1(219) "Bhikkhus, the foremost of my bhikkhu disciples among those who are learned is Ānanda." [n.102] During the last twenty-five years of the Buddha’s life he served as the Buddha’s personal attendant. For a biographical account, see Nyanaponika and Hecker 2003, chap. 4. In Th 1027, he claims that he learned 84,000 teachings: 82,000 from the Buddha and 2,000 from the bhikkhus.

(220) " … among those with good memory is Ānanda."

(221) " … among those with a quick grasp is Ānanda." [n.103] Mp: "Based on a single passage, grasping 60,000 passages according to the method explained by the Teacher, he knew all the passages. Therefore he was foremost among those with a quick grasp (gatimantānaṁ aggo)."

(222) " … among those who are resolute is Ānanda." [n.104] Mp: "His energy in learning the Buddha’s words, in recitation, in retention, and in attending upon the Teacher was unequaled by others. Therefore he was foremost among those who are resolute (dhitimantānaṁ aggo)."

(223) " … among personal attendants is Ānanda."

(224) " … among those with a large retinue is Uruvelakassapa." [n.105] He was the head of a company of matted-hair fire ascetics whom the Buddha converted early in his ministry. His two younger brothers, Nadīkassapa and Gayākassapa, who were also fire ascetics, followed him to discipleship under the Buddha. See Vin I 24–37. His verses are at Th 375–80.

(225) " … among those who inspire confidence in families is Kāludāyi." [n.106] The son of one of Suddhodana's ministers, he had been a childhood playmate of the Buddha. He was sent by Suddhodana to invite the Buddha to return to Kapilavatthu. During this mission he inspired the Sakyans to have faith in the Buddha. His verses are at Th 527–36.

(226) " … among those with good health is Bakkula." [n.107] He was swallowed by a fish as a child but miraculously survived. See Vism 379, Ppn 12.27. He became a monk at the age of eighty and attained arahantship in seven days. His conversation with a friend, Acelakassapa, is recorded as MN 124. His verses are at Th 225–27.

(227) " … among those who recollect past lives is Sobhita." [n.108] He was a brahmin from Sāvatthī. His verses are at Th 165–66.

(228) " … among the upholders of the discipline is Upāli." [n.109] He had been the barber of the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu. He went forth along with Anuruddha and his cousins and became the foremost specialist in monastic discipline. He appears frequently in the Vinaya and in AN at AN7.83, AN10.31 –38, AN10.41 –43, and AN10.99. His verses are at Th 249–51.

(229) " … among those who exhort bhikkhunīs is Nandaka." [n.110] A former householder from Sāvatthī, he exhorts the bhikkhunīs at MN 146. In AN, see AN3.66 and AN9.4. His verses are at Th 279–82.

(230) " … among those who guard the doors of the sense faculties is Nanda." [n.111] He was the Buddha’s half-brother, son of Suddhodana and Mahāpajāpati Gotamī. The story of how he left his fiancée to become a bhikkhu is told in Ud 3:2, 21–24. He is instructed by the Buddha at SN 21:8 and praised in AN at AN8.9. His verses are at Th 157–58.

(231) " … among those who exhort bhikkhus is Mahākappina." [n.112] He was the king of a frontier country who gave up his throne to follow the Buddha. His wife, Anojā, along with her attendants followed him and became a bhikkhunī. He is praised by the Buddha at SN 21:11 and SN 54:7. His verses are at Th 547–56.

(232) " … among those with skill with the fire element is Sāgata." [n.113] He was one of the Buddha’s attendants prior to Ānanda. He used his mastery over the fire element to subdue a ferocious fire dragon at Amba Ford, near Kosambī. On the instructions of the group of six troublesome bhikkhus, the householders of Kosambī prepared an intoxicating brew called kāpotikā for Sāgata. He drank it and fell down in a drunken stupor. In response, the Buddha laid down the rule against drinking intoxicants (Pācittiya 51); see Vin IV 108–10.

(233) " … among those who receive eloquent discourses is Rādha." [n.114] The word paṭibhāneyyaka apparently has a causative sense. Mp says "he was the foremost of the bhikkhus who cause eloquent discourses on the Dhamma to be spoken by the Buddha, those who are a condition for such discourses" (satthu dhammadesanāpaṭibhānassa paccayabhūtānaṁ paṭibhānajanakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ … aggo). He receives discourses from the Buddha at SN 22:71, SN 23:1–46, and SN 35:76–78.

(234) " … among those who wear coarse robes is Mogharājā." [n.115] He was one of the sixteen brahmin students who questioned the Buddha in the Pārāyanavagga. His exchange with the Buddha is at Sn 1116–19. He asks a question of the Buddha at SN 1:34, I 23, and has a verse at Th 207.

1"Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bahussutānaṁ yadidaṁ ānando. (1)

2… Satimantānaṁ yadidaṁ ānando. (2)

3… Gatimantānaṁ yadidaṁ ānando. (3)

4… Dhitimantānaṁ yadidaṁ ānando. (4)

5… Upaṭṭhākānaṁ yadidaṁ ānando. (5)

6… Mahāparisānaṁ yadidaṁ uruvelakassapo. (6)

7… Kulappasādakānaṁ yadidaṁ kāḷudāyī. (7)

8… Appābādhānaṁ yadidaṁ bākulo. (8)

9… Pubbenivāsaṁ anussarantānaṁ yadidaṁ sobhito. (9)

10… Vinayadharānaṁ yadidaṁ upāli. (10)

11… Bhikkhunovādakānaṁ yadidaṁ nandako. (11)

12… Indriyesu guttadvārānaṁ yadidaṁ nando. (12)

13… Bhikkhuovādakānaṁ yadidaṁ mahākappino. (13)

14… Tejodhātukusalānaṁ yadidaṁ sāgato. (14)

15… Paṭibhāneyyakānaṁ yadidaṁ rādho. (15)

16… Lūkhacīvaradharānaṁ yadidaṁ mogharājā"ti. (16)

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Vaggo catuttho.