Chulavagga 7.4

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Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

CHULAVAGGA (THE MINOR SECTION)

SEVENTH KHANDHAKA (DISSENSIONS IN THE ORDER)

Chapter-4.

1. Now Devadatta on that day, which was Uposatha day, arose from his seat, and gave out voting-tickets, saying, 'We went, Sirs, to the Samana Gotama(Buddha) and asked for the Five Points, saying--(&c., as above in VII, 3, 14 and 15). These the Samana Gotama will not allow; but we live in accordance therewith. Whosoever of the venerable ones approves of the Five Things, let him take a ticket.'

Now at that time there were five hundred Bhikkhus, Veshaliyans, and belonging to the Vajjian clan, who had but recently joined the Order, and were ignorant of what he had in hand. These took the voting-tickets, believing [the Five Points to be according to] the Dhamma, and the Vinaya, and the teaching of the Master. And Devadatta, having thus created a division in the Sangha, went out to the hill Gaya-sisa, taking those five hundred Bhikkhus with him.

Then Sariputta and Moggallana went to the Lord Buddha, and bowed down before him, and took their seats on one side. And when they were so seated, Sariputta said to the Lord Buddha: 'Devadatta, Lord, has gone forth to Gaya-sisa, taking five hundred Bhikkhus with him.'

'Verily, Sariputta and Moggallana, there must be a feeling of kindness towards those young Bhikkhus among you both. Go therefore, both of you, before they have fallen into entire destruction.'

'Even so, Lord,' said Sariputta and Moggallana, in assent to the Lord Buddha. And rising from their seats, they bowed down before him, and keeping him on their right hand as they passed him, they set out for Gaya-sisa.

Then at that time a certain Bhikkhu, standing not far from the Lord Buddha, began to weep. And the Lord Buddha said to him: 'Why, O Bhikkhu, dost you weep?'

'Those, Lord, who are the Lord Buddha's chief disciples, Sariputta and Moggallana, even they have gone to Devadatta's side, approving the Dhamma of Devadatta.'

That, O Bhikkhu, would be impossible, that Sariputta and Moggallana should approve his teaching. They are gone only to gain those Bhikkhus over again:

2. Now at that time Devadatta, surrounded by a great number of adherents, was seated, preaching the Dhamma. And when he saw from afar Sariputta and Moggallana coming towards him, he said to the Bhikkhus: 'See, O Bhikkhus, how well preached must be my doctrine, in that even the two chief disciples of the Samana Gotama(Buddha)--Sariputta

and Moggallana--are coming to join me, being pleased with my Dhamma.'

When he had thus spoken Kokalika said to Devadatta: 'O venerable Devadatta, trust not Sariputta and Moggallana, for they are inclined towards evil, and under the influence of evil desires.'

'Nay, my friend, let us bid them welcome since they take pleasure in my teaching (Dhamma).'

And Devadatta invited Sariputta to share his own seat, saying, 'Come, friend Sariputta. Sit you here!'

'Nay (there is no need of that),' said Sariputta; and taking another seat, he sat down on one side. And Devadatta instructed and incited and roused and gladdened the Bhikkhus far into the night with dhamma discourse; and then made request to Sariputta, saying, 'The assembly, friend Sariputta, is still alert and sleepless. Will you, friend Sariputta, be so good as to think of some dhamma discourse to address to the Bhikkhus? My back is tired, and I would stretch myself a little.'

'Even so, friend,' said the venerable Sariputta, in assent to Devadatta. And Devadatta spread his waist-cloth folded in four on the ground, and lay down on his right side. And in a moment even sleep overcame him who was tired, and had lost his presence of mind and his self-consciousness.

3. Then the venerable Sariputta taught and exhorted the Bhikkhus in a dhamma discourse touching the marvels of preaching, and the venerable Moggallana taught and exhorted the Bhikkhus in a dhamma discourse touching the marvels of Iddhi(spiritual power). And while they were being so taught and exhorted those Bhikkhus obtained the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (divine insight) whatsoever has a beginning, in that is inherent also the necessity of dissolution. Then the venerable Sariputta addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'Let us go, my friends, to the Lord Buddha's side. Whosoever approves of his doctrine (Dhamma), let him come.'

And Sariputta and Moggallana went back to the Veluvana, taking those five hundred Bhikkhus with them. But Kokalika awoke Devadatta, and said: 'Arise, friend Devadatta! Your Bhikkhus have been led away by Sariputta and Moggallana. Did I not tell you, Devadatta, not to trust Sariputta and Moggallana, in that they were inclined towards evil, and were under the influence of evil desires?'

Then hot blood came forth from Devadatta's mouth.

4. But Sariputta and Moggallana went to the place where the Lord Buddha was, and bowed down before him, and took their seats on one side. And when they were so seated, Sariputta said to the Lord Buddha:

'It were well, Lord, that Bhikkhus(Monks) who have turned aside to schism should be received afresh into the higher grade of the Order.'

'Nay, Sariputta, let not the reordination of schismatical Bhikkhus seem good to you. But rather cause such Bhikkhus to confess that they have committed a thulakaya(big/grave offence). And how, Sariputta, did Devadatta treat you?'

'When Devadatta, Lord, had instructed and roused and incited and gladdened the Bhikkhus far into the night with dhamma discourse, he then 'made request to me, saying, "The assembly, friend Sariputta, is still alert and sleepless. Will you, friend Sariputta, think of some dhamma discourse to address to the Bhikkhus? My back is tired, and I would stretch myself a little." This, Lord, was the way in which Devadatta behaved to me.'

5. Then the Lord Buddha addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'Once upon a time, O Bhikkhus, there was a great pond in a forest region. Some elephants dwelt beside it; and they, plunging into the pond, plucked with their trunks the edible stalks of the lotus plants, washed them till they were quite clean, masticated them without any dirt, and so eat them up. And that produced in them both beauty and strength, and by reason of that they neither went down into death, nor into any sorrow like unto death. Now among those great elephants, O Bhikkhus, there were young elephant calves, who also, in imitation of those others, plunged into that pond, and plucked with their trunks the edible stalks of the lotus plants; but they did not wash them till they were clean, but masticated them, dirt and all, and so eat them up. And that produced in them

neither beauty nor strength; and by reason of that they went down into death, and into sorrows like unto death. Just so, O Bhikkhus, will Devadatta die who, poor creature, is emulating me.

'Like the elephant calf who eats mud in imitation, of the great beast

That shakes the earth, and eats the lotus plant, and watches through the night among the waters--

So will he, poor creature, die that emulates me.'

6. 'A Bhikkhu(Monk) who is possessed of eight qualifications is worthy, O Bhikkhus, to do the work of an emissary. And what are the eight? The Bhikkhu, O Bhikkhus, must be able to hear and to make others listen, able to learn, able to bear in mind, able to discern and to make others discern, skilful to deal with friends and foes, and no maker of quarrels. These are the eight qualifications of which when a Bhikkhu is possessed, he is worthy, O Bhikkhus, to do the work of an emissary.

'Sariputta, O Bhikkhus, being possessed of eight qualifications, is worthy to do the work of an emissary. What are the eight (&c., as in last paragraph)?

'He who on entering a company that is violent of speech, Fears not, forgoes no word, disguises not his message, Is unambiguous in what he says, and being questioned angers not, Of such is surely the Bhikkhu worthy to go on a mission.'

7. 'Devadatta, O Bhikkhus, being overcome, his mind being taken up by eight evil conditions, is irretrievably (doomed to) remain for a Kalpa in states of suffering and woe. And what are the eight? He is overcome, his mind is taken up by gain, by want of gain, by fame, by want of fame, by honour, by want of honour, by his having wicked desires, and by his having wicked friends. These, O Bhikkhus, are the eight evil conditions by which Devadatta being overcome, and his mind being taken up, he is irretrievably(doomed to) remain for a Kalpa in states of suffering and woe.

'It would be well, O Bhikkhus, that Bhikkhus should continue in complete ascendancy over any gain or loss, any fame or the reverse, any honour or dishonour, any evil longing or evil friendship, that may accrue to them. And for what reason? For as much, O Bhikkhus, that bad influences (asavas) arise, full of vexation and distress, to one who is not continuing in complete ascendancy over each of these eight things, but to one, who is so continuing, such influences arise not. This is the reason, O Bhikkhus, why it would be well (&c., as before). Let us then, O Bhikkhus, continue in complete ascendancy over any gain or loss, any fame or the reverse, any honour or dishonour, any evil longing or evil friendship, that may accrue to us. And thus, O Bhikkhus, should you train yourselves.

There are three evil conditions, O Bhikkhus, by which Devadatta being overcome, and his mind being taken up, he is irretrievably doomed to remain for a Kalpa in states of suffering and woe. And what are the three? His having wicked desires, and his having wicked friends, and his having come to a stop on his way (to Nirvana or Arahatship) because he had already attained to some lesser thing. These are the three (&c., as before).'

8. "Verily! let no wicked desire whatever arise within you! Know rather from this what is the outcome of that. Known was he as wise, reputed to be trained; Aglow with glory did Devadatta stand' (thus have I heard). He gave himself to vanity, to attacking the Tathagata(Buddha): He fell into the Aviki hell, guarded fourfold and terrible. The injurer of the good, of the man who does no wrong, Him sin pervades, the man of cruel heart, and void of love. Though one should think the ocean to befoul with but one poison pot, Yet could he not befoul it, for awful is the sea, and great; Just so though one should injure the Tathagata(Buddha) by words,--

That perfect one, that peaceful heart,--against him the words would not avail. Let the wise Bhikkhu make a friend of, and resort to him By following whose way he will come to the end of griefs!"