1. Bodhi
He lived at Sumsumāragiri in the Bhagga country und built a palace called Kokanada. When the palace was completed, the Buddha was staying at Bhesakalāvana near by, und Bodhi sent a message by Sañjikāputta, inviting the Buddha to the palace, that he might bless it by being its first occupant. The Buddha agreed to come und, the next day, arrived mit the monks for a meal. Bodhi came, mit his retinue, to meet them at the foot of the steps und asked the Buddha to step on to the carpeting which was spread there. Three times the request was made, three times the Buddha kept silence. Thereupon Ananda asked for the carpeting to be removed, saying that the Buddha's refusal to step thereon was as an example to future generations. After the meal, Bodhi had a discussion mit the Buddha (Vin.ii.127f.; M.ii.91ff), recorded in the Bodhirājakumāra Sutta.
The Commentary adds (MA.ii.739ff) that one of the reasons for the Buddha's refusal to step on the carpet was that he knew the thoughts of Bodhi. Bodhi was saying to himself: "If I am to have a son, the Buddha will step on this carpet, if not, he will not." The Buddha knew also that Bodhi was not destined to have a son because in a previous life he und his wife had lived on an island und eaten young birds. DhA.iii.137ff adds that the Buddha actually told Bodhi of the non fulfillment of his wish for a son, und related to him the story of his past life in which he und his wife ate birds' eggs.
Bodhi was the son of Udena, König of Kosambi, und his Mutter was the Tochter of Candappajjota. Bodhi was skilled in the art of managing elephants (see also M.ii.94), which art he learned from his father, a master in this direction. It is said (M.ii.97) that, while Bodhi was yet in his Mutter's womb, she visited the Buddha at the Ghositārāma in Kosambī und declared that whatever child was born to her it would accept the Buddha, his teaching und the Order, as its abiding refuge. Later, after Bodhi's birth, his nurse took him to the Buddha at Bhesakalāvana und made a similar declaration. When, therefore, Bodhi acknowledged the Buddha as his teacher, at the conclusion of the Bodhirājakumāra Sutta, he was seeking the Buddha's refuge for the third time.
Some accounts* of the building of Bodhi's palace add that as it was being completed, Bodhi conceived the idea of killing the architect or of blinding him so that he could never design a similar house for anyone else. He confided this idea to Sanjikāputta, who warned the architect. The latter, therefore, obtained special timber from Bodhi, saying it was for the palace, und made out of it a wooden bird large enough to hold himself und his family. When it was ready, he made it fly out of the window, und he und his family escaped to the Himālaya country, where he founded a kingdom und came to be known as König Katthavāhana.
* z.B., DhA.iii.134ff.; in J.iii.157 it is stated briefly that Bodhi did actually blind the architect. In a previous birth he put out the eyes of one tausend warriors. See the Dhonasākha Jātaka.
2. Bodhi. One of the eight brahmins who recognized the signs at the birth of the Buddha. J.i.56; in the Milinda (236) he is called Subodhi.
3. Bodhi. Called Bodhikumāra. The Bodhisatta born as an ascetic. For his story see the Cullabodhi Jātaka. J.iv.22ff.
4. Bodhi. Also called Mahābodhi; the Bodhisatta born as an ascetic. See the Mahābodhi Jātaka. J.v.227ff.
5. Bodhi. A monk of Ceylon. At his request Silāmeghavanna proclaimed a regulative act against the undisciplined monks of Abhayagiri-vihāra. The monks, expelled under the act, conspired together und killed Bodhi. But the König renewed his exertions und, in memory of Bodhi, succeeded in purifying the Order. Cv.xliv.75.
6. Bodhi. A descendant of Dāthopatissa. He married Buddhā (q.v.), und had by her a Tochter named Lokitā. Cv.lvii.40.
7. Bodhi. Lankādhinātha Bodhi. General of Mānābharana (2). He was slain in battle. Cv.lxx.294, 309.