Date of Award
6-1977
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Religion
Supervisor
Paul Younger
Co-Supervisor
Jan Yun-hua
Abstract
The study concerns itself with the characterization of Ānanda, the Buddha's personal attendant, in the Pāli Canon of the Theravāda. Its purpose is to describe and analyze Ānanda's characterization in this Iiterature from an hagiographical perspective.
Our study undertakes for the first time a thorough analysis of every instance in which Ānanda's name appears in the sources we have utilized. This approach enables us to see how even seemingly insignificant events have often contributed to Ānanda's characterization. While the study is centered in the Pāli sources, we have also utilized Buddhist sources from the Sanskrit, Chinese and Tibetan where these have contributed to our understanding of Ānanda's place in the Theravāda.
The result of our study is to cast important light on such problems as Ānand's late arahanthood, his characterization as bahussuta, his attendance the Buddha, his relationship to Sāriputta and his place at the Council of Rājagaha.
Recommended Citation
Freedman, Michael, "The Characterization of Ānanda in the Pāli Canon of the Theravāda: A Hagiographic Study" (1977). Open Access Dissertations and Theses. Paper 3131.
http://digitalcommons.mcmaster.ca/opendissertations/3131