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 (Sanskrit: शारिपुत्र; Tibetan: ཤཱ་རིའི་བུ་, Pali: Sāriputta, lit. "the son of Śāri", born Upatiṣya, Pali: Upatissa) was one of the top disciples of the Buddha. He is considered the first of the Buddha's two chief male disciples, together with Maudgalyāyana (Pali: Moggallāna). Śāriputra had a key leadership role in the ministry of the Buddha and is considered in many Buddhist schools to have been important in the development of the Buddhist Abhidharma. He frequently appears in Mahayana sutras, and in some sutras, is used as a counterpoint to represent the Hinayana school of Buddhism.

Buddhist texts relate that Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana were childhood friends who became spiritual wanderers in their youth. After having searched for spiritual truth with other contemporary teachers, they came into contact with the teachings of the Buddha and ordained as monks under him, after which the Buddha declared the friends his two chief disciples. Śāriputra was said to have attained enlightenment as an arhat two weeks after ordaining. As chief disciple Śāriputra assumed a leadership role in the Sangha, doing tasks like looking after monks, assigning them objects of meditation, and clarifying points of doctrine. He was the first disciple the Buddha allowed to ordain other monks. Śāriputra died shortly before the Buddha in his hometown and was cremated. According to Buddhist texts, his relics were then enshrined at Jetavana Monastery. Archaeological findings from the 1800s suggest his relics may have been redistributed across the Indian subcontinent by subsequent kings.

Śāriputra is regarded as an important and wise disciple of the Buddha, particularly in Theravada Buddhism where he is given a status close to a second Buddha. In Buddhist art, he is often depicted alongside the Buddha, usually to his right. Śāriputra was known for his strict adherence to the Buddhist monastic rules, as well as for his wisdom and teaching ability, giving him the title "General of the Dharma" (Sanskrit: Dharmasenāpati; Pali: Dhammasenāpati). Śāriputra is considered the disciple of the Buddha who was foremost in wisdom. His female counterpart was Kṣemā (Pali: Khemā).

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