Commonly known as Nigrodha sāmaṇera. He was the son of Sumana, the eldest of Bimbisāra’s children, and his mother was Sumanā. When Asoka slew Sumana, his wife, who was with child, fled to a village of outcastes (caṇḍāla), where the guardian deity of a nigrodha tree built her a hut. Here she gave birth to her son, whom she named after her benefactor. The village headman looked after them. When Nigrodha was seven years old, the Thera Mahāvaruṇa ordained him, and he became an Arahant in the tonsure hall. One day, while walking near the palace, Asoka saw him and, because of their connection in a past life, was attracted by him. Nigrodha had been one of the three brothers who gave honey to a Pacceka Buddha in a past life (for the story see Asoka and Mhv.v.49 ff). Nigrodha had called the Pacceka Buddha an outcaste, hence he was born in a village of outcastes. Asoka invited Nigrodha to the palace and entertained him, and Nigrodha taught him the Appamāda Vagga. The king was greatly pleased, and offered to give food daily at the palace to thirty-two monks in Nigrodha’s name. It was this visit of Nigrodha to Asoka which ultimately resulted in the conversion of the latter to the faith of the Buddha (for details see ibid., 37-72; Dpv.vi.34 ff; vii.12, 31; Sp.i.45 ff). It is said (MA.ii.931) that Asoka paid great honour to Nigrodha throughout his life. Three times a day he sent to Nigrodha gifts of robes carried on the backs of elephants, with five hundred measures of perfume and five hundred caskets of garlands. All these, Nigrodha distributed among his colleagues, and most of the monks of Jambudīpa at that time wore robes that were a gift from Nigrodha.