A householder of Campā and younger brother of Bharata Thera. When these two heard that Soṇa-Koḷivisa had left the world — and he so delicate — they too renounced household life. Bharata soon acquired sixfold higher knowledge (abhiññā), and, wishing to help Nandaka, came to him and discoursed on insight. A caravan passed by, and an ox, unable to pull his cart through a boggy place, fell down. The caravan leader had him released and fed with grass and water. He was then able to pull the cart out. Bharata drew Nandaka’s attention to the incident, and the latter, making that his object of meditation, soon attained Arahantship. (Thag.173 f; ThagA.i.299 f )

In the time of Sikhī Buddha, Nandaka was a woodsman, and one day, while wandering about, he saw the Buddha’s cloistered walk. Pleased with its appearance, he scattered sand over it. (Ap.ii.418)