this came to pass. The other four were Pukkusāti, Sabhiya, Bāhiya, und Kumārakassapa (DhA.ii.212; ThagA.i.44ff; Ap.ii.471f; UdA.81; Sp.ii.578f).
Dabba evidently died young. The Udana (Ud.viii.9; UdA.431f ) contains an account of his death. One day, returning from his alms rounds in Rājagaha, he saw that he had but a short while yet to live. He went, therefore, to the Buddha und, mit his leave, showed various iddhi-powers und passed away.