The Quest for Buddhism (40)
Early Buddhism and the disciples
Ten Principal Disciples No. 1: Sariputra who was the Foremost in Wisdom
Sariputra 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. Sariputra strictly observes the rules of Buddhist monasteries, and his wisdom and teaching abilities have earned him the title of ‘Dharma General’, thus making him to be the most wise of Buddha's disciples. Sariputra is considered the disciple of the Buddha who was foremost in wisdom. He is particularly noted as the first of the Ten Principal Disciples [Ref], and together with his closest friend and fellow practitioner Maudgalyayana [Ref2], he is also known as the Two Great Disciples.
According to the Pali Canon, Sariputra was born to a wealthy brahmin family in a village near Rajagriha in the capital of the ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha. Brahmin is the general term for the priestly class at the top of the Indian caste system. His birth name was Upatisya (Pali: Upatissa).
He was naturally intelligent and was expected to be the successor of the Brahmins, and steadily practised the Vedic scriptures, but gradually became distrustful of Brahmanism, thought freely without Brahmanism, sought true reason and law, and became a spiritual wanderer in his youth, together with his childhood friend Maudgalyana.
At first they both studied under the agnostic Sanjaya Behlatiputta, one of the renowned freethinkers (Six Heretical Teachers) in Rajagriha, and soon became his high disciples. One day, he met Assaji, who was one of the first of the Five Bhikkhus to preach after the Buddha attained Buddhahood. They came into contact with the teachings of the Buddha through Assaji and immediately, ordained as monks under him, after which the Buddha declared the two as his Two Great Disciples.
Sariputra was said to have attained enlightenment as an arhat only for two weeks after his ordination. As chief disciple Sariputra 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.
The two great disciples of Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, although older than the Buddha, were seen as the would-be successors of the Order. However, when Maudgalyayana, who was considered one of the most likely candidates, was beaten to death by a heresy, and Sariputra also became seriously ill in his later years, he returned to the village of Nālakagāma with his attendant Chunda, with the permission of the Buddha, and died of illness while being cared for by his mother.
The actual successor of the Order after Buddha's death was Mahakasyapa the third of the Ten Principal Disciples.
十大弟子その一: 舎利弗 (しゃりほつ、梵: ｼｬｰﾘﾌﾟﾄﾗ) 〜 智慧第一
シャーリプトラは、ブッダの重要かつ賢明な弟子とみなされ、特に上座部仏教では第二のブッダに近い地位を与えられている。シャーリプトラは仏教の僧院の規則を厳格に守り、またその知恵と教えの能力から「法の将軍」の称号が与えられ、ブッダの弟子の中で最も智慧(ちえ)に長けた人物とされている。特に「十大弟子（参照）」の筆頭に挙げられ、親友かつ修行者として同期だったマウドガリヤーナ (摩訶目犍連・まかもっけんれん、別称: 目連・もくれん 参照2) 共に、ブッダの「二大弟子」とされる。
パーリ仏典によると、シャーリプトラは古代インドのマガダ王国のラジャグリーハ近くの村の裕福なバラモンの家に生まれたという。バラモンとはインドのカースト制度の頂点に位置する司祭階級の総称のこと。幼名はウパティスヤ (巴: ｳﾊﾟﾃｨｯｻ)。
彼は生まれつき頭がよく、バラモンの後継者と期待され、地道にヴェーダ経典を修行していたが、次第にバラモン教に不信感を抱き、バラモン教にとらわれない自由思想と真実の理法を探求するため、幼なじみのマウドガリヤーナと共に、若い頃に精神的な放浪者になっていたという。初め二人は王舎城で有名な自由思想家 (六師外道) の一人、不可知論者のサンジャヤ・ベーラッティプッタに師事し、すぐにその高弟となった。ある日、釈迦が成道後に最初に説法した五比丘の一人だったアッサジ (阿説示・あせつじ) と出会い、二人はアッサジを通してブッダの教えに触れ、即座にブッダの下で出家し、ブッダはこの二人を「二大弟子」と宣言したのである。
シャーリプトラは出家後、わずか2週間で四向四果 (しこうしか: 悟りの最初の段位) に達したと伝えられる。主席弟子であるシャーリプトラはサンガの指導的役割を担い、僧侶の世話、瞑想の対象の割り当て、教義の解明などの仕事を行った。また、ブッダが他の僧侶を出家させることを許可した最初の弟子でもある。
シャーリプトラとマウドガリヤーナの二大弟子は、ブッダよりも年長ではあったものの、教団の後継者になるであろう人物として注目されていた。しかし最有力とされたマウドガリヤーナが外道に撲殺されてしまい、相次いでシャーリプトラもまた晩年に重い病に罹ると、ブッダの許しを得て侍者チュンダとともにナーラカ村に帰郷し、母に看取られながら病没した。
実際にブッダの入滅後に教団の後継者となったのは十大弟子その3、摩訶迦葉 ( まかかしょう、梵: ﾏﾊｰｶｰｼｬﾊﾟ) であった。
