Nyagrodha
Nyagrodha
尼倶律陀 (Skt; Jpn Nikurida)
A Brahman of the state of Magadha in ancient India. A legend concerning him is recorded in A History of the Buddha's Successors. According to that work, his virtuous deeds in past lifetimes resulted in his being endowed with matchless intelligence and a thousand times the wealth of the king. He had no children, however, and though he prayed repeatedly to a tree god for a child, he was not blessed with one. Finally he grew angry and threatened to chop down the tree the god inhabited if his prayer was not answered. In fear, the god of the tree reported to the four heavenly kings, who in turn sought the help of the god Shakra. Shakra searched the world, but could find no one worthy enough to become the child of someone of such great fortune, so he went to the great heavenly king Brahma for advice. Brahma then discovered a heavenly being in his domain who was on the point of death and asked him to be reborn as Nyagrodha's child. The heavenly being at first objected that he did not want to be born among Brahmans as their teachings were erroneous, but after being assured of Nyagrodha's virtue and Shakra's protection, he finally agreed. Nyagrodha's wife gave birth to a son. The son was Mahakashyapa, who became one of Shakyamuni Buddha's leading disciples and the Buddha's successor as head of the Buddhist Order after his death.
