Nigrodha untranslated

Nigrodha 01. A Paribbājaka. Once, when he was staying with a large number of colleagues at the Udumbarikārāma near Rājagaha, Sandhāna, on his way to see the Buddha, stopped him and entered into conversation. The Buddha, by his divine ear, hearing their talk, approached them and continued the discussion with Nigrodha; this discussion is recorded in the Udumbarikasīhanādasutta. DN.iii.36ff.; this discussion is also referred to in the Kassapasīhanādasutta (DN.i.175 f.). There Nigrodha is said to have felt great joy, but this is not mentioned in the Udumbarikasīhanādasutta (see DN.iii.57).

Nigrodha 02. The Bodhisatta born as the son of a Banker in Rājagaha, later becoming king of Benares. For details see the Nigrodhajātaka.

Nigrodha 03. Nigrodha Thera. He belonged to an eminent Brahmin family of Sāvatthī. On the day of the dedication of Jetavana, he saw the majesty of the Buddha and entered the Saṅgha, becoming an Arahant soon after. Eighteen kappas ago, in the time of Piyadassī Buddha, he left great riches and became an ascetic, dwelling in a sāla grove. Once, seeing the Buddha wrapped in samādhi, he built a bower over him, and stood there with clasped hands until the Buddha awoke from his samādhi. Then, at the Buddha’s wish, the Saṅgha too came to the sāla grove, and in their presence the Buddha predicted the ascetic’s future (Thag­a.i.74f; Thag.21).

Nigrodha is probably identical with Sālamaṇḍapiya of the Apadāna. Ap.ii.431f.; but the same Apadāna verses are also given under Tissa Thera (Thag­a.i.273).

Nigrodha 04. See Nigrodhamiga and Vattabbaka Nigrodha.

Nigrodha 05. A Sākiyan, owner of the Nigrodhārāma (q.v.). Ja.i.88.

Nigrodha 06. Commonly known as Nigrodha Sāmaṇera. He was the son of Sumana, the eldest of Bimbisāra’s children, and his mother was Sumanā. When Asoka slew Sumana, his wife, who was with child, fled to a Caṇḍāla village, where the guardian deity of a nigrodha tree built her a hut. Here she gave birth to her son, whom she named after her benefactor. The chief Caṇḍāla looked after them. When Nigrodha was seven years old, the Thera Mahā Varuṇa ordained him, and he became an Arahant in the tonsure hall. One day, while walking near the palace, Asoka saw him and, because of their connection in a past life, was attracted by him. Nigrodha had been one of the three brothers who gave honey to a Pacceka Buddha in a past life (for the story see Asoka and Mhv.v.49ff). Nigrodha had called the Pacceka Buddha a Caṇḍāla, hence he was born in a Caṇḍāla village. Asoka invited Nigrodha to the palace and entertained him, and Nigrodha preached to him the Appamādavagga of the Dhammapada. The king was greatly pleased, and offered to give food daily at the palace to thirty-two monks in Nigrodha’s name. It was this visit of Nigrodha to Asoka which ultimately resulted in the conversion of the latter to the faith of the Buddha (for details see ibid., 37-72; Dpv.vi.34ff.; vii.12, 31; Vin-a.i.45ff). It is said that Asoka paid great honour to Nigrodha throughout his life (MN­a.ii.931). Three times a day he sent to Nigrodha gifts of robes carried on the backs of elephants, with five hundred measures of perfume and five hundred caskets of garlands. All these Nigrodha would distribute among his colleagues, and most of the monks of Jambudīpa at that time wore robes, which were the gift of Nigrodha.

Nigrodha 07. Called Māragiri. A general of Parakkamabāhu I. He was stationed at Uddhavāpi. Cv.lxxii.164, 174.