An arahant, celebrated for his discussions with King Milinda. He was the son of the Brahmin Sonuttara, in the village of Kajangala in the Himálaya.
He was well versed in the Vedas, and entered the Order under Rohana to learn the Buddha's teaching. Later he went to Assagutta of the Vattaniya senásana and studied under him. There, one day, at the conclusion of a meal, while giving thanks to a lay woman who had looked after Assagutta for more than thirty years, Nágasena became a Sotápanna. Then he was sent to Pátaliputta, where he studied under Dhammarakkhita, and there he attained arahantship. Subsequently he went to the Sankheyya parivena in Sagala, where he met Milinda.
It is said that in his previous birth he was a deva, named Mahásena, living in Távatimsa, in a palace called Ketumatí, and that he consented to be born among men at the insistent request of Sakka and the arahants led by Assagutta.
In an earlier life he had made an aspiration to be able to defeat Milinda in discussion.
For further details see Milindapanha, 6ff.
A king of Jambudípa, descendant of Mahásammata. Dpv.iii.40.