(
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
;
Pali
Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...
: ''Puṇṇa Mantānīputta'', ), also simply known as Pūrṇa (Sanskrit; Pali: ''Puṇṇa''), was an
arhat
In Buddhism, an ''Arhat'' () or ''Arahant'' (, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana (Buddhism), Nirvana'' and has been liberated from the Rebirth (Buddhism ...
and one of
the ten principal disciples of
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),*
*
*
was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...
, foremost in preaching the dharma.
Life
Puṇṇa Mantānīputta was born in Donavatthu, near
Kapilavatthu, in a noble family. His mother was Mantānī (or Maitrāyanī), sister of Ven.
Añña Koṇḍañña, who became Ven. Puṇṇa's teacher. Ven.
Ānanda, after his first
rain retreat, mentions him as a great influence in the ''Ānandasuttaṃ''. He says that thanks to him he was able to become a
sotāpanna
In Buddhism, a (Pali) or (Sanskrit)—translated variously as "stream-enterer", "stream-entrant" or "stream-winner"—is one who has reached the first of the four stages of enlightenment. Stream entry is purportedly followed by three subseque ...
.
Ven.
Sāriputta hears about Ven. Puṇṇa for the first time through a conversation between the Tathāgata and a group of
shakyans who praised him. Then Ven. Sāriputta has the chance to meet Ven. Puṇṇa at
Sāvatthī, where he asks Ven. Puṇṇa about the dharma without revealing his identity. As part of his answer, Ven. Puṇṇa uses the analogy of the relay chariots in the ''Rathavīnitasuttaṃ''. Then both reveal their names. Ven. Puṇṇa says he is called Puṇṇa, but known as Mantāniputta by his companions in the holy life, and Ven. Sāriputta says his name is Upatissa, but that he's known by his companions in the holy life as Sāriputta. They both praise one another.
References
Bibliography
*
External links
"Punna"in th
{{authority control
Foremost disciples of Gautama Buddha
Arhats