Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Similar to the 'Your favorite contemporary teachers' this is to provide your list of your favorite historical teachers or figures. By historical figures, I am referring to the time of Buddha up to Ashoka's time (6th century BCE to 3rd century BCE)

Here is my list:

Buddha (Gotama)
Sariputta
Moggallana
Ananda
Citta (layman, anagami)
Anathapindika (layman, sotapanna)
Khema (bhikkhuni)
Uppalavanna (bhikkhuni)
Vajjira (bhikkhuni and original author of the chariot assembly of parts)
Maha Pajapati Gotami (Buddha's step mother, first bhikkhuni)
Sanghamitta (bhikkhuni)
Visakha (laywoman, sotapanna)

I like your list David so rather than rewrite most of it Ill just say I like Dhammadina who expounded the transcendent sequence of conditionality to her husband.


Metta

Prasadachitta

Prasadachitta wrote:I like your list David so rather than rewrite most of it Ill just say I like Dhammadina who expounded the transcendent sequence of conditionality to her husband.

Good choice!

Perhaps more didn't respond because my list was already too complete.

So to perhaps revise this: If you could only pick one historical teacher / figure, which would it be? And with the provision that you cannot pick Buddha, since it is a given he was the best and foremost in knowledge and wisdom. So, NOT counting the Buddha, which historical figure is your favourite?

I'll start with:

Sariputta

He was the "general of the Dhamma" known for his great wisdom. I also like how he was born in Nalanda and passed away there too; appropriate place as the future place of learning it was / became. And also that he was enlightened at Vulture Peak, also one of my favorite places.

My favourite historical Teacher is:

Ananda 'Guardian of the Dhamma

The one disciple of the Buddha most often mentioned in his discourses is Ananda. Amongst all those great monks around the Buddha he occupies a unique position.

82,000 Teachings from the Buddha
I have received;
2,000 more from his disciples;
Now, 84,000 are familiar to me.[1]

Who nothing has heard[2] and nothing understood,
He ages only oxen-like:
His stomach only grows and grows,
But his insight deepens not.

Who has much heard and learned,
But does despise him who is poor in learning,
Is like one blind who holds a lamp.
So must I think of such a one.

Thou follow him who has heard much,
Then what is heard shall not decline.
This is the tap-root of the holy life;
Hence a Dhamma-guardian [3] thou should'st be!

Knowing what comes first and last,
Knowing well the meaning, too,
Skilful in grammar and in other items,[4]
The well-grasped meaning he examines.

Keen in his patient application,
He strives to weigh the meaning well.
At the right time he makes his effort,
And inwardly collects his mind.— the Venerable Ananda,
in Thag 17.3 (vv. 1024-29)

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el273.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta
Chris

Buddha is my favourite ,)

From time to time, when I read his discourses, I feel huge impression and goosebumps running all over the body -)
For example, from such a sutta: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (like it very much)

My favorite (and perhaps most inspiring) historical teacher, the Buddha aside, is Theri Patacara. To be honest, each time when I'm faced with difficulties and lean back on my old habits of swelling up in depression and frustration, Theri Patacara always came to my mind. I always compare my situation with hers, and thought how I would respond or react if I were to be her, and each time, I'm placated as I'm not in a shape as bad as hers (before her encounter with the Buddha).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patacara

With metta,
Dhammanucara

Greetings David,

David N. Snyder wrote:Perhaps more didn't respond because my list was already too complete.

So to perhaps revise this: If you could only pick one historical teacher / figure, which would it be? And with the provision that you cannot pick Buddha, since it is a given he was the best and foremost in knowledge and wisdom. So, NOT counting the Buddha, which historical figure is your favourite?

I'll start with:

Sariputta

He was the "general of the Dhamma" known for his great wisdom. I also like how he was born in Nalanda and passed away there too; appropriate place as the future place of learning it was / became. And also that he was enlightened at Vulture Peak, also one of my favorite places.

Once again your response is already too complete! It's #1 Buddha, #2 Sariputta for me too...

Metta,
Retro.

Ananda.

If they give a teaching in the canon, or even to some extent being refuted by the Buddha or disciple, then they are going to be up there.

Not all of the refuted doctrines are useless for our own practice, some, I would suggest, are very useful in seeing how it could only be a slight neuance of a difference or simply wording it in a wrong way can have an effect on the practice.

but what would be the break between modern & historical?

Out of the two famous commentators, well those which come to mind, Upatissa the Author of the Vimutimagga would be added as in my opinion it is a far superior more practical work than that of Buddhagosas Vissudhimagga, although I have a sense they were written for different reasons which would explain the difference in style.

Buddhaghosa is very cool!

Just can't choose between my two favs, Ven. Ananda and Ven. Sariputta.

V.

I do not know if she could be accepted as an historical or not, but my favorite teacher is Upasika Kee Nanayon... Very simple and very helpful explanations she had...

With respect to all,

Bothi wrote:I do not know if she could be accepted as an historical or not, but my favorite teacher is Upasika Kee Nanayon... Very simple and very helpful explanations she had...

With respect to all,

Hi Bothi

See this thread:

Your favourite contemporary teachers
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9135" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ananda.

Okey then, if only historical teachers should be mentioned here my best historical teacher is Nagarjuna.