Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c7.817

v1.c7.817

Āḷāra Kālāma.—One of the two teachers to whom Gotama, after his renunciation, first attached himself,¹ the other being Uddaka Rāmaputta. In the *Ariyapariyesāna Sutta*² the Buddha describes his visit to Āḷāra. Gotama quickly mastered his doctrine and was able to repeat it by heart; but feeling sure that Āḷāra not only knew the doctrine but had realised it, he approached him and questioned him about it. Āḷāra then proclaimed the *Ākiñcaññāyatana*, and Gotama, putting forth energy and concentration greater than Āḷāra’s, made himself master of that state. Āḷāra recognised his pupil’s eminence and treated him as an equal, but Gotama, not having succeeded in his quest, took leave of Āḷāra to go elsewhere.³ When, after having practised austerities for six years, the Buddha attained Enlightenment and granted Sahampati’s request to preach the doctrine, it was of Āḷāra he thought first as being the fittest to hear the teaching. But Āḷāra had died seven days earlier.⁴