A resident of Sāvatthi and friend of Sirigutta. The latter was a follower of the Buddha, and the former of the Nigaṇṭhā. Instigated by the Nigaṇṭhā, Garahadinna constantly blamed his friend for his allegiance to the Buddha, until one day, in exasperation, Sirigutta invited the Nigaṇṭhā to his house in order to prove that their claim to omniscience was false. To this end he had a ditch dug and filled with filth, ropes stretched longitudinally over the ditch, and the seats so arranged that the moment the Nigaṇṭhā sat down they would be tipped over and flung into the ditch. The Nigaṇṭhā arrived, and everything happened as Sirigutta had arranged. Garahadinna, filled with desire for revenge, hid his resentment and invited the Buddha and his disciples with the intention of humiliating them. He employed the same stratagem as his friend, except that the ditch was filled with glowing coals instead of with filth. The Buddha came, knowing all that had happened, and by an exercise of psychic power caused large lotus flowers to spring up from the bed of coals. Sitting thereon, he created an abundant supply of food and taught the Dhamma. Garahadinna, Sirigutta, and many others became Stream-winners (sotāpanna) (DhA.i.434 f).

On this occasion was also taught the Khadiraṅgāra Jātaka. (However, see the introductory Story of the Jātaka).

It is said (Mil.350) that when the Buddha taught at Garahadinna’s house, eighty-four thousand beings realised the Truth.