Who are some of your favorite people (besides the Buddha of course) that we meet in the early Buddhist texts?
For the sake of expanding our knowledge, I think it’s fine to also reference stories about them that we find in the Dhammapada commentary or other commentaries, since that is where most (but not all) of the biographical information can be found.
I’d especially like to invite folks who don’t usually post to join into this thread. And don’t hesitate to talk about someone who is already mentioned in the thread and why you like them so much.
My all time favorite has to be Visākhā, Migāra’s mother. And who is Migāra? Why, her father in law of course. If you want to find out how she got this name, and all her other awesomeness, we can read most of it in the commentary to Dhp 53. It clocks in at around 11,000 words, so grab a cup of tea and settle in. My favorite bit is when she acts as her own lawyer having been falsely accused (by Migāra!) and then gives one of the best mic drops in all of Pali literature.
I’ve got several people, but I think Citta the Householder has to be one of the most striking people in the suttas.
He has an entire chapter devoted to him in SN. In these suttas, he’s seen as a curious, intelligent householder, who has a habit of intervening in monks’ discussions to clarify things for them (SN 41.1), or else a persistently questioning figure which the monks end up answering when he repeats his question for three times (SN 41.2).
Although, to be fair, some monks are shown to be uninspired to answer his questions (SN 41.2), or else leave his presence for one reason or another (SN 41.3). Perhaps he’s a bit too curious for a lay follower!
He’s shown to learn about cessation of perception and feeling (SN 41.6), he’s shown to teach monks the differences between high level releases (SN 41.7), he’s shown to explain his jhanic prowess to outsider ascetics in a debate (SN 41.8).
Kassapa, hearing Citta’s non-return attainment, is inspired to enter Buddha’s Sangha, and becomes an arahat shortly afterwards (SN 41.9).
I enjoy these subversive, unexpected twists of the canon - where even a lay follower can be seen as having a high level knowledge of Dharma, meditative prowess, and of course, more importantly, a great ethical character, so much that Gods think that if he makes a wish to be a Wheel-Turning Monarch, he’d become one in the next life (SN 41.10). Does that mean, he’s destined to be a Buddha, perhaps?
Ananda, the Buddha’s attendant, is the first person who comes to mind for me. I’ve always found Ananda to be quite an delightful person to relate to. He’s completely devoted to the Buddha and doesn’t just venerate him, he loves the Buddha with his whole heart.
Ananda selflessly meets the Buddha’s needs, he’s the gatekeeper of the Buddha’s time, solitude, his health and even his very life (Kd17). He engages with the Buddha, asks questions and clarifications, even to hear any talks that he may have missed. Of course, Ananda’s phenomenal memory to recite every sermon that the Buddha gave is simply awe inspiring and was key to preserve the Dhamma for us.
Ananda was a bridge to advocate for so many people coming to the Buddha. In AN 8.51 he skillfully helps establish a Bhikkhuni Sangha by interceding for Mahapajapati.
Ananda is woven into so much of the suttas that it’s impossible to say enough!
Definitely Bahiya of the Bark Cloth. When he thought he was enlightened and was told he wasn’t, he instantly leapt up and went to meet the Buddha, then the Buddha enlightened him really quick. Ud 1.10
This might be a bit controversial, but my favorite is Thullanandā. She’s a very complex character, and one of the reasons why I started my bhikkhunī vinaya translation project was to learn more about her story.
She’s portrayed in the vinayas as an inspiring teacher and leader, highly knowledgeable in dhamma, highly skilled, with a large following of both laypeople and monastic students, a great force in the early sangha, strong, independent, a feminist, a deep meditator, and so much more.
All the schools preserve stories of how she didn’t get along with Mahakassapa, who opposed women’s ordination and also collected the texts at the first council, which might be why she became a convenient scapegoat lateron.
For me too, that was the first person who came to mind. He’s very close to the Buddha, but he never tries to get any special attention, renown, or status because of that. He’s silently present and does the right thing at the right time. He always knows what’s going on when the Buddha asks him, for example, “Who’s making that colossal racket?”, or “Why does the mendicant Saṅgha seem so diminished?”.
But my very favorite sutta with Ānanda is this little one in the SN where he is massaging the Buddha’s limbs, SN48.41.
And what are you talking about when at the physiotherapist’s? Your illnesses, of course. Just the same for the Buddha. It’s such a trivial scene, and at the same time so very special … that’s Ānanda.
Oh, these are the best ones! Because aren’t we all complex characters? Sometimes I think these folks are the ones we can learn the most from. Thanks for sharing.
I’ll repeat my invitation to join in even if you don’t usually post. It’s always great to hear from new voices.
What a beautiful thread! Thanks @Snowbird (and for your super kind greeting on another thread )!
I think I’ve found a loophole!
Gotama, the bodhisatta! His articulation of the ever-agitating problem in Snp 4.15 has long caught my heart.
As others have said, I’ve always found Ven. Ananda such a moving character, and was especially touched by his sorrow at the pending loss of the Buddha in DN 16.
Other than that, Pañcasikha (DN 21) and the Āḷavaka yakkha (SN10.12) come to mind as they both made me near dribble with laughter right before the delivery of devastatingly resonant questions.
While we are here with supernatural beings, I’d like to point to a family of native spirits, Punabbasu’s Mother and her two children Punabbasu and Uttarā. In SN10.7 we find them attentively listening to the Buddha’s teaching in a moving family scene.
Nandamāta Sutta AN 7.53 talks about a laywoman named Veḷukaṇṭakī, she feeds Venerable Sāriputta in her house and lists her amazing qualities. One of which is that when her son got forcefully imprisoned and killed , she didn’t feel any sadness! What a fierce lady! Among her amazing qualities she also tells Venerable Sāriputta that she can perform the 4 Jhānas at ease, whenever she wants and even declares herself as a non-returner! Quite inspirational.
Nanda’s mother. She is a widower, and a mother who lost her only son. The way she speak reveals her high attainments. Another one that I like a lot is Vangisa, the poet. For some reason he reminds me of Cacofonix, the lyre musician from Asterix. Not to diminish his accomplishments, but the number of times that he feels inspired to say or chant something after the Buddha’s teachings, I somehow find that funny.
Vangisa, the poet suttas are usually strait to the point, practical, and easy to understand. When I find myself taken by the kilesas, I think about how Vangisa would address the situation. So, yes, I’m a Vangisa’s fan.
I’d especially like to invite folks who don’t usually post to join into this thread. And don’t hesitate to talk about someone who is already mentioned in the thread and why you like them so much.
Perhaps he’s a bit too curious for a lay follower!
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