1. Nárada Buddha

The ninth of the twenty four Buddhas,

The Bodhisatta was a Jatila in Himavá, and the Buddha, with his followers, visited his hermitage, where they were fed for seven days and received gifts of red sandalwood. Bu.x.1ff.; BuA.151ff.; J.i.35f.


2. Nárada

The personal attendant of Sujáta Buddha. Bu.xiii.25.


3. Nárada

A Brahmin in the time of Padumuttara Buddha, who praised the Buddha in three stanzas. He was a former birth of Nágita (or Atthasandassaka) Thera. ThagA.i.180; Ap.i.168.


4. Nárada

A brahmin in the time of Atthadassí Buddha, a former birth of Pavittha (or Ekadamsaniya) Thera. He was also called Kesava. ThagA.i.185; Ap.i.168f.


5. Nárada

Minister of Brahmadatta, king of Benares. He was entrusted with escorting the ascetic Kesava, when lie fell ill, to Kappa's hermitage in Himavá. Nárada is identified with Sáriputta. For details see the Kesava Játaka. J.iii.143ff., 362; DhA.i.344.


6. Nárada

A sage, younger brother of Káladevala and pupil of Jotipála (Sarabhanga). He lived in the Majjhimapadesa in Arañjaragiri. He became enamoured of a courtesan, and was saved only through the intervention of Sarabhanga. For details see the Indriya Jataka. J.iii.463ff.; v.133f.


7. Nárada

An ascetic, son of the ascetic Kassapa. He was tempted by a maiden fleeing from brigands, but his father came to his rescue. For details see the Culla Nárada Játaka. J.iv.220ff.


8. Nárada

King of Mithilá, seventh in direct descent from Sádhina. He is identified with Ananda. For details see the Sádhína Játaka. J.iv.355ff.


9. Nárada

A brahmin sage, called a devabráhmana, and Náradadeva. One day, having wandered about in Távatimsa, he was returning to his dwelling in Kañcanaguhá holding a Páricchattaka flower over his head, when the four daughters of Sakka - 

-  asked him to give it to them. He agreed to give it to that one among them whom they should choose as their queen. They sought the advice of their father, who directed them to Macchariya Kosiya. Kosiya decided in favour of Hirí.

Nárada is identified with Sáriputta. For details see the Sudhábhojana Jataka (J.v.392ff). It is probably this same Nárada who is mentioned as being present when Kunála (q.v.) delivered his famous diatribe against women. He is described as possessing the pañcábhiññá and as being attended by ten thousand ascetics. When Kunála had finished his discourse, Nárada supplemented it with all he knew of the vices of women (Ibid.,424, 450ff., 456). He is also mentioned as having admonished Mahájanaka when the latter renounced the world. In that context, Nárada is described as belonging to the Kassapa gotta. J.vi.56, 58, 68. In SNA.i.359 he is called Nárada Devala. This may be a wrong reading for Náradadeva.


10. Nárada

The Bodhisatta born as a Mahá Brahma. He helped Rujá to convince her father, Angati, of the truth as declared by her. He came down to earth and frightened Angati by revealing to him the horrors of hell. In this context he is described as belonging to the Kassapa gotta. For details see the Mahánáradakassapa Jataka. J.vi.220, 242 ff.; Ap.ii.483.


11. Nárada

A celebrated physician, probably identical with the famous sage, No. 9, above. Mil.272.


12. Nárada

The fifth future Buddha. Anágat. p. 40.


13. Nárada

A Thera, mentioned once as staying at the Ghositáráma in Kosambí, with Músila, Savittha, and Ananda. In the course of discussion he declares that, though aware of the nature of nibbana, he is not an arahant (S.ii.115f). Elsewhere (A.iii.57f) he is mentioned as staying in the Kukkutáráma in Pátaliputta. At that time King Munda was grieving over the death of his wife,  Bhaddá, to the neglect of everything else, and his treasurer, Piyaka, suggested that he should visit Nárada. The king agreed, and Nárada preached to him on the inevitable ness of old age, disease, death, etc. Munda was consoled, and buried the body of his wife, which he had till then preserved.

He may be identical with the Thera mentioned in the Peta Vatthu Commentary (PvA.2, 10, 11, 14, 204, 208, 210, 211) as finding out from various petas the stories of their deeds, and in the Vimána Vatthu Commentary (VvA.165, 169, 203) as visiting various vimánas in the course of his wanderings among the deva worlds (devacáriká). He is stated as having repeated the stories he learnt to the dhammasangáhakas to be embodied in their rescensions.


14. Nárada

The Bodhisatta born as an ascetic. For his story see s.v. Devála.


15. Nárada

A Yakkha who presided over Náradakúta. Offerings, which included a man from each village, were brought to him once a year. Dípankara Buddha visited him and, after performing many miracles, converted him. He, with ten thousand other Yakkhas, became a sotápanna. Bu.ii.199; BuA.101.


16. Nárada

A class of devas mentioned, with the Pabbatas, as being wise. SN.vs.543; SNA.ii.435; see also J.vi.568, 571; Mtu.iii.401.


17. Nárada

An ascetic, also called Kassapa. A former birth of Cankolapupphiya (q.v.). Ap.i.215.


18. Nárada

An ascetic, also called Kassapa, a former birth of Ekásanadáyaka (q.v.). Ap.ii.381.