Chulavagga 7.3

Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Khandhaka >> Chulavagga >> Seventh Khandhaka >> 7.3

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

CHULAVAGGA (THE MINOR SECTION)

SEVENTH KHANDHAKA (DISSENSIONS IN THE ORDER)

Chapter-3.

1. Now at that time the Lord Buddha was seated preaching the Dhamma, and surrounded by a great multitude, including the king and his retinue. And Devadatta rose from his seat, and arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, stretched out his joined hands to the Lord Buddha, and said to the Lord Buddha:

'The Lord Buddha, Lord, is now grown aged, he is old and stricken in years, he has accomplished a long journey, and his term of life is nearly run. Let the Lord Buddha now dwell at ease in the enjoyment of happiness reached even in this world. Let the Lord Buddha give up the Bhikkhu-sangha to me, I will be its leader.'

'You have said enough, Devadatta. Desire not to be the leader of the Bhikkhu-sangha.'

[And a second time Devadatta made the same request, and received the same reply. And a third time Devadatta made the same request.]

'I would not give over the Bhikkhu-sangha, Devadatta, even to Sariputta and Moggallana. How much less, then, to so vile and evil-living a person as you.'

Then Devadatta thought: 'Before the king and his retinue the Lord Buddha denies me, calling me "evil-living," and exalts Sariputta and Moggallana.' And, angry and displeased, he bowed down before the Lord Buddha, and keeping him on his right hand as he passed him, he departed from there.

This was the first time that Devadatta bore malice against the Lord Buddha.

2. And the Lord Buddha said to the Bhikkhus, 'Let then the Sangha, O Bhikkhus, carry out against Devadatta the Act of Proclamation in Rajagaha, to the effect that whereas the nature of Devadatta used to be of one kind it is now of an-other kind, and that whatsoever he shall do, either bodily or verbally, in that neither shall the Buddha be recognised, nor the Dhamma, nor the Sangha, but only Devadatta.

'And thus, O Bhikkhus, shall the Act be carried out. Some discreet and able Bhikkhu (&c.,

in the same form as in I, I, 4, down to the end of the Kammavaka).'

And the Lord Buddha said to the venerable Sariputta, 'Do you then, Sariputta, proclaim Devadatta throughout Rajagaha.'

'In former times, Lord, I have sung the praises of Devadatta in Rajagaha, saying, "Great is the power (Iddhi) of the son of Godhi! Great is the might of the son of Godhi!" How can I now proclaim him throughout Rajagaha?'

'Was it not truth that you spoke, Sariputta, when you [so] sang his praises?'

'Yea, Lord!'

'Even so, Sariputta, do you now, speaking the truth, proclaim Devadatta throughout Rajagaha.'

'Even so, Lord,' said Sariputta, in assent to the Lord Buddha.

3. And the Lord Buddha said to the Bhikkhus:

Let then the Sangha appoint Sariputta to the office of proclaiming Devadatta throughout Rajagaha to the effect (&c., as before, §-2). And thus, O Bhikkhus, should he be appointed. First, Sariputta should be asked, &c. (as usual in official appointments, down to the end of the Kammavaka).'

Then Sariputta, being so appointed, entered Rajagaha with a number of Bhikkhus, and proclaimed Devadatta accordingly. And upon that those people who were unbelievers, and without devotion or insight, spoke thus: 'They are jealous, these Sakyaputtiya Samanas(Monks)! They are jealous of the gain and hospitality that fall to Devadatta!' But those who were believers, full of devotion, able, and gifted with in-

sight, spoke thus: This cannot be any ordinary affair, in that the Lord Buddha has had Devadatta proclaimed throughout Rajagaha!'

4. And Devadatta went to Ajatasattu the prince, and said to him: 'In former days, prince, people were long-lived, but now their term of life is short. It is quite possible, therefore, that you may complete your time while you are still a prince. So do you, prince, kill your father, and become the Raga; and I will kill the Lord Buddha, and become the Buddha.'

And prince Ajatasattu thought, 'This worthy Devadatta has great powers and might; he will know (what is right).' And fastening a dagger against his thigh, he entered with violence and at an unusual hour, though fearful, anxious, excited, and alarmed, the royal chamber. And when the ministers who were in attendance in the private chamber saw that, they seized him. And when, on searching him, they found the dagger fastened on his thigh, they asked him:

'What were you going to do, O prince?'

'I wanted to kill my father.'

'Who incited you to this?'

'The worthy Devadatta.'

Then some of the ministers advised 'The prince should be slain, and Devadatta, and all the Bhikkhus.' Others of them advised 'The Bhikkhus ought not to be slain, for they have done no wrong;

but only the prince and Devadatta.' Others of them again said, 'Neither should the prince be slain, nor Devadatta, nor the Bhikkhus. But the king should be told of this, and we should do as the king shall command.'

5. So these ministers, taking the prince with them, went to the Raja(King) of Magadha, to Seniya Bimbisara, and told him what had happened.

'What advice, my friends, did the ministers give?'

[When they had told him all (as before) he said]: 'What, my friends, can the Buddha, or the Sangha, or the Dhamma have to do with this? Has not the Lord Buddha had a proclamation already made throughout Rajagaha concerning Devadatta, to the effect that whereas his nature used to be of one kind, it is now of another; and that whatsoever he shall do, either bodily or verbally, that shall neither the Buddha, nor the Dhamma, nor the Sangha be required, but only Devadatta?'

Then those ministers who had advised that the prince and Devadatta and all the Bhikkhus should be slain, them he made incapable (of ever again holding office) And those ministers who had advised that the prince should be slain, and Devadatta, them he degraded to lower offices. But those ministers who had advised that neither should the prince be slain, nor Devadatta, nor the Bhikkhus, but that the king should be informed of it, and his command be followed, them he advanced to high positions.

And the Raja(King) of Magadha, Seniya Bimbisara, said to prince Ajatasattu: 'Why did you want to kill me, O prince?'

'I wanted a kingdom, O king!'

'If you then want a kingdom, O prince, let this kingdom be yours!' And he handed over the kingdom to Ajatasattu the prince'.

6. Then Devadatta went to prince Ajatasattu, and said, 'Give such orders, O king, to your men that I may deprive the Samana Gotama(Buddha) of life.' And Ajatasattu the prince gave orders to his men: 'Whatsoever the worthy Devadatta tells you, that do!'

Then to one man Devadatta gave command: 'Go, my friend, the Samara Gotama is staying at such and such a place. Kill him, and come back by this path.' Then on that path he placed other two men, telling them, 'Whatever man you see coming alone along this path, kill him, and return by that path.' Then on that path he placed other four men [and so on up to sixteen men].

7. And that man took his sword and shield, and hung his bow and quiver at his back, and went to the place where the Lord Buddha was, and when at some little distance from the Lord Buddha, being

terrified, anxious, excited, and alarmed, he stood stark still and stiff.

On the Lord Buddha seeing him so, he said to the man: 'Come here, friend, don't be afraid.'

Then that man laid aside his sword and his shield, took off his bow and his quiver, and went up to the Lord Buddha; and falling at his feet, he said to the Lord Buddha: 'Transgression, Lord, has overcome me even according to my folly, my stupidity, and my unrighteousness, in that I have come here with evil and with murderous intent. May the Lord Buddha accept the confession I make of my sin in its sinfulness, to the end that in future I may restrain myself from that!'

'Verily, my friend, transgression has overcome you [&c., down to] intent. But since you, my friend, look upon your sin as sin, and duly make amends for it, we do accept (your confession of) it. For this, O friend, is progress in the discipline of the Noble One, that he who has seen his sin to be sin makes amends for it as is meet, and becomes able in future to restrain himself from that.'

Then the Lord Buddha discoursed to that man in due order, that is to say (&c., as usual in conversions, down to) May the Lord Buddha accept me as a disciple, as one who, from this day forth as long as life endures, has taken his refuge in him.

And the Lord Buddha said to the man: 'Do not, my friend, leave me by that path. Go by this path.' and so dismissed him by another way.

8. But the two men thought, 'Where now can that man be who was to come alone? He is delaying long.' And as they were going to meet him, they caught sight of the Lord Buddha sitting at the foot of a certain tree. On seeing him they went up to the place where he was, and saluted him, and took their seats on one side. To them also the Lord Buddha discoursed, [and they were converted as the other man had been, and he sent them back by another way. And the same thing occurred as to the four, and the eight, and the sixteen men.]

9. And the one man returned to Devadatta, and said to him: 'I cannot, Lord, deprive the Lord Buddha of life. Great is the power (Iddhi) and might of the Lord Buddha.'

'That will do, friend. You need not do so. I will slay the Lord Buddha myself.'

Now at that time the Lord Buddha was walking up and down (meditating) in the shade below the mountain called the Vulture's Peak. And Devadatta climbed up the Vulture's Peak, and hurled down a mighty rock with the intention of depriving the Lord Buddha of life. But two mountain peaks came together and stopped that rock and only a splinter falling from it made the foot of the Lord Buddha to bleed.

Then the Lord Buddha, looking upwards, said to Devadatta: 'Great, O foolish one, is the demerit you have brought forth for yourself, in that with evil and murderous intent you have caused the blood of the Tathagata to flow.'

And the Lord Buddha said to the Bhikkhus: 'This is the first time that Devadatta has heaped up (against himself) a Karma which will work out its effect in the immediate future, in that with evil and murderous intent he has caused the blood of the Tathagata to flow.'

10. And the Bhikkhus(Monks) having heard that Devadatta was planning for the death of the Lord Buddha, walked round and round the Vihara, making recitation in high and loud tones, for a protection and guard to the Lord Buddha. On hearing that noise the Lord Buddha asked the venerable Ananda what it was. And when Ananda [told him], the Lord Buddha said: 'Then, Ananda, call the Bhikkhus in my

name, saying, "The Teacher sends for the venerable ones."'

And he [did so], and they came, and saluted the Lord Buddha, and took their seats on one side. And when they were so seated, the Lord Buddha said to the Bhikkhus: 'This, O Bhikkhus, is an impossible thing, and one that cannot occur, that one should deprive a Tathagata of life by violence. The Tathagatas, O Bhikkhus, are extinguished (in death) in due and natural course.

'There are, O Bhikkhus, these five kinds, of teachers now living in the world (&c., as in VII, 2, 3, 4, down to the end). And this, O Bhikkhus, is an impossible thing, and one that cannot occur, that a Tathagata(Buddha) should be slain by any act set on foot by any one besides himself. The Tathagatas, O Bhikkhus, are extinguished (in death) in due course (of nature). Go, therefore, O Bhikkhus, each one to his Vihara, for the Tathagatas require no protection.'

11. Now at that time there was at Rajagaha an elephant named Nalagiri, fierce, and a manslayer. And Devadatta went into Rajagaha, and to the elephant stables, and said to the elephant-keepers: 'I, my friends, am a relative of the raga's, and am able to advance a man occupying a low position to a high position, and to order increase of rations or of pay. Therefore, my friends, when the Samana Gotama(Buddha) shall have arrived at this carriage-road, then loose the elephant Nalagiri, and let him go down the road.'

'Even so, Sir,' said those elephant-keepers in assent to Devadatta.

And when the Lord Buddha early in the morning had dressed himself, he entered Rajagaha duly bowled and robed, and with a number of Bhikkhus, for alms; and he entered upon that road. On seeing him the elephant-keepers loosed Nalagiri, and let it go down the road. And the elephant saw the Lord Buddha coming from the distance; and as soon as it saw him, it rushed towards the Lord Buddha with uplifted trunk, and with its tail and ears erect.

When those Bhikkhus saw the elephant Nalagiri coming in the distance, they said to the Lord Buddha: 'This elephant, Lord, Nalagiri, is fierce, and a manslayer, and it has got into this road. Let the Lord Buddha, Lord, turn back: let the Happy One turn back.'

'Come on, O Bhikkhus. Be not alarmed. There is, O Bhikkhus, no possibility [&c., as in last section, down to the end].'

[And a second and a third time the Bhikkhus made the same appeal, and received the same reply.]

12. Then at that time the people climbed up on to the upper storeys of the houses, and on to the balconies, and on to the roofs. And those of them who were unbelievers and without faith or insight, said, 'Truly the countenance of the great Samana(Buddha) is beautiful; but the elephant will do him a hurt.' But those who were believers, full of

devotion, able, and gifted with insight, said, 'It will be long ever the elephant can fight a fight with the elephant (of men)!'

And the Lord Buddha caused the sense of his love to pervade the elephant Nalagiri; and the elephant, touched by the sense of his love, put down his trunk, and went up to the place where the Lord Buddha was, and stood still before him. And the Lord Buddha, stroking the elephant's forehead with his right hand, addressed him in these stanzas:

'Touch not, O elephant, the elephant of men; for sad, O elephant, is such attack, 'For no bliss is there, O elephant, when he is passed from hence, for him who strikes the elephant of men. 'Be not then mad, and neither be you careless, for the careless enter not into a state of bliss, 'Rather do you yourself so act, that to a state of bliss you mayest go.' And Nalagiri the elephant took up with his trunk the dust from off the feet of the Lord Buddha, and sprinkled it over its head, and retired, bowing backwards the while it gazed upon the Lord Buddha.

And Nalagiri the elephant returned to the elephant stables, and stood in its appointed place, and

became once more the tame Nalagiri. And at that time the people sung these verses:

'They can be tamed by sticks, and goads, and whips, 'But the great Sage has tamed this elephant without a weapon or a stick.' 13. The people were angry, murmured, and became indignant, saying, How wicked is this Devadatta, and how wretched, in that he can go about to slay the Samana Gotama, who is so mighty and so powerful.' And the gain and honour of Devadatta fell off, while that of the Lord Buddha increased.

Now at that time, when the gain and honour of Devadatta had fallen off, he went, surrounded by Bhikkhus, to people's houses, appealing for alms.

The people were angry, murmured, and became indignant, saying, 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samanas live on food that they ask for at people's houses? Who is not fond of well-cooked food? Who does not like sweet things?'

The Bhikkhus heard (&c., down to) the Lord Buddha said to the Bhikkhus 'Therefore do I lay down this rule, O Bhikkhus, for the Bhikkhus that (not more than) three shall enjoy an alms (together) at people's houses--and this for the sake of three reasons; (to wit) for the restraint of the evil-minded, and for the ease of the good, lest those who have evil desires should, in reliance upon a particular party (among the Bhikkhus), break up the Sangha, and (lastly) out of compassion for the laity. (A Bhikkhu) who shall enjoy an alms in parties of more than three, shall be dealt with according to law.'

14. Now Devadatta went to the place where Kokalika, and Katamoraka-tissaka, and the son of Khanda-devi and Samudda-datta were, and said to them, 'Come, Sirs, let us stir up a division in the Samana Gotama 's Sangha, and in the body of his adherents.'

When he had thus spoken, Kokalika said to Devadatta, 'The Samana Gotama(Buddha), Sir, is mighty and powerful. How can we [do such a thing]?'

'Come, Sirs, let us go to the Samana Gotama, and make the following five demands, saying, "The Lord Buddha, Lord, has declared in many a figure the advantages of the man who wishes for little, who is easy to satisfy in the matter of support and nourishment, who has eradicated evil from his mind, has quelled his passions, and is full of faith, of reverence, and of the exercise of zeal. The following five things, Lord, conduce to such a condition. It would be good, Lord, if the Bhikkhus should be, their lives long, dwellers in the woods--if whosoever goes to the neighbourhood of a village should by that commit an offence. It would be good if they should, their lives long, beg for alms--if whosoever should accept an invitation, should by that commit an offence. It would be good if they should clothe themselves, their lives long, in cast-off rags--if whosoever should accept a gift of robes from a layman, should by that commit an offence. It would be good if they should dwell, their lives long, under the trees--if whosoever should (sleep) under a roof, should by that commit an offence. It would be good if they should, their lives long, abstain from fish--if whosoever should

eat fish, should by that commit an offence." The Samana Gotama will not grant these things. Then will we gain over the people by means of that.'

'Yes; it may be possible so to stir up divisions in the Sangha, and in the party of the Samana Gotama. For the people believe in rough measures.'

15. And Devadatta went to the Lord Buddha, surrounded by his friends, and made these demands [in the words just set out].

'No, Devadatta. Whosoever wishes to do so, let him dwell in the woods; whosoever wishes to do so, let him dwell in the neighbourhood of a village. Whosoever wishes to do so, let him beg for alms; whosoever wishes to do so, let him accept invitations from the laity. Whosoever wishes to do so, let him dress in rags; whosoever wishes to do so, let him receive gifts of robes from laymen. Sleeping under trees has been allowed by me, Devadatta, for eight months in the year; and the eating of fish that is pure in the three points--to wit, that the eater has not seen, or heard, or suspected that it has been caught for that purpose.'

And Devadatta, pleased and delighted that the Lord Buddha had refused the five demands, arose from his seat, and keeping him on his right hand as he passed him, departed from there with his friends. And he entered into Rajagaha, and urged his view upon the people by means of that, saying, 'Such and such things did we ask, Sirs, of the Samana Gotama(Buddha). He would not allow them, but we live in accordance with them.'

16. Then those of the people who were unbelievers, and without reverence or insight, said. 'These Sakyaputtiya Samanas have eradicated evil

from their minds, and have quelled their passions, while on the other hand the Samana Gotama is luxurious, and his mind dwells on abundance.' But those of the people who were believers, and full of reverence and insight, were indignant, became vexed, and murmured, saying, 'How can Devadatta go about to stir up division in the Sangha of the Lord Buddha, and in the party that is subject to him.'

The Bhikkhus, hearing them so murmuring, told the matter to the Lord Buddha.

'Is it true, O Devadatta, as they say, that you goest about to stir up division in the Sangha, and in the body of my adherents?'

'It is true, Lord.'

'(You have gone far) enough, Devadatta. Let not a division in the Sangha seem good to you;--grievous is such division. Whosoever, O Devadatta, breaks up the Sangha, when it is at peace, he gives birth to a fault (the effect of) which endures for a kalpa, and for a kalpa is he boiled in niraya(hell). But whosoever, O Devadatta, makes peace in the Sangha, when it has been divided, he gives birth to the highest merit, and for a kalpa is he happy in heaven. You have gone far enough, Devadatta. Let not a division in the Sangha, O Devadatta, seem good to you. Grievous, O Devadatta, is such division.'

17. Now the venerable Ananda, having dressed himself early in the morning, went duly bowled and robed into Rajagaha for alms. And Devadatta saw the venerable Ananda proceeding through Rajagaha for alms. On seeing that he went up to the venerable Ananda, and said to him: 'At once, from this day forth, friend Ananda, I intend to perform Uposatha, and to carry out the formal proceedings of the Order, without either the Lord Buddha or the Bhikkhu-sangha.'

And when the venerable Ananda had gone through Rajagaha for alms, and had returned from his rounds, and had finished his meal, he went to the Lord Buddha, and bowed down before him, and took his seat on one side. And when he was so seated, he told the Lord Buddha [what Devadatta had said, and added], 'This very day, Lord, Devadatta will break up the Sangha.'

Then the Lord Buddha, when he heard that, gave utterance at that time to this expression of strong emotion:

'Easy is a good act to the good, a good act is hard to the wicked;

'Easy is evil to the evil, but evil is hard for the Noble Ones to do.'

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Here ends the Second Portion for Recitation.