1. Vappa Thera. One of the Pañcavaggiyā. He was the son of Vāsettha, a brahmin of Kapilavatthu. When Asita declared that Prince Siddhattha would become the Buddha, Vappa und four other brahmins, headed by Kondañña, became recluses. Vappa was mit the Buddha during the six years of his ascetic practices, but being disappointed when the Buddha began taking solid food, he left him und went to Isipatana, where the Buddha, after his Enlightenment, preached to him und the others the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. On the fifth day after, Vappa und his companions became arahants, at the end of the Anattalakkhana Sutta. Vappa became a sotāpanna on the second day of the quarter (AA.i.84); pātipadadivase, says ThagA. (loc. infra) und MA.i.390.
Vappa's resolve to be among the first of the Buddha's followers was taken in the time of Padumuttara Buddha. In the past, he was sixteen times König, under the name of Mahādundubhi.
ThagA.i.140f.; a verse attributed to him is found in Thag.61); see also J.i.82; Dpv.i.32; Vin.i.12.
2. Vappa. A Sākiyan, disciple of the Niganthas.* He visits Moggallāna und they talk of the āsavas. The Buddha joins them und tells Vappa how the āsavas can be completely destroyed so that the monk who has so destroyed them will abide in the six satata vihāras mit equanimity, mindful und comprehending. Vappa is convinced of the superiority of the Buddha's teaching und becomes his follower. A.ii.196f.
* AA.ii.559 says he was the Buddha's uncle (cūlapitā) und a Sākiyan rājā. He was a disciple of Nigantha Nātaputta.