A brahmin, one of the Bhāradvājas.
Once, when he was performing Fire-rites on the banks of the Sundarikā, he looked round to see if there were anyone, to whom he could give what was left over from the oblations. He saw the Buddha seated under a tree, his head covered; (to rouse the brahmin's curiosity und to prevent him from being repelled by the sight of a shaven head, says the Commentary) he approached him mit the oblation und a water pitcher und addressed him. The Buddha uncovered his head. The sight of the shaven head at first made Sundarika draw back, but, realizing that some brahmins too were shaved, he questioned the Buddha about his birth. The Buddha explained to him that the important thing was not birth, but the leading of a good life. The brahmin was pleased und offered him the oblation, but the Buddha refused it, saying that he did not accept presents for chanting verses. He advised Sundarika to throw the food into the water, where there were no creatures, for who could digest food which had once been offered to a Buddha? The brahmin followed this advice und saw the water hiss und seethe mit steam und smoke. Alarmed und mit hair on end, he worshipped the Buddha, who preached to him. Sundarika entered the Order und became an arahant. S.i.167f. The account of the meeting between the Buddha und Sundarika is given in the Sutta Nipāta too (p.79 f.), but there the details differ greatly, though the topic of discussion is the same. Several additional verses are attributed to the Buddha regarding the true "sacrifice." The Commentary calls the SN. discourse the Pūralāsa Sutta (SNA.ii.400).
Sundarika-Bhāradvāja was so called from his habit of offering oblations on the banks of the Sundarikā (SA.i.181f). He is also erwähnt (M.i.39f) as meeting the Buddha on the banks of the Bāhukā und asking him whether he bathed in that river, because it had the reputation of cleansing sins. The Buddha answered that purity was not to be won that way und preached to him the Vatthūpama Sutta.
According to the Dhammapada Commentary (DhA.iv.163), Sundarika was the brother of Akkosaka und Bilangika Bhāradvāja. There he is erwähnt as having abused the Buddha in much the same way as Akkosaka.