NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma was a Sangharama with a Banyan grove near Kapilavastu, where a residence was provided for the Buddha when he visited the city in the first year after his Enlightenment. It belonged to a SÃÂkyan named Nigrodha, the monk who made Ashoka, the Mauryan Emperor a Buddhist; who gave it to the Monastic Order. The Nigrodharama is located at the site of the modern Kudan village, about six kilometres south of Tilaurakot, the citadel of Kapilavastu. The precise location of Nigrodharama is at the following coordinates: .
It was at the Nigrodharama that MahÃÂpajÃÂpati Gotamë first asked permission for women to enter the Order. This was refused, and from there the Buddha went on to VesÃÂli.
The Buddha stayed at the NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma on several occasions, and several Vinaya rules are mentioned as being first promulgated there. Various SÃÂkyans came to see the Buddha at the NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma, among them, MahÃÂnÃÂma, Godha, SarakÃÂni, Nandiya and Vappa.
The Buddha himself visited KÃÂligodhàduring his residence there. It was during a discussion with MahÃÂnÃÂma that the Cula Dukkhakkhandha Sutta was preached. During one of the Buddha's residences in NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma, the SÃÂkyans invited him to consecrate their new Mote Hall, which he did by preaching there far into the night and then asking MoggallÃÂna to continue his discourse. On another occasion the Buddha is mentioned as having spent a period of convalescence at NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma; he was there also when the quarrel broke out between the SÃÂkyans and the Koliyans regarding the water of the Rohinë). It seems to have been the Buddha's custom, when staying at NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma, sometimes to spend the noonday siesta in the MahÃÂvana (Great Forest) nearby.
Among others mentioned as having stayed at NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma are Anuruddha and Lomasakangiya; a deva called Candana there taught him the Bhaddekaratta Sutta. This Lomasakangëya might be the same as Lomavangësa, who is also mentioned as having lived in NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma?
Near NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma was once the site of the dwelling of a hermit (isi) called Kanha. The Buddha, remembering this, once smiled, and, when asked the reason for his smile, related the Kanha JÃÂtaka (J.iv.6).
There is a tradition that the Cariya Pitaka and the Buddhavamsa were preached by the Buddha to Sariputta during his first stay in NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma. It was probably there that Anuruddha's sister built, at his request, an assembly hall of two storeys for the Sangha. Buddhaghosa says that KÃÂla Khemaka, the SÃÂkyan, built a special vihÃÂra near NigrodhÃÂrÃÂma, on one side of the grounds.
The remains of the Nigrodharama are currently called Kudan, because it is located close to Kudan village. The remains consist of two (excavated) large stupas.