List of notable historical figures in Buddhism

Buddha and his disciples; Kandy, Sri Lanka

This is a list of notable historical figures in Buddhism. This list should not be considered to be complete.

The Buddha and his disciples

See also: Disciples of Gautama Buddha and Family of Gautama Buddha

The Buddha of the present age

• Gautama Buddha

The sangha of monks and nuns

The Buddha's direct disciples who were ordained as monks or nuns:

• Ananda, Siddhartha's cousin, personal attendant of the Buddha
• Angulimala, a murderous bandit converted by the Buddha
• Aniruddha, the Buddha's cousin and disciple
• Aśvajit, one of the group of five ascetics
• Chandaka, Siddhartha's charioteer, and later disciple
• Devadatta, a cousin of Siddhartha who became a jealous rival
• Katyayana, foremost in explaining brief discourses
• Khema, female disciple foremost in wisdom
• Kisa Gotami, became a disciple after the death of her child
• Kaundinya, one of the group of five; the first disciple to become an arhat
• Mahākāśyapa, foremost in ascetic practice
• Maudgalyayana, one of two chief disciples of the Buddha
• Nanda, Buddha's half-brother; foremost in practice of self-control
• Mahapajapati Gotami, Buddha's aunt and foster mother
• Pindola Bharadvaja, known for his extra large alms bowl and for his supernatural powers
• Punna, foremost in teaching the dharma
• Rāhula, the Buddha's only son
• Sariputta, one of the two chief disciples of the Buddha
• Subhuti, foremost in being "worthy of gifts" (in the Pali tradition) and foremost in understanding emptiness (in the Sanskrit tradition).
• Sundari, female disciple foremost in the practice of meditative absorption
• Upali, foremost disciple in knowledge of the Vinaya
• Uppalavanna, female disciple foremost in psychic powers
• Yaśas, the sixth disciple of the Buddha to achieve arhathood
• Yasodharā, Siddhartha's wife before he renounced

The lay followers

Direct disciples of the Buddha who were lay followers (upasaka):

• Amrapali - a female patron of the Buddha who donated a mango grove called Āmrapālīvana
• Anathapindika - a generous patron of the Buddha who donated Jetavana to the sangha
• Ajatasattu - son of Bimbisara, and his successor as king of Magadha
• Bimbisara - a king of Magadha and patron of the Buddha
• Citta - a lay disciple foremost in teaching the dharma
• Cunda - a metal worker who served the Buddha his last meal
• Hatthaka of Alavi - a lay disciple foremost in gathering followers
• Khujjuttara - a female lay disciple who had excellent recollection of the Buddha's teachings, and servant of Queen Samavati
• Māyā - the Buddha's mother (who he taught in a heavenly realm)
• Pasenadi - a king of Kosala
• Samavati - a queen of Kosambi
• Śuddhodana - the Buddha's father
• Velukandakiya - a lay female disciple praised by the Buddha
• Visakha - a female patron of the Buddha

Notable thinkers, etc., who lived after the time of the Buddha

Individuals are grouped by nationality, except in cases where their influence was felt elsewhere.

India

• Aryadeva (fl. 3rd century CE), foremost disciple of Nagarjuna, continued the philosophical school of Madhyamaka
• Asanga (fl. 4th century C.E.), one of the most important Mahayana scholars along with Nagarjuna
• Atiśa (982 - 1054 CE), holder of the "mind training" teachings, founder of the Kadampa
• Bhāviveka (c.500-570), early expositor of the Svatantrika branch of the Madhyamaka school
• Bodhidharma (5th or 6th century CE), credited with bringing the Chan teachings to China
• Bodhiruci (6th century CE), patriarch of the Dilun school (Di lun zong)
• Buddhapālita (c. 470—540), early expositor of the Prasaṅgika branch of the Madhyamaka school
• Chandragomin, renowned scholar and poet
• Candrakīrti (c. 600–650), considered the greatest exponent of Prasaṅgika
• Dharmakirti (6th or 7th century), an important figure in Buddhist philosophy; author of the Pramāṇavārttika (Commentary on Epistemology)
• Dignāga (c. 480–540), a scholar whose writings laid the groundwork for the first system of Buddhist logic and epistemology
• Garab Dorje (fl. 55 CE), Indian founder of Dzogchen (Great Perfection) tradition
• Kamalaśīla (8th century), author of important texts on meditation
• Luipa, one of the eighty-four tantric Mahasiddhas
• Nagarjuna (c. 150-250) one of the most important Mahayana philosophers, along with Asanga
• Naropa, Tilopa's primary disciple, teacher of Marpa Lotsawa and Khungpo Nyaljor
• Padmasambhava a tantric Buddhist master who brought the Vajrayana teachings to Tibet
• Saraha, famed mahasiddha, forefather of the Kagyu lineage
• Śāntarakṣita, abbot of Nalanda, who traveled to Tibet and helped to establishing Buddhism there.
• Shantideva (8th century), author of the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra
• Tilopa, originator of the Kagyu lineage and the teacher of Naropa.
• Vasubandhu, author of the Abhidharmakōśa and other treatises

Indo-Greek region

• Dharmarakṣita (3rd century BCE), Greek Buddhist missionary and teacher of Nagasena
• Mahadharmaraksita (2nd century BCE), Greek Buddhist master during the time of Menander
• Menander [alt. Milinda] (c. 165–130 BC), an Indo-Greek king who became a great patron of Buddhism
• Nāgasena (2nd century BCE), Buddhist sage who engaged in a famous dialog with king Milinda/Menander, as recorded in the Milindapañha

Sri Lanka and Southern India

• Devānaṃpiyatissa (r. 247-207 BCE), a king of Sri Lanka who converted to Buddhism and established the first Buddhist monastery in Sri Lanka
• Mahinda (c. 280 – 200 BCE), the son of the Indian Emperor Ashoka who is credited with converting the Sinhalese king Devānaṃpiyatissa, and establishing the male monastic lineage in Sri Lanka
• Saṅghamittā (282 – 203 BCE), a daughter of Emperor Ashoka and the sister of Mahinda, credited with establishing the female monastic lineage in Sri Lanka
• Upatissa (1st century CE – 2nd century CE), a Sri Lankan monk and the author of The Path to Freedom (Vimuttimagga)
• Buddhaghosa (5th century CE), an Indian-born scholar, he traveled to Sri Lanka, where he wrote the Path to Purification (Visuddhimagga) and other influential texts
• Dhammapāla (5th century CE), a prominent Pali scholar, likely from Southern India; he wrote the Paramatthamañjūsā and other commentaries
• Buddhadatta (5th century CE), a prominent Pali scholar from South India, best known as the author of the Abhidhammāvatāra
• Acariya Anuruddha (between the 5th and 12th centuries), author of the Abhidhammattha-sangaha and other texts

Central Asia

• An Shigao (c. 148-180 CE), Parthian monk and the first known Buddhist missionary to China
• Dharmarakṣa (c. 233-310), of Yuezhi origin, the first known translator of the Lotus Sutra into Chinese
• Jñānagupta (561-592), monk and translator from Gandhara
• Kumārajīva (c. 401), a monk from the Central Asian kingdom of Kucha, considered one the most significant translators of Indian texts into the Chinese language
• Lokaksema, (fl. 147-189) Kushan monk, first known translator of Mahayana sutras into Chinese
• Prajñā (c. 810), a scholar from northwest India, who translated the Gandavyuha and other works into Chinese; he is also said to have tutored the Japanese scholar Kūkai in the Sanskrit language

China

• Baizhang Huaihai (720–814) a Chan teacher and scholar
• Batuo (fl. 464 - 495 CE), founding abbot of Shaolin Monastery
• Bodhidharma, first patriarch of Chan Buddhism
• Buddhabhadra, a Sanskrit-to-Chinese translator
• Dānapāla, an Indian Buddhist monk and prolific translator of Sanskrit Buddhist texts into the Chinese language
• Dahui Zonggao, 12th-century kōan master
• Daman Hongren, fifth patriarch of Chan Buddhism in China
• Dayi Daoxin, fourth patriarch of Chan Buddhism in China
• Dazu Huike, second patriarch of Chan Buddhism in China
• Faxian, translator and pilgrim
• Fazang, third patriarch of the Huayan school
• Guifeng Zongmi, fifth patriarch of the Huayan school
• Hong Yi, calligraphist, painter, master of seal carving
• Huangbo Xiyun, 9th-century teacher of Linji Yixuan
• Huineng, sixth and last patriarch of Chan Buddhism in China
• Ingen, 17th-century Chinese Chan monk, founder of the Ōbaku sect of Zen
• Ji Gong, a Buddhist monk revered as a deity in Taoism
• Jizang, founder of East Asian Mādhyamaka
• Jnanayasas, translator
• Linji Yixuan, 9th-century Chinese monk, founder of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism
• Mazu Daoyi, 8th-century Chan master
• Moheyan, 8th-century Chinese monk, advocate of “sudden” enlightenment
• Sanghapala, 6th-century monk (Mon-Khmer?) who translated many texts to Chinese
• Sengcan, third patriarch of Chan Buddhism in China
• Wumen Huikai, author of the Gateless Gate
• Xuanzang, brought Yogacara to China to found the East Asian Yogācāra school; significant pilgrim, translator
• Xueting Fuyu, 13th-century Shaolin Monastery abbot of the Caodong school
• Yijing, pilgrim and translator
• Yi Xing, wrote a commentary on the Mahavairocana Tantra
• Yunmen Wenyan, founder of one of the five schools of Chan Buddhism
• Yuquan Shenxiu, Tang dynasty, patriarch of "Northern School" sect of Chan Buddhism
• Zhaozhou, 9th-century Chan master; noted for "Mu" koan
• Zhiyi, founder of the Tiantai school

Tibet and the Himalayas

• Gampopa, student of Jetsun Milarepa and founder of the Karma Kagyu lineage
• Jigten Sumgön, founder of Drikung Kagyu Lineage
• Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen, founder of the Jonang school
• Jamgon Kongtrul, a scholar-yogi, and one of the founders of the Rimé movement
• Longchenpa, a great scholar-yogi of the Nyingma school
• Mandarava, female student and consort of Padmasambhava
• Marpa Lotsawa, student of Naropa and a founder of the Kagyu lineage
• Milarepa, foremost student of Marpa Lotsawa
• Padmasambhava, tantric Buddhist master from India who brought the Vajrayana teachings to Tibet
• Sakya Pandita, one of the greatest Sakya scholars
• Songtsen Gampo, Tibetan ruler who established the first Buddhist temples in Tibet
• Taranatha, Jonang scholar
• Trisong Detsen, Tibetan ruler who helped Buddhism become firmly established in Tibet
• Je Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug school
• Yeshe Tsogyal, female student and consort of Padmasambhava

Japan

• Dōgen Zenji (1200–1253), founder of the Sōtō school of Zen, based upon the Caodong school
• Eisai (1141–1215), travelled to China and returned to found the Rinzai school of Zen]
• Hakuin Ekaku (1686–1769), Rinzai school of Zen]
• Hōnen (1133–1212), founder of the Jōdo-shū school of Pure Land Buddhism
• Ikkyū (1374–1481), Zen Buddhist monk and poet
• Ippen (1234–1289), founder of the Ji-shū sect of Pure Land Buddhism
• Kūkai (774–835), founder of Shingon Buddhism
• Myōe (1173–1232), monk of Kegon and Shingon Buddhism, known for his propagation of the Mantra of Light
• Nichiren (1222–1282), founder of Nichiren Buddhism
• Rōben (689–773), invited Simsang to Japan and founded the Kegon tradition based upon the Korean Hwaeom school
• Saichō (767–822), founded Tendai school in Japan, also known by the posthumous title Dengyō Daishi
• Shinran (1173–1263), founder of the Jōdo Shinshū school of Pure Land Buddhism and disciple of Hōnen

Korea

• Gihwa (1376–1433), Korean Seon monk; wrote commentaries on the Diamond Sutra and Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment
• Pojo Chinul (1158–1210), an important master in the Korean Seon school
• Uisang (7th century), founder of Hwaeom tradition, based upon the Chinese Huayan school
• Woncheuk (c. 613–696) Korean scholar whose works were influential in China, Korea and Tibet
• Wonhyo (617–668), one of the most important philosophers and commentators in East Asian Buddhism
• Kim Hwasang (684–762), Korean born master of Chan

Burma

• Shin Arahan, primate of Pagan Kingdom, 1056–1115
• Ledi Sayadaw, propagator of vipassanā
• Mahasi Sayadaw, propagator of vipassanā
• Sayadaw U Tejaniya, propagator of vipassanā
• Mogok Sayadaw, propagator of vipassanā
• Webu Sayadaw, propagator of vipassanā
• Panditarama Sayadaw, propagator of vipassanā
• Mingun Sayadaw, the first monk in Myanmar to be awarded the title of Tipitakadhara, meaning Keeper and Guardian of the Tipitaka
• Maha Bodhi Ta Htaung Sayadaw, founder of Maha Bodhi Tahtaung
• Sitagu Sayadaw, founder and Supreme Head of the Sitagu Buddhist Academies
• Ashin Nandamalabhivamsa, rector of International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University
• Ashin Sandadika, a well-known monk
• Ba Khin, propagator of vipassana meditation in the Ledi tradition

Thailand

• Buddhadasa, a well-known monk and philosopher
• Ajahn Chah, an influential teacher within the Thai Forest Tradition
• Ajahn Maha Bua, a well-known monk in the Thai Forest Tradition
• Ajahn Mun Bhuridatta, monk who established Thai Forest Tradition
• Ajahn Sao Kantasīlo, one of the pioneers of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya
• Luang Pu Sodh Candasaro monk who founded the Dhammakaya Movement
• Somdej Toh, monk who was the preceptor and teacher of King Rama IV

Historical rulers and political figures

See:

• List_of_Buddhists#Rulers_and_monarchs, Wikipedia