Nigrodha
1. Nigrodha.- A ParibbÄjaka. Once, when he was staying with a large number of colleagues at the UdumbarikÄrÄma near RÄjagaha,SandhÄna, on his way to see the Buddha, stopped him and entered into conversation. The Buddha, by his divine ear, hearing their talk, approached them and continued the discussion with Nigrodha; this discussion is recorded in the Udumbarika SÄ«hanÄda Sutta.
D.iii.36ff.; this discussion is also referred to in the Kassapa SihanÄda Sutta (D.i.175 f.). There Nigrodha is said to have felt great joy, but this is not mentioned in the Udumbarika SihanÄda (see D.iii.57).
2. Nigrodha.- The Bodhisatta born as the son of a Banker in RÄjagaha, later becoming king of Benares. For details see the Nigrodha JÄtaka.
3. Nigrodha Thera.- He belonged to an eminent brahmin family of SÄvatthi. On the day of the dedication of Jetavana, he saw the majesty of the Buddha and entered the Order, becoming an Arahant soon after. Eighteen world-cycles ago, in the time of PiyadassÄ« Buddha, he left great riches and became an ascetic, dwelling in a sÄla grove. Once, seeing the Buddha wrapped in samÄdhi, he built a bower over him, and stood there with clasped hands until the Buddha awoke from his samÄdhi. Then, at the Buddha’s wish, the Saá¹…gha too came to the sÄla grove, and in their presence the Buddha predicted the ascetic’s future (ThagA.i.74f; Thag.21).
Nigrodha is probably identical with SÄlamaṇá¸apiya of the ApadÄna. Ap.ii.431f.; but the same ApadÄna verses are also given under Tissa Thera (ThagA.i.273).
4. Nigrodha.- See the Nigrodhamiga JÄtaka and Vattabbaka Nigrodha.
5. Nigrodha.- A SÄkyan, owner of the NigrodhÄrÄma (q.v.) J.i.88.
6. Nigrodha.- Commonly known as Nigrodha sÄmaṇera. He was the son of Sumana, the eldest of BimbisÄra’s children, and his mother was SumanÄ. When Asoka slew Sumana, his wife, who was with child, fled to a caṇá¸Äla village, where the guardian deity of a nigrodha tree built her a hut. Here she gave birth to her son, whom she named after her benefactor. The chief candÄla looked after them. When Nigrodha was seven years old, the Thera MahÄvaruṇa ordained him, and he became an Arahant in the tonsure hall. One day, while walking near the palace, Asoka saw him and, because of their connection in a past life, was attracted by him. Nigrodha had been one of the three brothers who gave honey to a Pacceka Buddha in a past life (for the story see Asoka and Mhv.v.49ff). Nigrodha had called the Pacceka Buddha a caṇá¸Äla, hence he was born in a caṇá¸Äla village. Asoka invited Nigrodha to the palace and entertained him, and Nigrodha taught him the AppamÄda Vagga. The king was greatly pleased, and offered to give food daily at the palace to thirty-two monks in Nigrodha’s name. It was this visit of Nigrodha to Asoka which ultimately resulted in the conversion of the latter to the faith of the Buddha (for details see ibid., 37 72; Dpv.vi.34ff.; vii.12, 31; Sp.i.45ff). It is said (MA.ii.931) that Asoka paid great honour to Nigrodha throughout his life. Three times a day he sent to Nigrodha gifts of robes carried on the backs of elephants, with five hundred measures of perfume and five hundred caskets of garlands. All these Nigrodha would distribute among his colleagues, and most of the monks of JambudÄ«pa at that time wore robes, which were the gift of Nigrodha.
7. Nigrodha.- Called MÄragiri. A general of ParakkamabÄhu I. He was stationed at UddhavÄpi. Cv.lxxii.164, 174.
Nigrodha Aá¹…gana.- A locality in AnurÄdhapura, through which the boundary (sÄ«mÄ) of the MahÄvihÄra passed. Dpv.xiv.34; Mhv.136; Mhv. p. 332. vs.14.
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