Major Expositions

KGSS III : 117-118

117 Further, it states:

[The Buddha speaks:] Good sons! King Bimbisara of Rajagrha had a prince named Sudarsana (Handsome One), who, because of karmic causes, awakened thoughts of grave evil and desired to kill his father. He had no opportunity, however. At that time, the evil person Devadatta, also because of karmic causes from the past, awakened thoughts of no good regarding me and wanted to kill me. Having acquired the five transcendent powers, he soon gained the confidence of Prince Sudarsana. He demonstrated various acts of transcendent power for the prince, departing from where there was no exit and entering again through the gate, or going out through the gate and appearing again from where there was none. On different occasions he would assume the form of an elephant, a horse, an ox, a sheep, or another person. On seeing these things, Prince Sudarsana conceived feelings of affection, joy, and respectful trust. Out of these feelings, he had offerings made to Devadatta, strictly specifying the various utensils to be used.

Further, he once said, "Venerable master, I would like to see the mandarava blossom."

Upon hearing these words, Devadatta immediately ascended to the Heaven of Thirty-three Devas and sought a blossom from the devas. But because his good merit had been exhausted, there was none who could give him one.

Still unable to obtain the flower, he considered, "The mandarava has no sense of 'I' or 'mine'; there will surely be no crime in picking one myself." As he went to pick a blossom, he immediately lost his transcendent powers, and when he came to himself, he was back in Rajagrha. Full of shame, he found it impossible to see Prince Sudarsana again.

Further, he thought, "I will go to the Tathagata now and ask for the sangha. If the Buddha commits it to me, I will give instruction as I please and make Sariputra and the others obey me."

Then Devadatta came to me and said, "I ask, O Tathagata, that you entrust the sangha to me. I will instruct them in the many teachings, convert them, and make them discipline themselves." I replied to the foolish man, "Sariputra and the others have heard the great wisdom, and they are trusted and venerated by the world. Still, I would not give them charge of the sangha. Much less, then, would I entrust it to an abject fool and lickspittle like you."

Then Devadatta all the more conceived evil intentions against me, and said, "Gautama, now you lead the sangha, but your strength will not last long. It will fade and disintegrate before my eyes."

But as soon as he had uttered this, the earth shook six times. Devadatta fell to the ground, and about his body a violent wind arose, blowing dust and earth which completely covered and soiled him. Devadatta, seeing this bad omen, said further, "If I, with this body, must fall into Avici hell in this present life, I will assuredly avenge it with similar immense evil."

Then Devadatta stood and went to Prince Sudarsana, who, on seeing him, asked, "Sage, why do you look so haggard and emaciated, with such a sorrowful expression?"

Devadatta replied, "I am always so. Have you not noticed?"

Sudarsana said, "Explain what you mean. What causes you to be so?"

Devadatta said, "I feel now the strongest bonds of friendship with you. The common people abuse you, saying you lack reason. When I hear it, how can I not be thus sorrowed!"

Prince Sudarsana said, "How do the people of the kingdom abuse and insult me?"

Devadatta said, "The people of the land abuse you, calling you 'Unborn Enemy'."

Sudarsana asked, "Why do they call me 'Unborn Enemy'? Who made that name?"

Devadatta said, "Before you were born, all the soothsayers declared, 'This infant, once it has been born, will assuredly slay its father.' For this reason, the common people all call you 'Unborn Enemy.' Everyone close to you, in order to protect you feelings, calls you Sudarsana.

"Queen Vaidehi, having heard the words of the prediction, cast you from the top of a high tower when you were born. In that fall, you finger was broken. Because of this incident, the people call you 'Broken Fingered.' When I heard this, such sorrow and resentment sprang up in my heart that I could not face you and tell you of it."

Devadatta related a variety of such evil matters, seeking to induce the prince to kill his father, and said, "If you kill your father, I too will kill the sramana Gautama."

Prince Sudarsana asked a minister named Varsakara, "Why did the Great King give me the name 'Unborn Enemy'?"

The minister's explanation of how the name was given did not vary from Devadatta's. Upon hearing it, Sudarsana together with the minister seized his father the king, confined him in a place apart from the palace, and put him under guard of the four kinds of soldiers. Queen Vaidehi, on hearing of this, went immediately to where the king was, but those guarding him intercepted here and would not allow her to enter. Then the queen's heart filled with anger and she castigated them.

The guards told the prince, "The wife of the great king wishes to see you father the king. Should we allow her in or not?"

Hearing this, Sudarsana also became enraged and went to his mother. Grasping her by the hair, he drew his sword and was about to stab her.

Then Jivaka said, "Great King, from the time this country was first founded, there have been acts of evil that were extremely grave, but no woman has ever been punished, not to speak of the mother who gave one birth."

Prince Sudarsana heard these words, and because of what Jivaka said, let go of his mother. But he deprived the king of any clothing, bedding, food, drink, or medicine. After seven days, the king's life ended. Prince Sudarsana, seeing his father dead, became filled with remorse.

Minister Varsakara, with various evil rationalizations, said, "Great King! Your acts are completely blameless. Why are you now filled with remorse?"

Jivaka said, "Great King, know that this act involves a twofold evil: killing your father, and killing a srota-apanna. There is no one, apart from the Buddha, who can free you of such evil."

King Sudarsana said, "The Tathagata is pure, without any defilement. I am a being of karmic evil. How is it possible to see him?"

Good sons! Knowing that state of affairs, I intentionally said to Ananda, "So, when three months have passed, I will enter nirvana." Sudarsana, hearing of this, quickly came to me. I taught the dharma for him, so that his heavy burden of karmic evil was lightened, and enabled him to realize the shinjin that has no root in him.

Good sons! My disciples, on hearing these words, did not grasp my intent; hence they said, "The Tathagata has declared that he will enter complete nirvana."

Good sons, there are two kinds of bodhisattvas: bodhisattva in the true sense, and bodhisattva in provisional name. Bodhisattvas in provisional name, on hearing that in three months I will enter nirvana, all fall into despair, saying, "If the Tathagata is subject to impermanence and will not abide in this world, what can we do?" Because of this matter [of impermanence], we have undergone great pain and suffering for incalculable lifetimes. The Tathagata, the World-honored one, has perfected and acquired immeasurable virtues; in spite of this, he cannot destroy the mara of death. Much less, then, can we defeat it."

Good sons! I therefore say for the sake of such bodhisattvas, "The Tathagata is eternal, and undergoes no change." My disciples who, on hearing these words, do not grasp my intent, will surely say, "The Tathagata after all will ultimately never enter nirvana."

118 Here we see, from the true teaching of the Great Sage, that when the three types of beings difficult to save - those afflicted with the three kinds of sickness difficult to cure - entrust themselves to the universal Vow of great compassion and take refuge in the ocean of shinjin that is [Amida's] benefiting others, the Buddha is filled with pity for them and heals them, commiserates with and cures them. It is like the wondrous medicine called manda curing all illness. Beings of the defiled world - the multitudes possessed of corruptions and evil - should seek and think on the diamondlike, indestructible true mind. They should hold steadfast to the Primal Vow, which is the wondrous medicine called manda. Reflect on this.