Shakyamuni Buddha's Heart Disciples


Relics of Venerable Shariputra	Relics of Venerable Maudgalyayana	Relics of Venerable Ananda	Relics of Venerable Kondanna	Relic of Venerable Rahula

Venerable Shariputra & Venerable Maudgalyayana

Venerable Shariputra and Venerable Maudgalyayana were among those the Buddha first accepted as his disciples. Both Shariputra and Maudgalyayana were born near Rajgir and later, retiring to their respective villages, they achieved enlightenment before the Buddha’s passing into parinirvana (final liberation at the time of death).

Regarding these two heart disciples, the Buddha said, “Monks, follow Shariputra and Maudgalyayana; associate with Shariputra and Maudgalyayana… . Monks, Shariputra is like a mother and Maudgalyayana is like a foster mother to a child.”

Relic and Source

These relics were offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche by his student, Wu Wen Yuen in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2001.

Venerable Ananda

Ananda was the Buddha’s cousin and served as his personal attendant for 25 years. One day, Ananda was passing a well near a village and he asked Pakati, a young woman, for water. Pakati replied, “Oh monk, I am too humbly born to give you water to drink. Do not ask for my service lest your holiness be contaminated, for I am of low caste.” Ananda said, “I ask not for caste but for water.” Pakati’s heart leapt with joy and she offered water to Ananda. Having heard that Ananda was a disciple of the Buddha, she asked the Buddha, “Oh Lord, help me and let me live in the place where your disciple Ananda dwells so that I may see him and serve him, for I love Ananda.” Buddha understood her heart and said, “Pakati, your heart is full of love, but you do not understand your own sentiments. It is not Ananda that you love, but his kindness. Accept the kindness that you have seen him practice toward you and practice it toward others.”

Relic and Source

These relics were offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche by his student, Wu Wen Yuen in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2001. During 2003, the relics of Ananda changed colour and a new one appeared, much larger than the other relics.

Venerable Kondanna

Venerable Kondanna was the first person to be ordained as a Buddhist monk. And, after hearing the Buddha’s discourse on the Four Nobel Truths, he was the first of the Buddha’s disciples to experience nirvana (liberation).

The Buddha said, “Annasi vata bho Kondanno!” (“Oh, Kondanna has penetrated [the Four Truths]!”) From that day onwards, Kondanna was known as ‘Annasi’ Kondanna, the ‘Penetrating’ Kondanna.

Relic and Source

These relics were offered to the collection during a Relic Tour event in Malaysia in April 2005. They originally came from Meiktila Relic Museum in Burma.

Venerable Rahula

Venerable Rahula is generally accepted to be the son of Shakyamuni Buddha. (He was born before the Buddha left the palace to seek enlightenment, when the Buddha was still known as Prince Siddharta).

Although Rahula was part of the family Shakyamuni Buddha left when he began his life as a monk, according to several Buddhist sutras, Rahula eventually came to be a part of his father’s newly founded religious order. Rahula later became an arhat - one who has completely overcome mental afflictions, thereby overcoming all suffering and its causes.

Relic and Source

These relics (one of which is shown here) came from the Meiktila Relic Museum in Burma. They were offered by a student in Malaysia, in April 2005.