• Bháradvája

1. Bháradvája. One of the two chief disciples of Kassapa Buddha. J.i.43; Bu.xxv.39; SNA.i.293.

2. Bháradvája Thera. He belonged to the Bháradvájagotta and was a brahmin of Rájagaha. He sent his son Kanhadinna to Takkasilá, to study under a certain teacher, but, on the way there, the boy met a Thera, entered the Order, and became an arahant. Bháradvája, too, heard the Buddha preach at Veluvana, became a monk, and attained arahantship. Later, when Kanhadinna visited the Buddha at Rájagaha, he met his father and learnt from him of his attainments.

Thirty one kappas ago, Bháradvája met the Pacceka Buddha Sumana and gave him a vallíkára fruit (Thag.vss.177 8; ThagA.i.302f). He is, perhaps, identical with Vallíkáraphaladáyaka of the Apadána. Ap.ii.416; but the same Apadána verses are given under Bhalliya (ThagA.i.49).

3. Bháradvája Thera. He was the eldest of a clan of Bháradvájas living in Rájagaha and his wife was a Dhanañjáni brahminee. The wife was a devout follower of the Buddha, and constantly sang the praises of the Buddha, of his teachings, and of the Order. Annoyed at this, Bháradvája went to the Buddha and asked a question. He was so pleased with the answer that he joined the Order and not long after became an arahant (S.i.160f), several of his brothers following his example. (See Bháradvája 5)

4. Bháradvája. A young brahmin, pupil of Tárukkha. A discussion between him and Vásettha led to the preaching of the Tevijja Sutta (D.i.235), and also the Vásettha Sutta (SN., p.115ff.; M.ii.197f).

Bháradvája later became the Buddha's follower (D.i.252; SN., p. 123). The Aggañña Sutta was preached to him and to Vásettha when they were undergoing the probationary period prior to their becoming fully ordained monks (D.iii.80).

Buddhaghosa says (DA.iii.860) that they accepted the Buddha as their teacher at the conclusion of the Vásettha Sutta and entered the Order at the end of the Tevijja Sutta. Later, while meditating on the teachings of the Aggañña Sutta, they became arahants (DA.iii.872). According to Buddhaghosa, Bháradvája belonged to a noble family worth forty five crores (DA.iii.860).

5. Bháradvája. The name of a brahmin clan; about twenty individuals belonging to this clan are mentioned in the Pitakas. In one family, living at Rájagaha, the eldest was married to a Dhanañjáni brahmince and later became an arahant. (See Bháradvája 3)

His brothers:

• Akkosaka Bháradvája,
• Asurindaka Bháradvája,
• Bilangika Bháradvája and
• Sangárava Bháradvája, followed him (S.i.160ff.; SA.i.175ff.; MA.ii.808).

Several other Bháradvájas living in Sávatthi visited the Buddha there, and joined the Order and became arahants; viz.,

• Ahimsaka Bháradvája,
• Jatá  Bháradvája and
• Suddhika  Bháradvája;
• Aggika  Bháradvája joined the Order at Veluvana,
• Sundarika  Bháradvája on the banks of the Sundariká, and
• Bahudhítíka Bháradvája in a forest tract in Kosala.
• Kasi Bháradvája,
• Katthahára Bháradvája and
• Navakammaki Bháradvája became lay disciples.

The Elder Pindola also belonged to the Bháradvájagotta; so did Kápathika (M.ii.169f). The gotta was evidently considered to be very ancient. Mention is made in the books of a Bháradvája is among the authors of the runes of the bráhmanas (E.g., D.i.242; M.ii.169, 200; A.iii.224; iv.61, etc.).

The Kálingabodhi Játaka speaks of a Kálingabháradvája brahmin, while the brahmin carpenter in the Phandana Játaka belongs to the same clan.

The purohita Sucírata, of Dhanañjaya Koravya (in the Sambhava Jataka), is a Bháradvája, as is also Jújaka of the Vessantara Játaka. In a Vinaya passage (Vin.iv.6; but see DA.iii.860) the Bháradvájagotta is mentioned together with the Kosiya as a low clan (hínagotta).

6. Bháradvája. A brahmin of the Bháradvája gotta living at Kammássadhamma. The Buddha once stayed there and slept on a mat in his fire hut, and there he met the Paribbájaka Mágandiya. M.i.501ff.

7. Bháradvája. A yakkha chief to whom disciples of the Buddha should make appeal in time of need. D.iii.204.

8. Bháradvája. A Pacceka Buddha. M.iii.70.