Subhūti
Elder Subhūti | |
|---|---|
A Tibetan illustration of Subhūti, where he is known as Rabjor. | |
| Title | Foremost in being worthy of gifts, foremost in living remote and in peace, foremost in understanding emptiness (Mahayana) |
| Personal life | |
| Nationality | Kosala |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| School | All (mostly venerated in Mahayana) |
Subhūti (Pali: Subhūti; simplified Chinese: 须菩提; traditional Chinese: 須菩提; pinyin: Xūpútí) was one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha. In Theravada Buddhism, he is considered the disciple who was foremost in being "worthy of gifts" (Pali: dakkhiṇeyyānaṃ) and "living remote and in peace" (Pali: araṇavihārīnaṃ aggo). In Mahayana Buddhism, he is considered foremost in understanding emptiness (Sanskrit: Śūnyatā).
Subhūti was born into a wealthy family and was a relative of Anāthapiṇḍika, the Buddha's chief patron. He became a monk after hearing the Buddha teach at the dedication ceremony of Jetavana Monastery. After ordaining, Subhūti went into the forest and became an arahant while meditating on loving-kindness (Pali: mettā). It is said that due to his mastery of loving-kindness meditation, any gift offered to him bore the greatest merit for the donor, thus earning him the title of foremost in being "worthy of gifts". Subhūti is a major figure in Mahayana Buddhism and is one of the central figures in Prajñāpāramitā sutras.