Son of Suddhodana and Mahápajápatí, and therefore half brother of the Buddha. He was only a few days younger than the Buddha, and when the Buddha's mother died, Pajapati gave her own child to nurses and suckled the Buddha herself (AA.i.186).
On the third day of the Buddha's visit to Kapilavatthu, after the Enlightenment, the Buddha went to Nanda's house, where festivities were in progress in honour of Nanda's coronation and marriage to Janapadakalyání Nandá. The Buddha wished Nanda good fortune and handed him his bowl to be taken to the vihára. Nanda, thereupon, accompanied the Buddha out of the palace. Janapadakalyání, seeing him go, asked him to return quickly. Once inside the vihára, however, the Buddha asked Nanda to become a monk, and he, unable to refuse the request, agreed with reluctance. But as the days passed he was tormented with thoughts of his beloved, and became very downcast and despondent, and his health suffered. The Buddha suggested that they should visit the Himálaya. On the way there, he showed Nanda the charred remains of a female monkey and asked him whether Janapadakalyání were more beautiful than that. The answer was in the affirmative. The Buddha then took him to Távatimsa where Sakka, with his most beautiful nymphs, waited on them. In answer to a question by the Buddha, Nanda admitted that these nymphs were far more attractive than Janapadakalyání, and the Buddha promised him one as wife if he would live the monastic life. Nanda was all eagerness and readily agreed. On their return to Jetavana the Buddha related this story to the eighty chief disciples, and when they questioned Nanda, he felt greatly ashamed of his lustfulness. Summoning all his courage, he strove hard and, in no long time, attained arahantship. He thereupon came to the Buddha and absolved him from his promise. (Thag.157f.; J.i.91; ii.92ff.; Ud.iii.2; DhA.i.96 105; UdA.168ff.; SNA.273f.)
When the Buddha was told of Nanda's arahantship by a devata, he related the Sangámávacara Jataka (q.v.) to show how, in the past, too, Nanda had been quick to follow advice. He also related the story of Kappata (q.v.) and his donkey to show that it was not the first time that Nanda had been won to obedience by the lure of the female sex. The male donkey in the story was Nanda and the female donkey Janapadakalyání. (DhA.i.103f.)
Nanda is identified with the sub king (uparájá) in the Kurudhamma Jataka (q.v.).
Later, on seeing how eminently Nanda was trained in self control, the Buddha declared him chief among his disciples in that respect (indriyesu guttadváránam). Nanda had aspired to this eminence in the time of Padumuttara Buddha. In the time of Atthadassi Buddha he was a tortoise in the river Vinatá, and, seeing the Buddha on the bank waiting to cross, he took him over to the other side on his back. (A.i.25; AA.i.174f.; ThagA.i.276ff.)
He is said to have been called Nanda because his birth brought joy to his kinsmen. The Apadána (i.57) says he was of golden hue, as reward for a gift of a costly robe given by him to Padumuttara. One hundred thousand kappas ago he became king four times under the name of Cela. Sixty thousand kappas ago he was again king in four births, under the name of Upacela. Later, five thousand kappas ago, he was four times cakkavatti, and his name then, too, was Cela.
Nanda was very beautiful, and was only four inches shorter than the Buddha. He once wore a robe made according to the dimensions of the Buddha's robe. Discovering this, the Buddha chided him for his presumption. (Vin.iv.173; perhaps this is another version of the story found at S.ii.281. There, Nanda is said to have donned a robe which was pressed on both sides, painted his face, and gone to see the Buddha, carrying a bright bowl. The Buddha chided him, and Nanda thereupon became a forest dweller and a rag-robe-man. Buddhaghosa (SA.ii.174) says that Nanda dressed himself up in order to evoke some comment from the Buddha - either approval, so that he might dress thus for the remainder of his life, or censure, in which case he would put on rag robes and dwell in the forest.)
The Anguttara Nikaya (A.iv.166f) contains a discourse in which the Buddha discusses Nanda's claim to have achieved self control in all things.
He is probably to be identified with Taraniya Thera of the Apadána. (ii.428; cp. ThagA.i.277.)
Called Nanda mánava. One of the chief disciples of Bávarí; he visited the Buddha: His conversation with the Buddha is recorded in the Nanda mánavapucchá. Later, he became an arahant. SN.vs.1007, 1124.
Called Nanda-Gopálaka. He was a cowherd of Kosambi. One day he heard the Buddha preach to the monks, using as simile a log of wood how, in certain circumstances, it finds its way direct to the sea and how, similarly, a monk may reach nibbina. Nanda asked permission to join the Order. But the Buddha insisted that he should first return the cattle, for which he was responsible, to their owners. Nanda did so, and was then ordained, becoming an arahant soon after. S.iv.181.
An arahant. In the past he was once a hunter, and, while wandering in the forest, he saw a Pacceka Buddha named Anuruddha. He built for the Buddha a hut thatched with lotus flowers, and, having listened to the Buddha's preaching, became a monk. Soon after he fell ill, died, and was born in Tusita. He possessed the power of traveling through the air and of walking over the sea. In this birth he visited the Buddha and questioned him regarding the "further shore." At the end of the conversation he became an arahant. Ap.ii.350f.
He is probably identical with No. 3 above. See DA.i.122, where Nanda Gopalaka's questions are given; these seem to correspond with Nanda Thera's questions about the "further shore."
A herdsman of Anáthapindika, living in Sávatthi. He was rich and tended the king's cattle as well. He often, went to Anáthapindika's house with gifts, and there he saw and heard the Buddha. He invited the Buddha to his house, but his invitation was not accepted for some time, until his wisdom should be ripe. But at last the Buddha paid him a visit, lasting seven days, and Nanda entertained him and his monks with the choicest foods. On the seventh day the Buddha preached to him and he became a sotapanna. He accompanied the Buddha part of the way back to the vihára, but, on his return journey, was killed by a hunter's arrow. DhA.i.322f.
A former incarnation of Subhúti Thera (q.v.) in the time of Padumuttara Buddha. He was a mahásala Brahmin of Hamsavatí, and later became an ascetic at the head of forty four thousand Jatilas. After thirty thousand years, Padumuttara visited him in the forest, and, later, ten thousand of his followers joined the Buddha. Nanda provided them all with seats made of heavenly flowers, the Buddha's being one league in height. Nanda stood by the Buddha for seven days, holding an umbrella made of flowers. Nanda and the rest of his disciples joined the Order, and all except Nanda became arahants, he being bore in the Brahma world after death. Later, for five hundred births he was a forest dweller living alone on Mount Nisabha in Himavá. He was king of the devas for eighty births. (Ap.i.67; ThagA.i.17f.; AA.i.124f.) He evidently belonged to the Kosiya gotta (Ap.i.67.)
A disciple of a Pacceka Buddha named Sabbábhibhú. The Bodhisatta was then a drunkard, named Munáli, and abused Nanda. It was a result of this that Cińcá slandered the Buddha (Gotama). Ap.i.299; UdA.264.
A devaputta who visited the Buddha and had a conversation with him. S.i.62.
One of the three palaces occupied by Vipassí Buddha in his last lay life. Bu.xx.24.
One of the chief lay supporters of Sikhí Buddha. v.l Canda. BuA.204.
King of Benares, a former birth of Mahá Kassapa. He belonged to a poor family, but, owing to his merit in having covered Kassapa Buddha's cetiya with a golden coverlet, he came to be crowned king of Benares. He had a kapparukkha, which provided him and his subjects with divine robes. With the help of his queen - who became Bhaddakapilá in this life - he held a great almsgiving to five hundred Pacceka Buddhas, led by Mahápaduma, and entertained them up to the time of their death. Nanda was away, quelling a frontier rebellion, at the time of their death. On his return, he gave over his kingdom to his eldest son and became an ascetic. Ap.ii.582; ThagA.ii.139ff.; SA.ii.140f.; the story is also found at PVA.73ff.; there it is said that Nanda was granted divine clothes because he had once given his shawl to a Pacceka Buddha for a robe; see also ThigA.72.
Nanda's wealth was proverbial. E.g., Pv.ii.1 (vs. 16), iii.2 (vs.16).
One of the chief lay supporters of Mangala Buddha. Bu.xxii. 25.
13. Nanda. See Nanda Vaccha
A slave, born in this life as the co resident of Sariputta. For his story see the Nanda Jataka.
A brahmin of Takkasilá, learned in the Vedas, who supported his parents. He related four verses to Jayaddisa, seated on a throne, and earned four thousand pieces of money. For details see the Jayaddisa Jataka. J.v.23ff.
This is evidently the same story as that related in the Mahá Sutasoma Jataka (J.v.476f.,483). There Nanda is said to have learnt the stanzas from Kassapa Buddha, and to have come expressly to Indapatta in order to teach them to Sutasoma. Nanda is identified with Ananda. (Ibid. 511. For details see the Mahá Sutasoma Jataka.
Called Nandakumára. A Brahmin ascetic, brother of the Bodhisatta in his birth as Sona. Nanda is identified with Ananda. For details see Sona Nanda Jataka. J.v.312ff.
A Brahmin, mentioned in the Milindapanha [p.101. This probably refers to the Brahmin Ananda (q.v.) who raped Upalavanná (DhA.ii.49); this is confirmed by MA.ii.814, where Uppalavanná's seducer is called Nanda mánavaka] as having been swallowed up by the earth for having insulted the Buddha and his disciples.
See Nandopananda.
He was born in Velukanoa in Avanti and his mother was Kuma. Having heard Sariputta preach, he entered the Order, visiting the Buddha later. From the Buddha he obtained a formula of meditation and became an arahant. (Thag.vs.36; ThagA.i.100) He had a friend named Sudanta (also called Vásula) who, too, became an arahant (Ibid.101). In the time of Vipassi Buddha, Nanda was an ascetic, and, having seen the Buddha in the royal park at Bandhumati, gave him oil to massage his feet. He is probably to be identified with Abbhańjanadáyaka of the Apadána. Ap.ii.456.
Nine kings, called the Nava Nandá, reigned in India after the dynasty of Kálásoka and his sons. (Mhv.v.15) The first of the Nava-Nandá was a bandit who captured the throne. Their names are given in the Mahábodhivamsa (p.98; for details see MT.177 9) as follows: Uggasena Nanda, Panduka Nanda, Pandugati Nanda, Bhútapála Nanda, Ratthapála Nanda, Govisánaka-Nanda, Dasasiddhaka Nanda, Kevatta Nanda and Dhana Nanda. The last was killed by Candagutta with the help of Cánakka, and his throne was seized. The nine Nandas together reigned for twenty two years.
There were once two butchers named Nanda. One day they killed a cow, and the younger asked that he might take the head and the tail as he had many children. The elder refused and was killed by the other. But the murderer had no peace of mind thereafter, and, on his death, was born in hell. ItvA.82; also AA.i.295; but here the names are not mentioned.
A distinguished monk in the time of Parakkamabáhu I. He lived in the Selantara monastery, and was appointed Head of the three fraternities in Rohana. Cv.lxxviii.10.
A butcher who killed cattle for fifty years. One day, having no meat, he cut off the tongue of a living ox, fried it and started eating it. His own tongue fell on to his plate. He died in great agony and was born in hell. MA.ii.814.
The Isigili Sutta mentions four Pacceka Buddhas of this name. M.iii.70.
See s.v. Nandaka.