King of Bārāṇasī, a former birth of Mahā-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 Bārāṇasī. He had a wish-fulfilling tree (kapparukkha), which provided him and his subjects with divine robes. With the help of his queen — who became Bhaddakapilā in this life — he held a great almsgiving to five hundred Pacceka Buddhas, led by Mahāpaduma, 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.139 ff; SA.ii.140 f; the story is also found at PVA.73 ff; 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).