The Two Chief Disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha

In a Buddhist Temple, the image on the right side of the Buddha is Sariputa.  Moggallana  is on the left side. These two arahants were selected as the chief disciples because aeons ago, when Buddha Anomaddassin was preaching these two youths made the wish that they would in future become chief disciples of the Buddha.

Sariputa was a Brahman leader from a village in Rajagaha. His former teacher was Sanjaya. Mogallana came from a village called Kolita.  Both of them were not satisfied with their teacher Sanjaya, and returned to their respective villages.

One day Sariputa met Asvajit, a disciple of the Buddha, at Rajagaha. As he was impressed by the calm and serene manner of Asvajit, he gave his seat and water to Asvajit, and requested that Asvajit  teach him the doctrine had had learned.

Asvajit said: “ Of all that proceed from a cause, their cause the Tathagata has told.” “ And also their cessation – thus teaches the Great Ascetic”.

Sariputa heard half of the above stanza, and instantly attained Sotapatti. He discovered the truth of the universe. As he had agreed with Mogallana that whoever discover the path, must teach the other. He went back to Kolita to tell Mogallan about the whole stanza. Mogallana immediately attained Sotapatti after listening to that stanza. These two guys, accompanied by all their followers, approached the Buddha and were admitted into the order. Within one week, Mogalana became an arahant. Sariputa too became arahant two weeks later, when he was fanning the Buddha while listening to His Dhamma talk. One that day Sariputa became an arahant  the Buddha called all His disciples together and conferred the titles of First and Second Chief Disciples of the Sangha on Sariputa and Moggallana.

Sariputa: During one of his previous lives, he was a miser.  He did not want to see a doctor when he was ill because of the expensive fees. He died as a result of illness and was reborn as a snake, returning to guard the pots of gold he had buried on the ground.  Later on he realized if he donated those gold to charity he would not be born as a snake again. He stopped a guy who was passing by, telling him to hand over the gold to an abbot of a monastery. His wish was carried out and he was born in Treyastima heaven, and eventually reborn as Sariputa in Rajagaha.

Sariputa left home at age 20, looking for great teachers. He met Mogallana. Later they heard about the Buddha’s teaching on impermanence and dependent origination. They brought all their 200 disciples to approach the Buddha, and all of them became Buddhists. Beside the Buddha, Sariputa’s  wisdom was beyond all the others. He died at his home town at about the time Mogallana was killed by bandits.  That was few months before the PariNibbana of the Buddha.

Mogallana: He was from Maghada, and was following Brahmanism. But later accepted Buddhism. In a previous life he was a fisherman. He realized he was causing suffering to fishes, and instead became a woodcutter. He happened to meet a Pacceka Buddha in the forest, and offered him food. Pacceka Buddhas are not good at teaching the Dhamma. So this Pacceka Buddha used psychic powers to levitate into the air and carryout several miraculous feats. Mogallana wished to possess psychic powers in future life to assist future Buddha in propagating the Dhamma. This vow materialized and he became the chief Disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha.

Mogallana also possessed power of clairvoyance, and he knew his mother ended up in the realm of hungry ghosts. He requested the Buddha to help her. Buddha suggested Mogallana offer food to monks on the 15^th day of Lunar 7^th month. After that service his mother emancipated from suffering.

One day when an invading army surrounded Kapilavastu, and made sure no one could escape, Mogallana flew into the city and transformed 500 great men into his alms bowl. When he flew out of the city, at a safe spot, he opened the bowl and only found it full of blood. He then realized that supernatural powers could not overcome evil kamma.

Note: If you have studied subatomic physics, you will agree that the more science advances the better it is for Buddhism.