They included Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya, Mahā-Kāśyapa, Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa, Gaya-Kāśyapa, Nadi- Kāśyapa, Śāriputra, Great Maudgalyāyana, Mahā-Kātyāyana, Aniruddha, Kapphina, Gavampati, Revata, Pilindavatsa, Bakkula, Maha-Kausthila, Nanda, Sundarananda, Pūrṇa who was the son of Maitrāyanī, Subhūti, Ananda, and Rahula.

Ājñātakauṇḍinya

Ājñā(ta) means, in Chinese, attaining the unlearned knowledge.” Kauṇḍinya is a surname. He was the first one who attained the Tao; hence, the name.

Mahākāśyapa

Mahā means “great.” Kāśyapa is a surname. Because he was an elder and virtuous, he was thus called by this name. Kāśyapa is a Brahman surname.

Uruvilvākāśyapa

It is the name of a papaya grove. As he stayed always in this grove, the place became his name.

Gayākāśyapa

Gayā is the name of a town. He stayed by the town; thus, it became his name.

Nadīkāśyapa

It is the name of a river. He was born at the bank of this river. Because of this, he got the name.

Śāriputra

Śāri refers to his mother’s name. His mother’s eyes were like those of the Śāri bird (stork); hence, this name. Putra means “son.” This Śāriputra’s mother was highly talented and skillful in debates. She was known all over the land. Therefore he came to have the name Śāri, after his mother.

Mahāmaudgalyāyana

His first name was Kolita. The surname came from a Brahman clan.

Mahākātyāyana

It was a surname of a Brahman (clan) of South India. So what originally used to be a surname became his name.

Aniruddha

In Chinese, it means non(a)extinction (nirodha) (i.e., unextinguishable).

Kapphina

It is a first name; it is untranslatable.

Gavampati

Gavam means cow (go); pati means foot (pad). When he was born, his feet were like cow’s feet; hence, his name, “cow feet.”

Revata

It is the name of a constellation. He was born when this constellation appeared in the sky; got the name.

Pilindavatsa

Pilinda is the first name: Vatsa is a surname.

Bakkula

The name [translated into Chinese] is Fei-ch’eng (“fertile and prosperous”).

Maha-Kausthila

The [Chinese] name is Ta-hsi (“great knee”).

Nanda

The [Chinese] name is Huan-hsi (“joy”) (Ānanda). He was the Buddha’s younger brother.

Sundarananda

The [Chinese] name is Jou-ju (“gentle and smooth”). It means “handsome” (suedara) and “joy” (Ānanda).

Pūrṇa Maitrāyanīputra [who was the son of Maitrāyanī]

Pūrṇa is a surname; Maitrāyanīputra is a first name. He is also called [in Chinese] Man-yüan (“fulfilled wish”). Maitrāyanī was his mother’s name. His mother’s talent for debate and great wisdom were known to many people. People honored his mother. Hence, the son’s name was taken from his mother’s surname.

Subhūti

The [Chinese] name is Shan-chi (“good and lucky”). It also means “empty birth” (su-bhū).

Ānanda

He had a handsome appearance. People were delighted to see him. He was born on the day of the Buddha’s enlightenment. Thus, he was called Huan-hsi (“joy”) (Ānanda).

Rāhula

In Chinese, it means “not letting go” (not released). He was in the womb for six years. He thus came to be called not letting go.