Like a Shadow That Never Departs

“Like A Shadow That Does Not Depart” Is The Exciting Biography Of Ananda Buddha’S Attendant During The Last 25 Years Of His Life. In An Age Before Writing Ananda Heard And Memorized All Of Buddha’S Estimated 84000 Sermons And 15000 Stanzas Without Omitting A Syllable. He Also Strongly Advocated A Buddhist Order Of Nuns Which Buddha Approved. Although Ananda Did Not Become Enlightened Until Buddha’S Parinirvanization He Was De Facto Chief-Of-Staff For Buddha. Ananda Scheduled Buddha’S Appointments So He Exerted Enormous Power Over Who Could See Buddha Even The Senior Enlightened Arhats Who Technically Out-Ranked Ananda. Ananda Implemented Important Organizational Changes In The Sangha As It Grew; Thereby Giving Buddha A Planned Structured System For His Travels And Sermons. He Was Buddha’S Constant Shadow. He Ministered To Buddha’S Needs. He Set Up Buddha’S Camp When The Sangha Was Traveling. He Guarded Buddha With His Ever-Present Staff. Ananda Was One Of Buddha’S Pivotal Disciples. Without His Incredible Photographic Memory And Methodical Approach It Is Questionable Whether Buddhism Would Have Grown Into A Major Religion.