Venerable Sāriputta was the right chief disciple of the Buddha and was praised as the foremost among all monks in wisdom. In addition to his supreme intelligence, he was also renowned for his gratitude and his great service to Buddhism. For this reason, he was honored with the title “Dhamma General” (Dhammaseṇāpati), serving alongside the Buddha, who is known as the “King of Dhamma” (Dhammarāja).
Attainment of Arahantship
Half a month after his ordination, Sāriputta was staying with the Buddha in the Sūkarakhātā Cave near Rājagaha. While the Buddha was delivering the Vedana Pariggaha Sutta to Dīghanakha, a wandering ascetic who was Sāriputta’s nephew, Sāriputta carefully contemplated the teaching. Through deep insight, he attained arahantship (the highest enlightenment of a disciple), much like a person who partakes of a meal prepared for someone else. Meanwhile, his nephew attained the fruit of stream-entry (Sotāpatti).
His Final Days
Before his passing, Sāriputta realized that his life span was nearing its end. He wished to return to his birthplace to teach his mother, Lady Sārī, who still held wrong views and harbored resentment toward Buddhism. She was displeased because her sons had renounced the household life and joined the monastic order, leaving no heir to continue the family lineage.
Sāriputta sought the Buddha’s permission to attain final Nibbāna in his hometown. Upon arriving there, he became seriously ill with dysentery. On the night of his illness, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, Sakka (the king of the devas), and Mahā Brahmā descended to pay their final respects to him.
Seeing these celestial beings, his mother asked who they were. When Sāriputta explained, she realized that her eldest son possessed such great spiritual power that even the highest deities of the Brahmanical tradition came to honor him. She then reflected on how much greater the Buddha—her son’s teacher—must be. Her mind inclined toward the Buddha’s teaching. Sāriputta then preached the Dhamma to her, and she attained stream-entry.
Parinibbāna
On the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month, Sāriputta attained Parinibbāna in the very room where he had been born. The next morning, his younger brother, Venerable Cunda, performed the cremation ceremony. Afterward, he collected Sāriputta’s relics and brought them to the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery in Sāvatthī.
The Buddha instructed that a stupa be built to enshrine Sāriputta’s relics there, honoring the great chief disciple who was foremost in wisdom.