Śāriputra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Śāriputra
Statue of Śāriputra, depicting his "golden complexion".
Religion	Buddhism
School	all
Dharma names	Śāriputra
Personal
Born	Upatiṣya (Pali: Upatissa) Nālaka or Upatiṣya Village, Rajgir, Magadha
Died	Nālaka or Upatiṣya Village, Rajgir, Magadha
Parents	Vaṇganta or Tisya (father), Sāri (mother)
Senior posting
Title	First chief disciple (Paṭhamasāvaka), right hand side chief disciple (Dakkhinasāvaka), foremost of the wise
Religious career
Teacher	Gautama Buddha

Śāriputra (pronounced Shar-ee-POO-tra) was one of the most important students of the Buddha. He was known for his great wisdom. His original name was Upatiṣya, but he became known as Śāriputra, which means "the son of Śāri" (his mother's name).

Śāriputra was considered the first of the Buddha's two main male students. The other main student was Maudgalyāyana. Śāriputra played a very important role in helping the Buddha teach others. He is also thought to have helped develop the Buddhist Abhidharma, which is a detailed study of Buddhist teachings.

Early Life and Becoming a Disciple

Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana were friends since they were children. They both grew up in a place called Nālaka or Upatiṣya Village, near Rajgir, in ancient India. As young men, they left their homes to search for spiritual truth. They studied with different teachers, but they were not fully satisfied with what they learned.

Meeting the Buddha

One day, Śāriputra met a Buddhist monk named Assaji. Assaji told him about the Buddha's teachings. Śāriputra was very impressed and immediately went to tell Maudgalyāyana. Together, they went to meet the Buddha.

Joining the Sangha

After hearing the Buddha's teachings, both Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana decided to become monks. They joined the Buddha's community of monks, called the Sangha. The Buddha soon declared them his two chief disciples. Śāriputra became enlightened, meaning he reached a deep understanding of truth, just two weeks after becoming a monk.

Śāriputra's Role and Wisdom

As a chief disciple, Śāriputra took on many important jobs in the Sangha. He helped look after other monks and taught them how to meditate. He also explained difficult parts of the Buddha's teachings. He was the first student the Buddha allowed to ordain, or formally accept, new monks into the community.

General of the Dharma

Śāriputra was famous for following the Buddhist monastic rules very strictly. He was also known for his incredible wisdom and his ability to teach clearly. Because of his skills, he was given the special title "General of the Dharma." The Dharma refers to the Buddha's teachings. This title showed how important he was in spreading and protecting the Buddhist path.

Foremost in Wisdom

Śāriputra is especially remembered as the Buddha's student who was best at understanding and sharing wisdom. In Buddhist art, he is often shown standing next to the Buddha, usually on the Buddha's right side. This shows his high status and importance.

Later Life and Legacy

Śāriputra passed away shortly before the Buddha did. He died in his hometown. After his death, his body was cremated, which means it was burned. His ashes, called relics, were then placed in a special shrine at Jetavana Monastery.

Relics and Stupas

Later, some kings may have moved or shared his relics across India. In the 1800s, archaeologists found some relics that are believed to be Śāriputra's in ancient structures called stupas at a place called Sanchi. These findings help us learn more about the history of Buddhism.

Śāriputra is still seen as a very important and wise disciple of the Buddha, especially in Theravada Buddhism. His teachings and example continue to inspire many people today.

Images for kids

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  Ivory relief depicting Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana becoming disciples of the Buddha

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  A statue of Śāriputra at Bodh Gaya.

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  According to Theravada tradition, the Buddha taught the Abhidharma in Tavatimsa heaven and returned to earth daily to give Śāriputra a summary.

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  A Chinese painting depicting the events of the Vimalakīrti sutra.

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  One of the Sanchi stupas, where relics of Śāriputra were excavated.

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  Sketch made by Cunningham of the Sanchi relic caskets attributed to the chief disciples.

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  Image of the Buddha with his chief disciples at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Śāriputra is traditionally depicted on the right side of the Buddha while Maudgalyāyana is traditionally depicted on the left.

See also

In Spanish: Shariputra para niños