Editing Ānanda (section)

=== Early life ===
[[File:Mahajanapadas (c. 500 BCE).png|thumb|Map of India, {{circa}} 500 BCE |alt=Map of India with names of major areas |upright=1.4]]
Ānanda was born in the same time period as the Buddha (formerly Prince Siddhattha), which scholars place at 5th{{en dash}}4th centuries BCE.<ref name="Sarao">{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Sarao |first1=K. T. S. |editor1-last=Jestice |editor1-first=Phyllis G. |encyclopedia=Holy People of the World: A Cross-cultural Encyclopedia |date=2004 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |title=Ananda |isbn=1-85109-649-3 |page=49 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aWXWtAEACAAJ}}</ref> Tradition says that Ānanda was the first cousin of the Buddha,<ref name="Powers">{{cite book |last1=Powers |first1=John |author-link=John Powers (academic) |title=A Concise Encyclopedia of Buddhism |date=2013 |publisher=[[Oneworld Publications]] |isbn=978-1-78074-476-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kZycAwAAQBAJ |chapter=Ānanda}}</ref> his father being the brother of [[Suddhodana]] ({{langx |sa|Śuddhodana|link=no}}), the Buddha's father.{{sfn |Keown |2004 |page=12}} In the Pāli and Mūlasarvāstivāda textual traditions, his father was Amitodana ({{langx|sa|Amṛtodana|link=no}}), but the ''[[Mahavastu|Mahāvastu]]'' states that his father was Śuklodana{{em dash}}both are brothers of Suddhodana.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=529}} The Mahāvastu also mentions that Ānanda's mother's name was Mṛgī (Sanskrit; lit. 'little deer'; Pāli is unknown).{{sfn |Malalasekera |1960 |loc=[http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aananda.htm Ānanda]}}{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=529}} The Pāli tradition has it that Ānanda was born on the same day as Prince Siddhatta ({{langx|sa|Siddhārtha|link=no}}),{{sfn |Malalasekera |1960 |loc=[http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aananda.htm Ānanda]}} but texts from the Mūlasarvāstivāda and subsequent [[Mahāyāna]] traditions state Ānanda was born at the same time the Buddha attained [[enlightenment (Buddhism)|enlightenment]] (when Prince Siddhattha was 35 years old), and was therefore much younger than the Buddha.<ref name="Mohr" />{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=529}} The latter tradition is corroborated by several instances in the Early Buddhist Texts, in which Ānanda appears younger than the Buddha, such as the passage in which the Buddha explained to Ānanda how old age was affecting him in body and mind.<ref name="Mohr" /> It is also corroborated by a verse in the Pāli text called ''[[Theragatha|Theragāthā]]'', in which Ānanda stated he was a [[sekha (Buddhism)|"learner"]] for 25 years, after which he attended to the Buddha for another 25 years.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=529}}{{sfn |Hirakawa |1993 |p=85}}[[File:Buddhist monk 2, probably Ananda, China, probably Shanxi province, Tang dynasty, 8th century AD, sandstone, remains of pigments - Östasiatiska museet, Stockholm - DSC09383.JPG|alt=Statue of East Asian monk holding hands in front of belly|thumb|Chinese statue, identified as likely being Ānanda]]Following the [[Pāli Canon|Pāli]], [[Mahisasaka|Mahīśasaka]] and [[Dharmaguptaka]] textual traditions, Ānanda [[pabbajja|became a monk]] in the second year of the Buddha's ministry, during the Buddha's visit to Kapilavatthu ({{langx|sa|Kapilavastu|link=no}}). He was [[upasampada|ordained]] by the Buddha himself, together with many other princes of [[Sakiya|the Buddha's clan]] ({{langx|pi|Sākiya|link=no}}, {{langx|sa|Śākya|link=no}}),{{sfn |Malalasekera |1960 |loc=[http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aananda.htm Ānanda]}}<ref name="Mohr" /> in the mango grove called Anupiya, part of [[Malla (tribe)|Malla]] territory.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=529}} According to a text from the [[Mahāsaṅghika]] tradition, King Suddhodana wanted the Buddha to have more followers of the ''[[ksatriya|khattiya]]'' caste ({{langx|sa|kṣatriyaḥ|italic=yes|link=no|lit=warrior-noble, member of the ruling class}}), and less from the [[brahmin]] (priest) caste. He therefore ordered that any ''khattiya'' who had a brother to follow the Buddha as a monk, or have his brother do so. Ānanda used this opportunity, and asked his brother [[Devadatta]] to stay at home, so that he could leave for the monkhood.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bareau |first1=André |author-link1=André Bareau |title=Les débuts de la prédication du Buddha selon l'Ekottara-Āgama |trans-title=The Beginning of the Buddha's Ministry According to the [[Ekottara Āgama]] |journal=[[Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient|Bulletin de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient]] |date=1988 |volume=77 |issue=1 |page=94 |doi=10.3406/befeo.1988.1742 |language=fr}}</ref> The later timeline from the Mūlasarvāstivāda texts and the Pāli ''Theragāthā'', however, have Ānanda ordain much later, about twenty-five years before the [[parinibbana|Buddha's death]]{{em dash}}in other words, twenty years in the Buddha's ministry.<ref name="Mohr" />{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=529}} Some Sanskrit sources have him ordain even later.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=530}} The Mūlasarvāstivāda texts on [[Vinaya|monastic discipline]] (Pāli and {{langx|sa|Vinaya|italic=yes |link=no}}) relate that soothsayers predicted Ānanda would be the Buddha's attendant. In order to prevent Ānanda from leaving the palace to ordain, his father brought him to [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vesālī]] ({{langx|sa|Vaiśālī|link=no}}) during the Buddha's visit to Kapilavatthu, but later the Buddha met and taught Ānanda nonetheless.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |pp=529{{en dash}}30}} On a similar note, the Mahāvastu relates, however, that Mṛgī was initially opposed to Ānanda joining the holy life, because his brother Devadatta had already ordained and left the palace. Ānanda responded to his mother's resistance by moving to Videha ({{langx|sa|Vaideha|link=no}}) and lived there, taking a vow of silence. This led him to gain the epithet Videhamuni ({{langx|sa|Vaidehamuni|link=no}}), meaning 'the silent wise one from Videha'.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |pp=529{{en dash}}30}} When Ānanda did become ordained, his father had him ordain in Kapilavatthu in the [[Nigrodharama|Nigrodhārāma]] monastery ({{langx|sa|Niyagrodhārāma|link=no}}) with much ceremony, Ānanda's [[upajjhaya (Buddhism)|preceptor]] ({{langx|pi|upajjhāya|italic=yes |link=no}}; Sanskrit: {{Transliteration|sa|upādhyāya}}) being a certain Daśabāla Kāśyapa.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |pp=529{{en dash}}30}}

According to the Pāli tradition, Ānanda's first teachers were Belaṭṭhasīsa and [[Puṇṇa Mantānīputta]]. It was Puṇṇa's teaching that led Ānanda to attain the stage of ''[[sotāpanna]]'' ({{langx|sa|śrotāpanna|italic=yes |link=no}}), an attainment preceding that of enlightenment. Ānanda later expressed his debt to Puṇṇa.{{sfn |Malalasekera |1960 |loc=[http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/aa/aananda.htm Ānanda]}}{{sfn |Shaw |2006 |p=35}} Another important figure in the life of Ānanda was [[Sāriputta]] ({{langx|sa|Śāriputra|link=no}}), one of the Buddha's main disciples. Sāriputta often taught Ānanda about the finer points of Buddhist doctrine;{{sfn |Findly |2003 |pp=371{{en dash}}2}} they were in the habit of sharing things with one another, and their relationship is described as a good friendship.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=533}} In some Mūlasarvāstivāda texts, an attendant of Ānanda is also mentioned who helped motivate Ānanda when he was banned from the [[First Buddhist Council]]. He was a "Vajjiputta" ({{langx|sa|Vṛjjiputra|link=no}}), i.e. someone who originated from the [[Vajjika League|Vajji]] confederacy.{{sfn |Witanachchi |1965 |p=532}} According to later texts, an enlightened monk also called Vajjiputta ({{langx|sa|Vajraputra|link=no}}) had an important role in Ānanda's life. He listened to a teaching of Ānanda and realized that Ānanda was not enlightened yet.<!--Buswell--> Vajjiputta encouraged Ānanda to talk less to laypeople<!--Findly--> and deepen his meditation practice by retreating in the forest, advice that very much affected Ānanda.<!--Buswell-->{{sfn |Buswell |Lopez |2013 |loc=Vajraputra}}{{sfn |Findly |2003 |p=372}}