Rādha untranslated

Rādha 01. A parrot, brother of Poṭṭhapāda, the Bodhisatta. See the Rādhajātaka (Ja 145) (1). He is identified with Ānanda. Ja.i.496.

Rādha 02. The Bodhisatta born as a parrot. See the Rādhajātaka (Ja 145) (2).

Rādha 03. The Bodhisatta born as a parrot. See the Kālabāhujātaka (Ja 329).

Rādha 04. Rādha Thera. He was a Brahmin of Rājagaha who, being neglected by his children in his old age, sought ordination. The monks refused his request on the ground of his age, so he sought the Buddha who, seeing his upanissaya (potential), asked Sāriputta to admit him. Soon after he won Arahant-ship. It is probably this incident which is referred to at Thag­a.ii.114, where Sāriputta is said to have ordained a poor Brahmin named Rādha, but no mention is made there of any order from the Buddha. If the reference is to this same Thera, Rādha was, for some time, the attendant (pacchāsamaṇa) of Sāriputta, and there is a verse in Thag. (993) spoken to him by Sāriputta, who was pleased with Rādha’s gentle manner. Dhp­a.ii.104ff. gives more details of the ordination of Rādha. There we are told that he went to the monastery where he performed various duties. But the monks would not admit him into the Saṅgha, and, owing to his disappointment, he grew thin. One day the Buddha, seeing him with his divine eye, went to him, and hearing of his wish to join the Saṅgha, summoned the monks and asked if any of them remembered any favour done by Rādha. Sāriputta mentioned that he had once received a ladleful of Rādha’s own food while begging in Rājagaha. The Buddha then suggested that Sāriputta should listen to Rādha’s request for ordination. After ordination, Rādha grew weary of the food of the refectory, but Sāriputta constantly admonished him and found him most humble; later, he spoke highly of Rādha’s obedience, and the Buddha praised him. It was on Rādha’s account that the Alīnacittajātaka (Ja 156) was preached. AN­a.i.179f. agrees, more or less, with the account given above; so does Ap.ii.485f.

He stayed near the Buddha, and, by reason of his skill, the Buddha declared him foremost among those who spoke extemporarily (? paṭibhāṇakeyyānaṁ) (AN.i.25; Thag­a.i.253f). He thereby earned the name of Paṭibhāṇiya Thera (SN­a.ii.246). The Theragāthā (vss.133-4) contains two verses spoken by him in praise of concentration of the mind.

The Rādhasaṁyutta (SN.iii.188-201; see also Rādhasutta) contains a large number of Suttas preached by the Buddha in answer to Rādha’s questions on various topics. It is said that when the Buddha saw Rādha he felt the inclination to talk on matters dealing with subtle topics, illustrating them with various similes. SN­a.ii.246; this was because of Radha’s wealth of views (diṭṭhisamudācāra) and unwavering faith (okappaniyasaddhā); AN­a.i.179; also Thag­a.i.254.

In the time of Padumuttara Buddha, Rādha was a householder of Haṁsavatī and held a great almsgiving in honour of the Buddha, wishing to gain pre-eminence in the power of speaking extemporarily. He gave ripe mangoes to Vipassī Buddha (Thag­a.i.253; AN­a.i.180; Ap.ii.484) and, as a result, was born in heaven.

Surādha Thera was his younger brother. Rādha was, for some time, the Buddha’s attendant. AN­a.i.163.

Rādhā. One of the two chief women disciples of Paduma Buddha. Bv.ix.22.