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Venerated Śāriputra’s inner flame of spiritual yearning was lit many eons ago. In a past incarnation, He and Venerable Maudgalyāyana (vegan) resolved to become chief disciples of the future Buddha Gautama. Around the 6th or 5th century BC, in an ancient Indian kingdom, they were reborn as two close friends, Upatissa and Kolita. After hearing the Worshipped Shakyamuni Buddha’s profound teachings, Upatissa and Kolita found the Buddha at the Bamboo Grove Monastery in Rājagaha and expressed Their desire to join His monastic community. The Buddha welcomed Them and ordained Them as monks, giving Them the names Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, respectively. Beloved Buddha honored Them as His two chief disciples, following the tradition upheld by past Buddhas. Some monks, unaware of Their long spiritual journey, questioned why two newly ordained members received such high recognition. The Buddha explained that Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana had made aspirations to become His chief disciples countless lifetimes ago, and Their roles were the fulfillment of those past vows. Maudgalyāyana attained enlightenment seven days after ordination, and Śāriputra two weeks later. Vinaya texts recount several remarkable debates involving Śāriputra. One of the most notable, found in the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, tells of His victory over six heretical masters at the construction site of the Jetavana monastery. “He was thinking, ‘This gathering... These magic people, they are in the wrong path. And they’re also very arrogant, condescending. How am I going to even convert them? How can I convince them to change their wrong view?’ He was still thinking to help them even. And then He thought like that, He stood up, using all His merit, three merits, and He vowed thus: ‘If, since time immemorial, since many, many eons past I was a good person, very filial to my parents, very respectful to the monk’s order, Sangha, and respectful to Brahman priests; then let me participate in this gathering of competition. And when I arrive, all the people will just stand up to greet me, if I was such a good person.’ […]”The magical contest between Śāriputra and the six heretical masters unfolded with astonishing displays. After each master showcased their supernatural abilities, Śāriputra, with serene composure and profound spiritual insight, met each challenge with even greater manifestations of Divine power. Not only did Śāriputra prevail in the contest, but He also converted the entire population of Śrāvastī to the Buddhist path.
