伽叶全名大迦叶、摩诃迦叶('叶'字音'摄')。又作迦叶波、迦摄波。意为饮光。付法藏**祖。生于王舍城近郊之婆罗门家。于佛成道后第三年为佛弟子,八日后即证入阿罗汉境地,为佛陀弟子中最无执着之念者。人格清廉,深受佛陀信赖;于佛弟子中曾受佛陀分予半座。佛陀入灭后,成为教团之统率者,于王舍城召集**次经典结集。直至阿难(梵A^nanda)为法之继承者,始入鸡足山入定,以待弥勒出世,方行涅盘。禅宗以其为佛弟子中修无执着行之**人,特尊为头陀**;又以'拈花微笑'之故事,至今传诵不绝。此外,过去七佛之第六佛亦称迦叶佛。另佛弟子中,优楼频罗迦叶、伽耶迦叶等皆有迦叶之称。佛陀入灭后三百年之小乘饮光部之祖亦与迦叶同名。
阿难为佛陀十大弟子之一。全称阿难陀。意译为欢喜、庆喜、无染。系佛陀之堂弟,出家后二十余年间为佛陀之常随弟子,善记忆,对于佛陀之说法多能朗朗记诵,故誉为多闻**。阿难天生容貌端正,面如满月,眼如青莲花,其身光净如明镜,故虽已出家,却屡遭妇女之诱惑,然阿难志操坚固,终得保全梵行。
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