During the last decade before the Buddha's Parinibbana, a series of tragic events unfolded centered around the Buddha's cousin Devadatta. Buddha was 72 years after 37 yrs of preaching. The most powerful kingdom was that of King Bimbisara of Magadha and he had a son, Prince Ajatasattu.
Japanese Mandala:Devadatta performing miracles.
Some background information about Devadatta.
Devadatta, Ananda and Yasodhara are siblings. Children of Suppabuddha who is the maternal uncle of Prince Siddhartha.
His encounters with Siddartha:
As a child, he fought over a swan that he shot with his arrow.
As a teenager, he competed for Yasodhara's hand in marriage.
He killed a white elephant that was to be a gift for Siddhartha.
He joined the order of monks when Buddha returned to Kapilavatthu.
Achievements:
Devadatta was an accomplished and respected monk.
He attained 5 types of supernatural powers from meditation. The supernatural control of his body, a divine ear, a divine eye, capable of mind reading and recalling his past lives. But his envy towards Prince Siddhartha, his jealousy and his arrogance prevented him from any real insight and liberation.
During a self retreat, he decided to go to Rajagaha in Magadha and use his powers to gain patronage of prince Ajatasattu. The prince was impressed and eventually showered Devadatta with respect and friendship which resulted in much gain, honor and good reputation for the latter. Obsessed with that, Devadatta turn to the ambition to rule over the Sangha.
The Buddha had already discouraged the use of supernatural powers in his reply to a lay person Kevaddha who suggested that the Buddha should gain the favour of the rich and influential Nalanda.
“Lord, this Nalanda is rich, prosperous, populous, and full of people who have faith in the Lord. It would be well if the Lord were to cause some monk to perform superhuman feats and miracles. In this way Nalanda would come to have even more faith in the Lord.”
The Buddha replied: “Kevaddha, this is not the way I teach Dhamma to the monks, by saying: ‘Go, monks, and perform superhuman feats and miracles for the white-clothed laypeople!”
On one occasion, a monk named Sunakkhatta threatened to leave the Sangha because the Buddha had not performed any miracles. The Buddha responded:
“What do you think, Sunnakkhatta? Whether miracles are performed or not – is it the purpose of my teaching Dhamma to lead whoever practices it to the total destruction of suffering?” “It is, Lord.” “So, Sunakkhatta, whether miracles are performed or not, the purpose of my teaching Dhamma is to lead whoever practices it to the total destruction of suffering. Then what purpose would the performance of miracles serve? Consider, you foolish man, how far the fault is yours.”
As for Devadatta, crazed by fame and fortune, he became complacent and this led to the diminishing of the supernatural abilities. Nevertheless, his obsession with taking over the Sangha caught the attention of the Devas who reported it to the Buddha's chief disciple Moggallana.
When the Buddha arrived at Rajagaha, many of the monks came and reported to the Buddha how prestigious Devadatta was and how Prince Ajatasattu would wait upon the latter with 500 carriages and 500 offerings of milk rice every morning. Many monks were impressed. Some were jealous and some were resentful. The Buddha said
“Monks, do not begrudge Devadatta his gain, honor and renown. Just as, if one were to break a gall bladder under a fierce dog’s nose, the dog would get much fiercer, so too, as long as Prince Ajatasattu keeps waiting on Devadatta as he is doing, so long may wholesome states be expected to diminish and not increase in Devadatta. Just as a plantain* bears its fruit for its own destruction and its own undoing, so too, Devadatta’s gain, honor and renown have arisen for his self-destruction and his own undoing.”
*Plantain – genus of plants that bears fruit once and dies. Eg Banana
Then during a large gathering in the presence of King Bimbisara, Devadatta stood up and offered to govern the Sangha and suggested that the Buddha should retire as he is getting old. The Buddha told him
“Enough Devadatta, do not aspire to govern the Sangha”.
Twice Devadatta asks and twice the Buddha gave him the same reply. When it was suggested the third time, the Buddha scolded him
“I would not hand over the Sangha of monks even to Sariputta and Moggallana. How should I do so to such a vile person to be vomitted like a clot of spittle, as you?”
So Devadatta was publicly humiliated in front of the King Bimbisara and begrudged the Buddha. The scolding was so harsh that a proponent of another faith, the Jains took advantage of and tried to belittle the Buddha asking him a simple question. Should the Tatagatha use such harsh words? If the Buddha said yes, then he is subject to anger just like an ordinary person. If the Buddha says no, then he is not the Tatagatha since he did use the words on Devadatta. So it was a two horned question. Prince Abhaya was sent to challenge the Buddha with that question. He invited the Buddha to have a meal at his home. When the Buddha went to his home, he saw through the scheme and he told the Prince that there is no one-sided answer to the question and that it was meant as a trap. Prince Abhaya admitted defeat. As the Prince had a child with him, the Buddha posed a question to the Prince.
“If a child accidently pushed a stick or pebble into his own mouth, what would you do?”
“Venerable sir, I would take it out. If I could not take it out at once, I would take his head in my left hand, and crooking a finger of my right hand, I would take it out even if it meant drawing blood.”
“Why is that? "
"Because I have compassion for the child.”
“So too, prince, such speech as the Tathagata knows to be untrue, incorrect, and unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter. Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter. Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true, correct, and beneficial, but which is unwelcome and disagreeable to others: the Tathagata knows the time to use such speech. Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be untrue, incorrect, and unbeneficial, but which is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter. Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter. Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true, correct, and beneficial, and which is welcome and agreeable to others: the Tathagata knows the time to use such speech. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has compassion for beings.”
Knowing that the behaviour of Devadatta was a disgrace and unbecoming of a true disciple, the Buddha made an anouncement to denounce Devadatta. He addressed the monk:
“Now, monks, let the Sangha carry out an act of pubic denunciation in Rajagaha against Devadatta. Formerly Devadatta had one nature; now he has another. Whatever Devadatta may do by body or speech neither the Blessed One nor the Dhamma nor the Sangha should be held as having a part in it: only Devadatta himself is to be held responsible for it.”
Then Sariputta was sent to Rajagaha to publicly make the anouncement. Nevertheless, some people thought the Buddha was jealous but the wise ones realised that denouncement by the Buddha is no ordinary matter which was apparent later in the events that unfolded.
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