Ananda joined the Sangha when he was a child. The father of Ananda was King Suklodana, Buddha's greatest betrayer. The King was so afraid of the influence of the Buddha, that he tried everything so they would not meet. In fact, Buddha had the greatest hope that Ananda would leave home with him. And so, "when the time was ripe", Ananda and prince Bhadra joined the monk's community.

It is said that it was due to the effort of Ananda (and his tears) that Buddha allowed female to become bhikkhunis. So, I tend to see Ananda really as very gentle and compassionate human being.

At the time, it was a very difficult step to let women enter the Sangha. But Ananda asked: "Lord Buddha! Are men and women different in the Buddha Dharma?"

"Ananda! the Dharma is the same in heaven or in the world. I do not discriminate against women, that is to say that I treat all sentient beings as equal. Women can do as the men did, follow my Dharma and practice but they need not become bhikkunis. This is the question of our system and not whether men and women are equal. Women leaving home are like wild grass in the field which will affect the harvest."

Anyway, Buddha finally agreed to Ananda's request to allow women to leave home.