The Buddha's Early Followers - SARIPUTTA: Formost in Wisdom

Exploring the Lives of Shakyamuni Buddha’s Disciples and Their Struggles:

 Who were Shakyamuni Buddha’s followers? Let us look at well-known ordained and lay disciples who also struggled with ignorance, greed, and anger.

SARIPUTTA (Pāli; Sanskrit: Sariputra)

Foremost in Wisdom

Both politically and philosophically, India was in turmoil when Prince Siddhattha of the Shakyas—later known as the Buddha Shakyamuni—renounced secular life in search of enlightenment. New political states were constantly emerging; at one point, as many as sixteen were engaged in conflict.

Many people were beginning to feel that the established Brahman teachings could not lead to true spiritual liberation. As a result, advocates of various new doctrines emerged, and an increasing number of people awaited a teacher who could guide them to genuine spiritual deliverance. Many also strove to become such teachers themselves.

Philosophers and religious seekers with these aims tended to gather in Rajagaha, the capital of Magadha, one of the largest kingdoms in India at that time. Most representative among them were the free thinkers referred to in Buddhist texts as the six non-Buddhist teachers.

One of these six was the skeptic philosopher Sanjaya. He taught that, for the sake of personal liberation, it was necessary to abandon ideas about another world or about cause and effect, since it is impossible to determine whether such things exist. As one of the foremost thinkers of his time, he had 250 disciples.

But suddenly, something unexpected happened. His two leading disciples—Sariputta and Moggallana—who supervised the others, left their master, taking all the followers with them, and went to another teacher.

This dramatic event unfolded as follows.

One morning, while walking through the streets of Rajagaha, Sariputta encountered a mendicant monk begging for food. The monk carried his alms bowl, walked quietly with downcast eyes, and conducted himself with such dignity and composure that Sariputta was deeply impressed.

He thought, “This monk must either have attained enlightenment himself or be following a perfectly enlightened teacher.”Though curious, Sariputta restrained himself and simply followed the monk.

After the monk had finished collecting alms and eaten his meal, Sariputta respectfully bowed and asked, “Friend, your bearing is truly impressive. Who are you, and who is your teacher?”

The monk replied, “I have renounced secular life to follow the great enlightened teacher from the land of the Shakyas. My name is Assaji.”

Sariputta then asked, “What is the doctrine of this enlightened teacher?”

Assaji answered, “I cannot explain it in detail, since I have only recently become a monk. But I can share the essence.”

“The main points will be enough,” said Sariputta. “What does your honored teacher proclaim?”

Assaji replied:

“All things arise from causes.The Buddha has explained those causesand the way to eliminate them.This is his teaching.”

From this brief statement, Sariputta—who would later be known as foremost in wisdom among Shakyamuni’s disciples—realized the Way to supreme enlightenment. He knew immediately that this was the teaching he had long sought and that the teacher he had hoped for had finally appeared.

Sariputta was born into a Brahman family in the village of Nalaka, not far from Rajagaha. From childhood, he demonstrated exceptional intelligence. He first studied with his father, who was well-versed in Brahmanic learning and had memorized the Vedas. By age eight, he began formal study with a teacher, and by sixteen, his reputation had spread widely.

Near Nalaka was the village of Kolita, where Moggallana was born. By coincidence, the two were born in neighboring villages and became close friends in childhood. They would later become known as the “two great jewels” of the Sangha.

Moggallana also possessed an extraordinary ability. As close friends, the two respected one another and sought enlightenment together. When they decided to renounce secular life in pursuit of religious truth, they did so side by side.

One year, while attending Rajagaha’s annual Mountaintop Festival, they joined the crowds watching the dancers and festivities. As Sariputta gazed at the celebration, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a profound sense of emptiness.

“Sooner or later,” he said to Moggallana, “all these revelers will die. Not only they, but we as well. When death is inevitable, can it be right to waste our lives in pleasure?”

At that moment, he resolved to renounce worldly life and seek liberation from the fate of death. Moggallana made the same decision.

With their parents’ permission, they left secular life and visited various teachers in Rajagaha, eventually choosing to follow Sanjaya.

Because of their intelligence and learning, Sariputta and Moggallana quickly became Sanjaya’s foremost disciples. Yet even after mastering his teachings, they did not attain true enlightenment. They continued searching for a teacher who could lead them to the ultimate truth.

When Sariputta shared Assaji’s teaching with Moggallana, the latter immediately recognized that Sariputta had found the path. The two had long ago agreed that if either discovered the true Way, he would tell the other. Honoring that promise, they resolved to follow Shakyamuni.

They informed Sanjaya’s 250 disciples, and all expressed their desire to join them.

It is said that when Sariputta, Moggallana, and the others approached Shakyamuni at the Bamboo Grove Monastery near Rajagaha, Shakyamuni declared:

“These two friends will become the two great jewels, supreme among my disciples.”

This occurred about a year after Shakyamuni’s enlightenment, when Sariputta was twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.

Because of his keen intelligence, Sariputta quickly mastered the teachings of dependent origination, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path. He attained perfect enlightenment and could clearly explain the Buddha’s teachings to others.

Once, while visiting Nalaka, a philosopher asked him to define nirvana.

Sariputta replied, “Nirvana is the extinction of desire, anger, and ignorance.”

The philosopher then asked how to attain nirvana.

Sariputta answered, “The Eightfold Path taught by our great teacher—right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration—is the way to attain nirvana.”

Seeing Sariputta teach in this way, Shakyamuni told his followers, “If you wish to renounce the world and study the Way, you must learn from Sariputta and Moggallana. Draw close to them and ask them to teach you.”

A large gilt copper alloy figure of Shariputra. Tibeto-Chinese, 18th century. Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art

Though highly honored and often asked to teach in the Buddha's place, Sariputta never became proud. After the monks returned from begging, he would quietly tidy their quarters. He also worked diligently to ensure that the Sangha would not invite criticism from other religious groups. Though brilliant, he was always humble and compassionate.

One day in Rajagaha, he stopped at the home of a wealthy man. The man’s son came out and asked who he was.

“I am a disciple of Shakyamuni, the greatest teacher in the world,” Sariputta replied.

“What do you seek with your alms bowl?” the young man asked.

“I seek neither wealth, food, nor ornaments,” Sariputta said. “I have come for your sake. It is rare to encounter a Buddha who appears in this world to teach the Dharma. Come with me, pay reverence to him, and hear his teaching.”

Moved by Sariputta’s words, the young man later renounced secular life.

In Savatthi, capital of Kosala, no one had initially embraced Shakyamuni’s teaching until a wealthy merchant named Sudatta became a believer and donated a garden to the Sangha. There, Sariputta oversaw the construction of the Jetavana Monastery, preparing it for the Buddha and his followers.

On one occasion, after hearing the Buddha teach at Jetavana, Sariputta met a monk he had known before.

“Where are you coming from?” the monk asked.

“I have just heard Shakyamuni teach,” Sariputta replied.

The monk smiled coldly. “Are you still relying on teachers? I abandoned them long ago and seek the Way on my own.”

Sariputta responded, “A calf leaves a frenzied cow after drinking only a little milk. Likewise, you left your teacher because he had not attained true enlightenment. But just as one never tires of the milk of a healthy cow, I never tire of my teacher’s teachings, for he has attained perfect enlightenment.”

A model for the Sangha, Sariputta, placed complete faith in Shakyamuni. According to tradition, he entered nirvana at his own request before the Buddha did. At that time, Shakyamuni was eighty years old and gravely ill.

When Sariputta asked permission to enter nirvana, the Buddha initially gave no answer. After Sariputta repeated his request three times, Shakyamuni asked, “Why are you in such haste?”

“You have said that your own nirvana is near,” Sariputta replied. “I cannot bear to witness it. It is said that the leading disciples of past Buddhas entered nirvana before their masters. Please allow me to do the same.”

The Buddha nodded slightly.

Sariputta returned to his village and entered his family home. Turning to the disciple who accompanied him, he said:

“I have been with you all for more than forty years. If I have offended anyone, please forgive me.”

These were his final words. That evening, he lay down quietly and entered nirvana.

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This article is based on Disciples of the Buddha, edited by Zenno Ishigami (Kosei Publishing Co., 1989).