Nandaka¹

Once, at the Buddha’s request, he preached a sermon to the nuns; on the first day they became sotāpannas, and, on the second, five hundred of them attained arahantship. MN.iii.270 AN.iv.358ff. From that time the Buddha declared him foremost among exhorters of the nuns. AN.i.24

The Theragāthā Thag.279–282 contains several verses uttered by him to a woman to whom he was once married. She met him begging alms in Savatthi and smiled to him with sinful heart.

The Aṅguttara Nikāya attributes two discourses to Nandaka. The first AN.i.193f. was preached at the Migāramātupāsāda and takes the form of a discussion with Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, and Rohana, Pekkhuniya’s grandson on greed, covetousness, malice and delusion, and the benefits following their destruction. The second discourse is a sermon addressed to the monks at the waiting hall at Jetavana. It is said that the Buddha was attracted to the spot by the sound of Nandaka’s preaching, and, finding the door locked, stood for a long time outside, listening. AN.iv.358ff. When his back began to ache he knocked at the door, and, having entered, told Nandaka that he had been waiting until the end of his discourse to speak to him. Nandaka expressed. his regret that he should have kept the Buddha waiting and pleaded ignorance of his presence. The Buddha, conscious of Nandaka’s remorse, went on to praise his sermon, and said that the preaching of such sermons was the duty of all pious monks. When the Buddha left, Nandaka resumed his sermon, and told his audience of the five results of listening to the Dhamma in due season.

Nandaka²

A monk whose Theragāthā verses speak of how a horse might stumble but then recovers and stands firm. Thag.173f.

Nandaka³

A minister of the Licchavis who visited the Buddha at the Kūṭāgārasālā in Vesali. The Buddha tells him that the Ariyan disciple, possessed of unwavering loyalty to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha., and having Ariyan virtues, is assured of enlightenment and happiness. During the conversation, a man comes to tell Nandaka that his bath is ready. Nandaka sends him away, saying that the inner washing loyalty to the Buddha is far more important. SN.v.389