Mahakassapa
| Most Venerable Mahā Kāshyapa Maha Thero | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Religion | Buddhism |
| Dharma names | Mahā Kāśyapa |
| Personal | |
| Nationality |
 Indian
|
| Born | Pipphali Maha Tittha village, Magadha |
| Died | (aged 120) Gurupada giri (33km from Gaya) |
| Parents | Kosiyagotta (father), Sumana Devi lady (mother) |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | Tatiyasāvaka (Third chief disciple of Gautama Buddha) |
| Religious career | |
| Teacher | Gautama Buddha |
| Students | Most Ven. Maha Nanda Maha Thera etc. |
Mahākāśyapa (Sanskrit; Pali: महाकस्सप Mahākassapa; Sinhala: මහා කාශ්යප මහ රහතන් වහන්සේ; Japanese: 摩訶迦葉 Maha Kasho or Makakashō; Chinese: 摩訶迦葉 móhējiāshè) or Kāśyapa was one of the principal disciples of Gautama Buddha and convened and directed the First Buddhist council. He came from the kingdom of Magadha.
Mahākāśyapa is one of the most revered of the Buddha's entire disciples, foremost in ascetic practices. He is often depicted in statuary together with Ananda, each standing to one side of the Buddha.
In Lotus Sutra Chapter 6 (Bestowal of Prophecy), the Buddha bestows prophecies of enlightenment on the disciples Mahakashyapa, Subhuti, Maha Katyayana, and Mahamaudgalyayana.
According to Zen tradition, Mahākāśyapa was the first to receive Dharma transmission from Gautama Buddha. Zen purports to lead its adherents to insights akin to that mentioned by Śākyamuni Buddha in his Flower Sermon in which he held up a white flower and just admired it in his hand. All the other disciples just looked on without knowing how to react, but Mahākāśyapa smiled faintly, and Śākyamuni Buddha picked him as one who truly understood him and was worthy to be his successor. (This can be explained thus: Mahākāśyapa's spiritual attainment had reached the point where he could understand the hidden meanings conveyed by the Buddha's act, as two people who have gone through the same experiences understand each other completely.)
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Wikipedia