Ñātika draft

Ñātika (v.l. Nādikā, Nātika). A locality in the Vajjī country on the highway between Koṭigāma and Vesālī. The Buddha first went there in the course of one of his tours, and the inhabitants, being greatly attracted by him, built for him a residence in brick, the Giñjakāvasatha (q.v.), which, in course of time, became a great vihāra. MN-a.i.424. The Buddha, subsequently, seems to have stayed several times in Ñātika.

According to the Cūḷa Gosiṅgasutta he stayed there soon after the schism of the Kosambī monks and sought the Gosiṅgasālavana, evidently in the neighbourhood where Anuruddha, Nandiya and Kimbila were in residence (MN.i.205. but according to Vin.i.350f, which relates the incident, they were in Pācīnavaṁsadāya and the Buddha went there from Bālakaloṇakāragāma).

The Buddha also visited Ñātika on his last journey, while on his way to Kusinārā, and was staying there on the day that he accepted Ambapālī’s hospitality and her gift of the Ambapālivana (Vin.i.232f.).

It was evidently during this stay that Ānanda questioned the Buddha as to the lot of various pious inhabitants of Ñātika who had been zealous followers of the Buddha’s teaching. Among them several are mentioned by name – the monk Sāḷha, the nun Nandā, Sudatta, Kakudha, Kāliṅga, Nikaṭa, Kaṭissabha, Tuṭṭha, Santuṭṭha, Bhadda, Subhadda and the upāsikā Sugatā. The Buddha tells Ānanda of their destiny, and informs him that more than ninety people of Ñātika had become Sakadagāmīs and more than five hundred Sotāpannas. He then proceeds to proclaim the discourse which has become famous as the Dhammadāsa. D.ii.91ff.; SN.v.356ff., also records what is evidently the same incident. Two additional names, Asoka and Asokī, occur in the Saṁyutta passage.

The Janavasabhasutta, which was also preached at Ñātika, is evidently based on this incident and is probably an elaboration of the same (DN.ii.200ff.). The Saṁyuttanikāya and the Aṅguttaranikāya record other Suttas on different topics preached at Ñātika. See s.v. Giñjakāvasathasutta and also Ñātikasutta; also SN.iv.90; AN.iii.303ff., AN.iii.306f., AN.iv.316f. and AN.iv.320f.

Mention is also made of discussions between the Buddha and Kaccāyana (SN.ii.153) and Sandha (AN.v.322f.), and also of a discussion between Sabhiya Kaccāyana and Vacchagotta (SN.iv.401f.).

The books spells the name of the village in two ways: Ñātika and Nādika. This doubt as to the spelling seems to have existed from quite early times, as the apparent confusion of the etymology leads us to believe. In the Saṁyutta Commentary (SN-a.ii.56), Buddhaghosa says “Ñātiketi dvinnaṁ ñātakānaṁ gāme.” In the Dīgha Commentary (DN-a.ii.543), however, he says “Ñādikā ti etaṁ taḷākaṁ nissāya dviṇṇaṁ cūlapitumahāpituputtānaṁ dve gāmā. Nādike ti ekasmiṁ ñātigāme.” These explanations seem to support both spellings – Ñātika and Nādika— Ñātika because it was a “ñātigāma ”and Nādika because it was near the pond Nādikā. (MN-a.ii.424 definitely states that the name of the pond was also Nādikā (Nādike viharati ti Nādiki nāma eka, etc.). Rhys Davids thinks that Nādikā (pl.) was a clan-name and Nādika the name of the clan’s village (Dial.ii.97.n.1). Woodward also supports the reading Nādika, and suggests that the name is connected with nadī, and refers to Walters’ Chwang (ii. 86), where reference is made to Nātaka on the Ganges between Vesālī and Patna. (GS.iii.217.n.4).

Ñātikā (v.l. Ñātikī). The name, probably of a pond (taḷāka) near the village of Ñātika, and/or of the clan who lived in the village. See Ñātika.