# Śāriputra

Śāriputra (Sanskrit) or Sāriputta (Pali) was one of the chief disciples of Gautama Buddha.

## Pali Canon
### Sutta Pitaka
#### Samyutta Nikaya (Connected Discourses)

* Venerable sir, this is the entire holy life (brahmacariya), that is, good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship.
** SN 45.3 (Sāriputta Sutta), as translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi (2000)
* Sir, the factors of stream-entry are associating with good people, listening to the true teaching, proper attention, and practicing in line with the teaching. ...the stream is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. ...anyone who possesses this noble eightfold path is called a stream-enterer, the venerable of such and such name and clan.
** SN 55.5 (Dutiyasāriputta Sutta), as translated by Bhikkhu Sujato

#### Anguttara Nikaya (Numerical Discourses)

* One perception arose and another perception ceased in me: "The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna." Just as, when a fire of twigs is burning, one flame arises and another flame ceases, so one perception arose and another perception ceased in me: "The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna." On that occasion, friend, I was percipient: "The cessation of existence is nibbāna."
** AN 10.7 (Sāriputta Sutta), as translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi (2012)

## Mahayana
#### Vimalakirti Sutra

    As translated by Burton Watson, Columbia University Press, 2000, ISBN: 0231106572.
* Something I have never seen before, and never even heard of-now all the marvelous purity of the Buddha land is visible before me!
** To Gautama Buddha, Chapter I
* Shariputra said, "Why don't you change out of this female body?" (Shariputra assumes that any woman would naturally want to change into a man if she had the power to do so.) The goddess replied, "For the past twelve years I have been trying to take on female form, but in the end with no success. What is there to change? If a sorcerer were to conjure up a phantom woman and then someone asked her why she didn't change out of her female body, would that be any kind of reasonable question?" "No," said Shariputra. "Phantoms have no fixed form, so what would there be to change?" The goddess said, "All things are just the same-they have no fixed form. So why ask why I don't change out of my female form?" At that time the goddess employed her supernatural powers to change Shariputra into a goddess like herself, while she took on Shariputra's form. Then she asked, "Why don't you change out of this female body?" Shariputra, now in the form of a goddess, replied, "I don't know why I have suddenly changed and taken on a female body! " The goddess said, "Shariputra, if you can change out of this female body, then all women can change likewise. Shariputra, who is not a woman, appears in a woman's body. And the same is true of all women-though they appear in women's bodies, they are not women. Therefore the Buddha teaches that all phenomena are neither male nor female." Then the goddess withdrew her supernatural powers, and Shariputra returned to his original form. The goddess said to Shariputra, "Where now is the form and shape of your female body?" Shariputra said, "The form and shape of my female body does not exist, yet does not not exist." The goddess said, "All things are just like that-they do not exist, yet do not not exist. And that they do not exist, yet do not not exist, is exactly what the Buddha teaches."
** Chapter VII

#### Misc

* Śroṇa, whatever ascetics or brahmins conceive "I am superior" or "I am equal" or "I am inferior" based on form … feeling … perception … volitional activities … consciousness that is impermanent, not lasting, not gratifying, of the nature to decay; this, Śroṇa, is nothing but those ascetics or brahmins not seeing in accordance with reality.
** Sanskrit Fragment 89 (Śroṇa Sūtra), as translated by Bhikkhu Sujato (1907)
* I do not seek for death, I do not seek for birth; I abide my time, when my time comes, I shall go.
** T 1670 (Nāgasena Bhikṣu Sūtra), translated by Guang Xing (2008)

## Quotes about Śāriputra

* Deep in wisdom, intelligent, expert in the variety of paths; Sāriputta, so greatly wise, teaches Dhamma to the mendicants. He teaches in brief, or he speaks at length. His call, like a myna bird, overflows with inspiration. While he teaches the mendicants listen to his sweet voice, sounding attractive, clear and graceful. They listen joyfully, their hearts uplifted.
** Vaṅgīsa, SN 8.6 (Sāriputta Sutta), as translated by Bhikkhu Sujato
* Just as the eldest son of a wheel-turning monarch properly keeps in motion the wheel of sovereignty set in motion by his father, so do you, Sāriputta, properly keep in motion the Wheel of Dhamma set in motion by me.
** Gautama Buddha, Pali Canon, Samyutta Nikaya, Vangisasamyutta, as translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi (2000), p. 287
* Shariputra, it is the failings of living beings that prevent them from seeing the marvelous purity of the land of the Buddha, the Thus Come One. The Thus Come One is not to blame. Shariputra, this land of mine is pure, but you fail to see it.
** Gautama Buddha, Vimalakirti Sutra, Chapter I, as translated by Burton Watson, Columbia University Press, 2000, ISBN: 0231106572.

## External links

* Entry on Sariputta in the Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names
* Sāriputta
* The Life of Sāriputta - compiled and translated from Pāli by Nyanaponika Thera
* GREAT MALE DISCIPLES - Part A Upatissa (Sariputta) and Kolita (Moggallana) by Radhika Abeysekera
* Jack Daulton, "Sariputta and Moggallana in the Golden Land: The Relics of the Buddha's Chief Disciples at the Kaba Aye Pagoda"
* Ajahn Achalo Bhikkhu "Around Rajgir – Sariputta the Great Disciple"
* Authority control: WorldCat search