Subhuti

Subhūti (Pali: सुभूति; Chinese: 须菩提; pinyin: Xūpútí) was one of the Ten Great Śrāvakas of Śākyamuni Buddha, and foremost in the understanding of emptiness. In Prakrit and Pali, his name literally means "Good Existence" (su: "good", bhūti: "existence"). He is also sometimes referred to as or "Elder Subhūti" (Sthavira Subhūti). He was a contemporary of such famous arhats as Śāriputra, Mahākāśyapa, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākātyāyana and Ānanda.

In Mahāyāna Buddhism

Among the Mahāyāna traditions, Subhūti is perhaps best known as the disciple with whom the Buddha speaks when imparting the Diamond Sūtra (Skt. Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra), an important teaching within the Prajñāpāramitā genre. This, along with the Heart Sūtra (Skt. Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya), is one of the most well-known sūtras among both practitioners and non-practitioners of Buddhism. Subhūti is also responsible for much of the exposition in earlier Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

In the Lotus Sutra (Skt. Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra), Chapter 6 (Bestowal of Prophecy), the Buddha bestows prophecies of enlightenment on Subhūti, along with other śrāvakas such as Mahākāśyapa, Mahākātyāyana, and Mahāmaudgalyāyana.