The ten principal disciples

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The ten principal disciples were the main disciples of Gautama Buddha. Depending on the scripture, the disciples included in this group vary. Vimalakirti Sutra includes;

1. Shariputra

   ??rip?tra (Sanskrit), or S?riputta (P?li), is a top master of Wisdom. In Heart Sutra, the bodhisattva Avalokite?vara preaches to him.

2. Maudgalyayana

   Maudgaly?yana (Sk.) or Moggall?na(Pl.), also known as Mah?maudgaly?yana or Mah?moggall?na. He is a top master of supernatural powers. Maudgalyayana and ??riputra were once disciples of Sañjaya Bela??haputta, the skeptic, but they became disciples of the Buddha. In Chinese Buddhism, the Mass that Maudgalyayana held to save his mother who had gone to the Hungry Ghost realm (one of the Six realms) is the foundation of ullambana (Ghost Festival).

3. Mah?k??yapa

   Mah?k??yapa (Sk.) or Mah?kassapa (Pl.). He was a top master of ascetic training. After the death of Shakyamuni Buddha, he assumes the leadership of the sangha, compiled the Buddha's sayings (suttas) with 500 other disciples (First Buddhist councils), and became the first man who preached the Buddha's teachings directly.

4. Subhuti

   Subh?ti (Sk. & Pl.) understood the potency of emptiness. He appears in several Sutras of Mah?y?na Buddhism which teach ??nyat? (Emptiness or Voidness).

5. Purna Maitrayani-putra

   P?r?a Maitr?yaniputra (Sk.) or Pu??a Mant?n?putta (Pl.). He was also called Purna for short. He was the greatest teacher of the Law out of all the disciples. He was the top master of preaching.

6. Katyayana

   K?ty?yana or Mah?k?ty?yana (Sk.) or Mah?kacc?na (Pl.). He understood Shakyamuni Buddha's lecture the best. Although he had only five master in the rural areas, he was permitted to learn Vinaya by the Buddha.

7. Anuruddha

   Anuruddha (Pl.) or Aniruddha (Sk.) was a top master of clairvoyance and the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana). Aniruddha was a cousin of Shakyamuni Buddha. He and Ananda became monks at the same time.

8. Upali

   Up?li (Sk. & Pl.) was a top master of Vinaya. He was born in the Shudra class and worked as a barber. Buddha had denied the class system, he ranked his disciples according to the order in which they joined. So Upali was ranked ahead of the ex-princes. In the First Buddhist council, the Vinaya was compiled based on his memory.

9. R?hula

   R?hula (Sk. & Pl.) was the only son of the Buddha (when he was still Prince Siddhartha) and his wife Princess P?th?. He was a scrupulous, strict and shrewd person. When the Buddha went to his hometown, he became the first S?manera (novice monk).

10. Ananda

    ?nanda (Sk. & Pl.) listened to the Buddha's teachings the most among the disciples. He was a cousin of the Buddha. Ananda means great delight. After he became a monk, he took care of the Buddha for 25 years, until the Buddha died. In the First Buddhist council, the suttas/sutras were compiled based on his memory. He lived to 120 years old.

Video The ten principal disciples

References

Source of the article : Wikipedia