Is Nalaka the Buddha's first disciple?

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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SarathW
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Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Is Nalaka the Buddha's first disciple?

Post by SarathW »

Is Nalaka the Buddha's first disciple?
Nalaka: the world at once and become an ascetic and hold himself in readiness to profit by the Buddhas Enlightenment.

This Nalaka did, though possessing eighty thousand crores of wealth, and he spent his time in Himava. When the time came, he visited the Buddha seven days after the Buddhas first sermon and questioned him on the Moneyyapatipada (also called the Nalakapatipada, because it is included in the Nalaka Sutta). Nalaka retired once more into Himava and there attained arahantship. There he spent seven months leaning against a golden rock, practising patipada in its highest form. After his death the Buddha, with his monks, visited the scene of his death, cremated his remains, and had a cetiya built over them.
https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nalaka

It appears Nalaka became a monk in the name of future Gotama Buddha at the request of his uncle Asita Tapasa.
Is this true?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
TRobinson465
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Re: Is Nalaka the Buddha's first disciple?

Post by TRobinson465 »

Well he cant be the Buddha's first disciple if he visited him 7 days after the Buddha's first sermon. Because the Buddha had disciples by the end of his first sermon.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
un8-
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Re: Is Nalaka the Buddha's first disciple?

Post by un8- »

TRobinson465 wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 3:52 am Well he cant be the Buddha's first disciple if he visited him 7 days after the Buddha's first sermon. Because the Buddha had disciples by the end of his first sermon.
Yep, the group of 5 precede him. Kondanna being the first Arahant after listening to the Buddha.
There is only one battle that could be won, and that is the battle against the 3 poisons. Any other battle is a guaranteed loss because you're going to die either way.
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