Relics of Venerable Sariputta (The Foremost of Wisdom)
舍利弗 尊者 - 舍利子 (智慧第一 )
Venerable Sariputta , which means "Son of the Sari". He is one of the ten disciples principal.
Venerable Sariputta was a dignified person since young. At the age of sixteen, he impressed all the others in his clan by being able to win over others’ arguments. He be friended Venerable Mongallana, they both renounced their wealthy families and became disciples of the ascetic Sanjaya Belatthiputta. It took them only seven days and nights to learn everything from their teacher and earned respect from two hundred and fifty other followers of the same clan.
At that time, Buddha was residing at Venuvana (Bamboo Grove) Monastery. One day his disciple Venerable Assaji was begging for alms. Sariputta saw the venerable Assaji, modestly keeping his eyes to the ground and dignified in deportment, so Venerable Sariputta enquired about the monk’s teacher and teachings he practised. The Venerable Assaji replied with a very brief summary of the Buddha’s teachings on the relationship of cause and effect and impermanence. This opened up Sariputta’s wisdom and he went to find his friend Venerable Mongallana. The two of them soon joined the Order at the Bamboo Grove along with their two hundred and fifty other followers.
After he joined the Order, Venerable Sariputta always assisted the Lord Buddha in his discourses, and became the chief disciple. Due to his superior intelligence, he was being regarded as “ The foremost of wisdom”.
舍利弗尊者,即谓舍利之子,是释迦摩尼佛十大弟子之一。
舍利佛自幼形貌端严,年略长修习诸技艺,通晓四吠陀。十六岁即能摧伏他人议论,诸族弟等悉皆归服。年少之时即与邻村目键莲结交,投六师外道中之删阇耶毘罗胝子出家学道,仅七日七夜贯通其教要旨,会众两百五十人悉皆奉为上首。
其时释佛示现成佛未久,住于王舍城竹林精舍,弟子阿說示(又稱馬勝比丘)著衣持缽入城乞食。舍利弗见其威儀端嚴,行履穩健,遂問所師何人所習何法。阿說示乃以佛陀所說因緣法要,說以示之令知諸法無我之理。舍利弗慧目洞開,旋與目犍連各率弟子二百五十人,同偕竹林精舍皈依釋佛。
舍利弗歸佛之後,常隨佛陀輔翼聖化,為諸聲聞弟子上首。他有很多的美德,其中尤以智能渊深广大而著称,佛经中称他“智慧无穷,决了诸疑,辅翼圣化,聪明圣众”,所以在佛弟子中有“智慧第一”的称号。