The Soul Engineering—XIII
佛陀十大弟子，即佛的弟子，隨樂欲各執一法門中，特別卓越之十人。皆具眾德而名有所長，故稱第一。
舍利弗：智慧猛利、能解決諸疑；號稱「智慧第一」。遍習世間技藝，通曉四吠陀論、又能廣解諸論。年十六已能摧伏其它議論，聞佛所說之因緣法，即能解了諸法無我之理，素曉外典，故歸佛後屢能摧伏外道。
摩訶目鍵連：神足輕舉、能飛遍十方，故稱「神通第一」。幼與舍利弗親交，隨六師外道之一，刪闍耶修學，後受舍利弗引導歸佛，又與之同時出家。其修行特色為得天眼、天耳、知他心，及能知過去、未來等神通。
摩訶迦葉：行十二頭陀，能堪苦行，故稱「頭陀第一」。原娶跋陀羅迦卑梨耶為妻，二人皆不好五欲，後一起出家。因受佛教化，發正智，以僧伽梨供養佛。著佛所授與之糞掃衣，世尊示三乘解脫同一。
靈山會上，拈花微笑之故事，更為禪家膾炙人口之公案。佛將無上正法付囑迦葉，為佛滅後諸比丘之大依止。
須菩提：恆好空定，能通達空義，故稱「解空第一」。據增一阿含經卷二十八所載，佛由忉利天下降閻浮地時，眾人皆前去禮佛。須菩提正縫衣，欲往迎時，頓生一念、乃觀諸法皆空…不造不作之理，遂解今所歸命，實為真正之法聚，乃還坐縫衣。
富樓那：又作滿願子，能廣說法、分別義理，故稱「說法第一」。富樓那說法時，先以辯才使聽者歡喜，次以苦楚之言，責切其心，終以明慧教誨空無…令聞者解脫。從之證果至入涅槃，凡度化者九萬九千人。
摩訶迦旃延：略稱迦旃延，能分別深義，教演法教，故稱「論義第一」。善演佛略說之法義，助益於弟子對佛法之理解。又熱心布教，住於阿般提國，受教化者無數。
阿那律：又作阿尼律陀，得天眼，能見十方世界，故稱「天眼第一」。阿那律曾於聽法中酣睡，佛陀叱責之，阿那律遂立誓不眠，因而失明。其肉眼雖敗壞，然以精進修行，遂獲天眼。
優波離：奉持戒律，無絲毫觸犯，故稱「持律第一」。原為宮中理髮師，與諸王子一同出家。此為佛陀廣開門戶，平等攝化四姓之第一步。第一次結集經典時，阿難誦出經，優波離誦出律，故為律藏傳持之祖。
羅猴羅：不壞禁戒，能誦讀不懈，故稱「密行第一」。為釋尊之子，年十五歲出家，因未受具足戒，不可與比丘同宿，出房宿於廁坐禪，忍受著臭氣和雨水的侵襲。又有一次，外出乞食，路遇歹徒襲擊，被打得遍體鱗傷，仍不瞋不怒。以慈心而能忍，又能嚴守制戒，修道精進，依數息觀而得證聖果，於十六阿羅漢中列第十一位。
阿難：全名（阿難陀），能知時明物，所至無障礙，多聞憶持不忘，故稱「多聞第一」。為佛之從弟，出家後常隨侍佛。世尊之姨母及五百釋氏女，得以出家，皆由阿難盡力請求之功。
資料來源：心靈甘露(二)，隆門圓通法師著。英文翻譯：張惠平
The Soul Engineering—XIII
A Brief Description about the Ten Major Disciples of the Buddha.
Each of the ten major disciples of the Buddha adhered to a certain dharma approach as he liked and was extraordinary in that approach. They all had various kinds of virtues and expertise and were thus called the utmost in that expertise.
(1) Sariputra: Sariputra was wise and fierce and was capable of solving problems. He was called Foremost in Wisdom. He learned all the skills in the world, understood the Treatise on Four Vedas, and could widely explained various treatises. At the age of 16, he could subdue other treatises. After hearing the Dharma of affinities spoken by the Buddha, he understood the principle that there was no self in all dharmas. Because he knew the non-Buddhist sutras, he could subdue the non-Buddhists after he started to rely on the Buddha.
(2) Maudgalyayana: As long as he lifted his feet lightly, he could fly to any location in the Ten Directions. So he was called Foremost in Spiritual Power. When he was a little child, he associated with Sariputra and cultivated with Sanjaya who was a master of one of the six non-Buddhist schools. Afterwards, guided by Sariputra, he became monastic together with Sariputra. He had the spiritual powers of the heavenly eye (could see what others could not see), the heavenly ear (could hear what others could not hear), reading others’ minds, and knowing the past and future.
(3) Mahakasyapa: He cultivated the twelve dhuta-guna and could endure the ascetic practice, so he was called Foremost in Dhuta. He married Bhadrakapila. Because the couple did not care for the five desires, they became monastic together. Educated by the Buddha, Mahakasyapa initiated the right wisdom and offered the Samghati (a formal dress of monks) to the Buddha. He put on the pajsu-kula (a monk’s robe picked from the dump and may be repaired) granted by the Buddha, who then manifested the sole way of liberation from the Three Vehicles for him.
The story of smiling with a flower in the hand in the Vulture-peak Assembly is universally appreciated among the Zen practitioners. The Buddha entrusted the supreme right Dharma to Mahakasyapa, which was greatly relied upon by bhiksus after the Buddha entered Nirvana.
(4) Subhuti: He abode in emptiness and Samadhi and understood the meaning of emptiness. So he was called Foremost in Understanding Emptiness. According to Volume 28 of the Agama Sutra, when the Buddha descended from Trayastrimsa to Jambudvipa, everybody went to worship Him. But at this moment Subhuti was sewing clothes, and when he was going to welcome the Buddha, it struck him that all dharmas were empty without arising and functioning. Thus he understood that what he converted to was really the accumulation of dharmas. So he went back to his seat and continued sewing.
(5) Purna: He was also nicknamed Vow Achiever. Being able to lecture on Dharmas universally and differentiate principles, he was called Foremost in Talking Dharmas. When he was lecturing on Dharmas, he pleased the hearers with his eloquence first and moved their hearts with words of afflictions next.
Finally he taught the concept of emptiness with wisdom and made the hearers liberated. He transformed about 99,000 people who confirmed the fruit and then entered Nirvana.
(6) Maha-Katyayana: His name was shortened as Katyayana. Being able to differentiate, teach, and evolve the deep meanings of Dharmas, he was called Foremost in Discussing Dharmas. He was good at evolving the Dharmas spoken by the Buddha and thus helped Buddhists understand Buddhism better. Also he was enthusiastic about the spreading of Buddhism. He lived in Avanti, where he educated numerous people.
(7) Aniruddha: He attained the Heaven Eye that could see the worlds in the Ten Directions. So he was called Foremost in the Heaven Eye. He used to sleep soundly when listening to the lecture of the Dharma and was then blamed by the Buddha. So he swore never to sleep and then became blind. Although his naked eyes were spoiled, he still diligently cultivated and finally attained the Heaven Eye.
(8) Upali: He abode by precepts without any violations, so he was called Foremost in Abiding by Precepts. He used to be a barber in the emperor’s court and then became monastic with the princes. This was the first step for the Buddha to widely accept people of the four social ranks. During the first mass chanting, Ananda chanted the sutra and Upali chanted the rules, so Upali was the primogenitor of the inheritance of the Vinaya Pitika (the treasure of rules).
(9) Rahula: He did not disobey the precepts and could recite sutras without slacking, so he was called Foremost in Secret Practice. He was son of the Buddha and became monastic at the age of 15. Because he did not receive the Replete Precept, he was not allowed to sleep in the same house with bhiksus. So he left the house and meditated in the toilet room, enduring the bad smell and raindrops. One day he went out to beg for food and was beaten black and blue by gangsters, but he was neither hateful nor angry. He was tolerant with compassion, strictly maintained precepts, diligently cultivated, and confirmed the sacred fruit with the view of counting the breath. He ranked eleventh among the Arhats.
(10) Ananda: He could recognize current trends and met no obstacles wherever he went. He heard a lot and had a good memory, so he was called Foremost in Hearing. Being the Buddha’s cousin, Ananda served as the Buddha’s attendant after becoming monastic. Due to Ananda’s request, the Buddha’s aunt and the five hundred women by the surname Sakya were allowed to become monastic.
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. II), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong. Translated by Huei Ping Chang.