The Life of the Buddha: The Enmity of Devadatta.
In the picture of Buddha's daily life described a few pages previously, mention is made of Ajatasattu, King of Magadha. This Ajatasattu was the son of Bimbisara, the chief of the Buddha's royal supporters. When Ajatasattu was conceived, it was indicated by an omen and a prophecy that he would be the slayer of his father. And this came to pass at the instigation of Devadatta. One day when the Buddha was teaching in the Bambu Grove, Devadatta proposed that because of the Master's advanced age, the leadership of the Congregation should be vested in himself. From the time when this suggestion was plainly refused, Devadatta's enmity and ill-will greatly increased. Because of what had taken place the Buddha issued a decree against Devadatta as a renegade whose words were not to be recognized as proceeding from the Buddha, the Law, or the Community. The angry Devadatta now betook himself to Ajatasattu, King Bimbisara's son and heir, and persuaded him to murder his father and usurp the throne, while Devadatta should kill the Master and become Buddha. Bimbisara however discovered his son's intention, and so far from punishing him in any way, abdicated the throne and gave over the kingdom to his son. Nevertheless, upon Devadatta's representing that Bimbisara might desire to recover the throne, Ajatasattu brought about his death by starvation.
The Devadatta secured the new king's assent to the murder of the Buddha, and he hired thirty-one men to carry out his purpose. All these men, however, notwithstanding they were notorious criminals, were so affected by the majesty and loving kindness of the Master, that they could not raise hand against him, but on the contrary, experienced conversion, and joined the Community. Devadatta was now convinced that the Buddha could not be slain by any human being, and determined to let loose upon him the fierce elephant Nalagiri. This beast was accustomed to drink eight measures of spirituous liquor every day, but Devadatta commanded the keeper to give it sixteen measures the next day, and to let it loose against the Buddha as he proceeded through the streets. The Buddha was informed of what was to be done, but he refused to change his usual procedure, and he entered the city at the usual hour, accompanied by a company of Bhikkhus. Soon afterwards the elephant was let loose upon him, and at once it raged through the streets, working havoc. The Bhikkhus entreated the Master to escape, but as he would not, they sought to walk before him, in order that he might not be the first to meet the savage beast, but this the Buddha forbade, albeit in the case of Ananda, his doing so was only prevented by the exercise of miraculous power. At this moment the elephant was about to destroy the mother of a child who had run into the street in ignorance of the danger; but the Buddha called to it: "It was not intended that you should destroy any other being than myself; here am I; waste not your strength on any less noble object." On hearing the voice of Buddha, the elephant looked towards him; and immediately the effects of the liquor passed away, and the elphant approached him in the gentlest fashion and kneeled before him. The Master charged him to take no life in future, but to be kind to all people; and the elephant repeated the five precepts before the assembled crowds. Thus the rage of Nalagiri was subdued, and had he not been a quadruped, he might have entered the First Path. As Buddha had thus performed a miracle, he reflected that it would not be becoming to seek alms in the same place, and he therefore returned to the Jetavana monastery, without proceeding on his usual course.
Following upon this, Devadatta attempted to create a schism in the Order. Together with certain other Bhikkhus he requested the Buddha to establish a more severely ascetic rule for the Brethren, as that they should clothe themselves only in cast-off rags, that they should dwell as forest-hermits, accept no invitations, and abstain from fish and meat. The Master refused to concede these demands, declaring that those who wished might adopt this more severe rule, but that he would not make it binding upon all. Devadatta, who expected this refusal, made it the occasion of division within the Order. Together with a part of five hundred recently ordained Brethren, he made his way to Gaya Scarp. But as he was preaching there, he happened to see Sariputta and Moggallana in the audience, and thinking them to be of his party, he requested Sariputta to preach, while he himself slept. Sariputta and Mogallana now addressed the assembly and persuaded the five hundred schismatics to return to the Master. When Devadatta awoke and learnt what had taken place, the hot blood broke from his mouth in anger. Devadatta lay sick for nine months; and at the end of this time he determined to seek the Buddha's forgiveness, for he knew that the Master felt no ill-will toward him. His disciples endeavoured to dissuade him, knowing that the Buddha would not see him; but he had himself conveyed in a palanquin to the Jetavana monastery. The Bhikkhus informed Buddha of his approach, but the Master answered: "He will not see the Buddha; for his crimes are so great that ten, or a hundred, or even a thousand Buddhas could not help him." When they reached the monastery, the disciples of Devadatta laid down the palanquin; and then, despite his weakness, Devadatta rose and stood. But no sooner did his feet touch the ground, than flames arose from the lowest hell, and wrapped him in their folds, at first his feet, then his middle, and then his shoulders. Then in terror he cried aloud: "Save me, my children, I am the cousin of the Buddha. O Buddha, though I have done so much against thee, for the sake of our kinship save me!" And he repeated the formula of taking refuge in the Buddha, the Norm, and the order. By this he received the help of the Three Gems at last, and in a future birth he will become the Private Buddha Sattisara, notwithstanding he now went to hell and received a body of fire.
Now King Ajatasattu, who had murdered his father, felt the pangs of conscience. He found no comfort in the doctrines of the six heretical teachers who were the Lord's opponents. And then, on the advice of his physicial Jivaka as related previously he sought the Buddha himself, and heard his teaching and became a convert to the true faith.
In the picture of Buddha's daily life described a few pages previously, mention is made of Ajatasattu, King of Magadha. This Ajatasattu was the son of Bimbisara, the chief of the Buddha's royal supporters. When Ajatasattu was conceived, it was indicated by an omen and a prophecy that he would be the slayer of his father. And this came to pass at the instigation of Devadatta. One day when the Buddha was teaching in the Bambu Grove, Devadatta proposed that because of the Master's advanced age, the leadership of the Congregation should be vested in himself. From the time when this suggestion was plainly refused, Devadatta's enmity and ill-will greatly increased. Because of what had taken place the Buddha issued a decree against Devadatta as a renegade whose words were not to be recognized as proceeding from the Buddha, the Law, or the Community. The angry Devadatta now betook himself to Ajatasattu, King Bimbisara's son and heir, and persuaded him to murder his father and usurp the throne, while Devadatta should kill the Master and become Buddha. Bimbisara however discovered his son's intention, and so far from punishing him in any way, abdicated the throne and gave over the kingdom to his son. Nevertheless, upon Devadatta's representing that Bimbisara might desire to recover the throne, Ajatasattu brought about his death by starvation.
The Devadatta secured the new king's assent to the murder of the Buddha, and he hired thirty-one men to carry out his purpose. All these men, however, notwithstanding they were notorious criminals, were so affected by the majesty and loving kindness of the Master, that they could not raise hand against him, but on the contrary, experienced conversion, and joined the Community. Devadatta was now convinced that the Buddha could not be slain by any human being, and determined to let loose upon him the fierce elephant Nalagiri. This beast was accustomed to drink eight measures of spirituous liquor every day, but Devadatta commanded the keeper to give it sixteen measures the next day, and to let it loose against the Buddha as he proceeded through the streets. The Buddha was informed of what was to be done, but he refused to change his usual procedure, and he entered the city at the usual hour, accompanied by a company of Bhikkhus. Soon afterwards the elephant was let loose upon him, and at once it raged through the streets, working havoc. The Bhikkhus entreated the Master to escape, but as he would not, they sought to walk before him, in order that he might not be the first to meet the savage beast, but this the Buddha forbade, albeit in the case of Ananda, his doing so was only prevented by the exercise of miraculous power. At this moment the elephant was about to destroy the mother of a child who had run into the street in ignorance of the danger; but the Buddha called to it: "It was not intended that you should destroy any other being than myself; here am I; waste not your strength on any less noble object." On hearing the voice of Buddha, the elephant looked towards him; and immediately the effects of the liquor passed away, and the elphant approached him in the gentlest fashion and kneeled before him. The Master charged him to take no life in future, but to be kind to all people; and the elephant repeated the five precepts before the assembled crowds. Thus the rage of Nalagiri was subdued, and had he not been a quadruped, he might have entered the First Path. As Buddha had thus performed a miracle, he reflected that it would not be becoming to seek alms in the same place, and he therefore returned to the Jetavana monastery, without proceeding on his usual course.
Following upon this, Devadatta attempted to create a schism in the Order. Together with certain other Bhikkhus he requested the Buddha to establish a more severely ascetic rule for the Brethren, as that they should clothe themselves only in cast-off rags, that they should dwell as forest-hermits, accept no invitations, and abstain from fish and meat. The Master refused to concede these demands, declaring that those who wished might adopt this more severe rule, but that he would not make it binding upon all. Devadatta, who expected this refusal, made it the occasion of division within the Order. Together with a part of five hundred recently ordained Brethren, he made his way to Gaya Scarp. But as he was preaching there, he happened to see Sariputta and Moggallana in the audience, and thinking them to be of his party, he requested Sariputta to preach, while he himself slept. Sariputta and Mogallana now addressed the assembly and persuaded the five hundred schismatics to return to the Master. When Devadatta awoke and learnt what had taken place, the hot blood broke from his mouth in anger. Devadatta lay sick for nine months; and at the end of this time he determined to seek the Buddha's forgiveness, for he knew that the Master felt no ill-will toward him. His disciples endeavoured to dissuade him, knowing that the Buddha would not see him; but he had himself conveyed in a palanquin to the Jetavana monastery. The Bhikkhus informed Buddha of his approach, but the Master answered: "He will not see the Buddha; for his crimes are so great that ten, or a hundred, or even a thousand Buddhas could not help him." When they reached the monastery, the disciples of Devadatta laid down the palanquin; and then, despite his weakness, Devadatta rose and stood. But no sooner did his feet touch the ground, than flames arose from the lowest hell, and wrapped him in their folds, at first his feet, then his middle, and then his shoulders. Then in terror he cried aloud: "Save me, my children, I am the cousin of the Buddha. O Buddha, though I have done so much against thee, for the sake of our kinship save me!" And he repeated the formula of taking refuge in the Buddha, the Norm, and the order. By this he received the help of the Three Gems at last, and in a future birth he will become the Private Buddha Sattisara, notwithstanding he now went to hell and received a body of fire.
Now King Ajatasattu, who had murdered his father, felt the pangs of conscience. He found no comfort in the doctrines of the six heretical teachers who were the Lord's opponents. And then, on the advice of his physicial Jivaka as related previously he sought the Buddha himself, and heard his teaching and became a convert to the true faith.
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place time topic people language
India - Ancient - Religion/philosophy - Indians/Buddhists - English
India - Ancient - Religion/philosophy - Indians/Buddhists - English
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