Pāli Dictionary

Nārada9

Person

婆罗门仙人那罗陀天,曾在帝释四位天女为争夺天树花而起的争执中充当裁判,后又曾劝诫大扇那迦王出家之事。

A brahmin sage, called a deva-brāhmaṇa, and Nāradadeva. One day, having wandered about in Tāvatiṃsa, he was returning to his dwelling in Kañcanaguhā holding a Pāricchattaka flower over his head, when the four daughters of Sakka — Āsā, Saddhā, Sirī, and Hirī — asked him to give it to them. He agreed to give it to that one among them whom they should choose as their queen. They sought the advice of their father, who directed them to Macchariya Kosiya. Kosiya decided in favour of Hirī.

Nārada is identified with Sāriputta. For details see the Sudhābhojana Jataka (J.v.392 ff). It is probably this same Nārada who is mentioned as being present when Kuṇāla (q.v.) delivered his famous diatribe against women. He is described as possessing the five higher knowledges (pañcābhiññā) and as being attended by ten thousand ascetics. When Kuṇāla had finished his discourse, Nārada supplemented it with all he knew of the vices of women (Ibid.,424, 450 ff., 456). He is also mentioned as having admonished Mahājanaka when the latter renounced the world. In that context, Nārada is described as belonging to the Kassapa clan. J.vi.56, 58, 68. In SNA.i.359 he is called Nārada Devala. This may be a wrong reading for Nāradadeva.

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