Ananda is regarded as one of the founders of Buddhism. According to tradition he was a younger brother or cousin of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni. Ananda was a very good listener, and he had an unusually good memory. Because of these gifts he was able to write down the Buddha's sermons, word for word. He is considered to be the first author of the Sutras, the sermons attributed to the Buddha. They constitute the heart of Buddhism's holy scriptures. In Chinese temples Ananda is often shown together with Kasyapa, the Buddha's oldest disciple.