What was the name of the Buddha's personal attendant?

The Buddha's personal attendant was Ananda. Known in Pali and Sanskrit as Ānanda, he was one of the Buddha’s principal disciples and served him for roughly the last twenty-five years of his life.

Ananda was traditionally the Buddha’s cousin and became his permanent attendant after the Buddha’s earlier attendants had changed over the first part of his ministry. He handled practical duties, accompanied the Buddha on journeys, conveyed messages, and often acted as an intermediary between the Buddha and lay followers or monks.

His most important legacy was his extraordinary memory. Buddhist tradition credits Ananda with preserving and reciting many of the Buddha’s discourses at the First Buddhist Council after the Buddha’s death. This is why he is called the “Treasurer of the Dhamma.” Many suttas begin with the formula “Thus have I heard,” linking the recorded teaching to such recollection.

Ananda is not the same person as Sariputta, Moggallana, or Kassapa. Those figures were also major disciples, but they had different roles. Ananda is especially associated with service, memory, the preservation of teachings, and support for the establishment of the Buddhist nuns’ order.