37a: Devadatta

Devadatta Rejected by the Buddha

Of the six Sakyan princes after their ordination:

At another time while the Buddha was sojourning in Kosambī, he and his many disciples [880] received abundant offerings. People came into the monastery with robes, medicines and other requisites in their hands and asked: “Where is the Fortunate One? Where is Ven. Sāriputta? Where is Ven. Moggallāna? Where is Ven. Mahā Kassapa? Where are Ven. Bhaddiya, Ven. Anuruddha, Ven. Ānanda, Ven. Bhagu or Ven. Kimila?” They were always on the move, looking for the places where the 80 great disciples (mahā-sāvaka) stayed. But there was nobody who bothered to ask about Devadatta’s whereabouts.

Devadatta and Ajātasattu

Then Devadatta thought: “I too became a monk along with Bhaddiya and the others. They are monks of the ruling (khattiya) families; I too am a monk of such a family. But those who brought offerings with them asked for Bhaddiya and the others. As for me, there was not a single person who cared to ask about me even by my name. Whom should I associate with and whom should I make devoted to me so that I have abundant offerings for my own?” He continued to ponder: “King Bimbisāra was established in Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala) together with 110,000 wealthy Brahmins the first time he saw the Buddha. It is not possible to be united with him. Nor is it possible to form an alliance with King Kosala. Prince Ajātasattu, son of King Bimbisāra, however, does not know a person’s virtues or vices as he is still young. I will endear myself to him.”

So thinking he went to Rājagaha and transformed himself into a boy. He adorned himself with four snakes, two on his hands and two on his legs, he also placed a snake on his neck, another one on his head and still another one on his left shoulder; he had the tails of these seven snakes interlocked as a waist band and put it on to decorate himself. Finally he came down from the sky and sat on the lap of Prince Ajātasattu.

The prince was so scared that he asked him who he was. The apparent boy said that he was Devadatta and the prince requested him to show himself as the real Devadatta. Devadatta removed the disguise and stood before the prince in his original physical form, dressed in the monk’s robe and with an alms bowl in his hand. Very much impressed by this magic, Prince Ajātasattu became Devadatta’s devoted follower. He regularly went with 500 chariots every morning and evening to see his teacher. He also sent 500 pots of food, each pot containing food enough for ten monks.

His ego having become inflated because of the abundant offerings that he received, Devadatta conceived the evil desire to make himself the Buddha and lead the Saṅgha. As soon as this desire arose in him, Devadatta lost his supernormal powers based on mundane absorption (jhāna).

Kakudha Brahma

At that time, a lay disciple of Ven. Mahā Moggallāna, a Koliyan Prince named Kakudha became a Brahma after his death. Kakudha Brahma came to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna with his body three miles long and reported how, being puffed up with self-conceit, Devadatta conceived the evil desire to make himself the Buddha and lead the Saṅgha, and how he immediately lost his supernormal powers. After making this report, Kakudha Brahma vanished on the spot.

Ven. Mahā Moggallāna went to the Buddha and informed him of what Kakudha Brahma had told him. The Buddha asked him whether he had verified the Brahma’s report by means of his psychic powers of knowing another person’s mind. When Ven. Moggallāna replied that he had, the Buddha said: “Moggallāna! Keep this matter to yourself! Now that man Devadatta who is empty of the path and its fruition will show himself in his true colours.” Then the Buddha gave a talk on the five kinds of bogus teachers:

Their respective disciples know all [881] about these five kinds of teachers. But they do not tell their lay followers about their respective teachers because if they do so, their teachers, who have been receiving the four requisites from the laity, will be displeased. So they say nothing and connive at the deception of their teachers, believing that by their deeds they will one day reveal their true colour by themselves. The disciples have to protect only such teachers and such teachers crave for the protection of their disciples. As for the Buddha, he really has pure morality and so he claims it. He really has pure livelihood, pure teaching, pure speech and pure intellectual vision and so he claims to have all these pure assets. For this reason, there is no need for his disciples to protect him in respect of morality, livelihood, teaching, speech and intellectual vision nor does he in the least want such protection.

The Buddha’s Sermon about Devadatta’s Gains

Then the Buddha left Kosambī city and arrived at Rājagaha where he resided in the Veḷuvana monastery. There, many monks reported to him that Prince Ajātasattu went to Devadatta with 500 chariots in the morning and in the evening, and that he sent 500 pots of cooked food every day. Then the master said: “Monks, do not set great store by the gains of Devadatta. As long as Prince Ajātasattu goes to Devadatta with 500 chariots every morning and evening and sends 500 pots of food daily, it certainly indicates a decline of his good deeds. But their increase is not to be expected. Monks, for example, if the bile of a bear is cut and put in the nose of a wild dog, the animal will become angry and even more violent. Likewise, so long as Prince Ajātasattu goes to Devadatta with 500 chariots every morning and sends 500 pots of food everyday, it certainly indicates Devadatta’s decline in doing good deeds. His doing of more and more good deeds is not to be expected, and he spoke this verse (SN 6.12):.

Phalaṁ ve kadaliṁ hanti, phalaṁ veḷuṁ phalaṁ naḷaṁ,
sakkāro kāpurisaṁ hanti, gabbho assatariṁ yathā.

Monks, just as the banana fruit kills the banana plant, the bamboo fruit kills the bamboo plant, the reed fruit kills the reed plant, and the calf in the womb kills the mare mule; so also gains kill a man of corrupt and evil disposition.

“Monks, Devadatta’s reputation for gains will lead to his self-destruction. In the same way, Devadatta’s reputation for gains will lead to his self-destruction.”

Devadatta’s First Grudge against the Buddha

Then one day as the Buddha sat amidst a large assembly, teaching to the king and the people, Devadatta rose and covered his left shoulder with his upper robe as a sign of respect, he raised up his joined hands in adoration towards the Buddha and said: “Exalted Buddha, now you are old, far advanced in age and on the threshold of the last stage of life. Venerable sir! Let the exalted Buddha now live in peace without bothering about anything. Let him hand over the Saṅgha to me. I will lead and look after the Saṅgha.”

The Buddha said: “Devadatta! That is not proper. Do not wish to look after and lead the Saṅgha.” For the second time Devadatta made the same request and the Buddha rejected it. [882] When Devadatta made the request for the third time, the master said: “Devadatta! I would not hand over charge of the Saṅgha even to Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Moggallāna, then why should I hand it over to you, you evil one, you eater of spittle?”

The words of the Buddha rankled Devadatta. “The Buddha rebuked me in the presence of the king and the people with the word: “Eater of spittle (kheḷāsaka),” one who consumes the four impure, eater of spittle-like requisites! He exalts only Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Moggallāna.” So thinking, he was angry and displeased and after paying respects to the Buddha, he went away.

Then the Buddha made the monks pass a resolution against Devadatta in Rājagaha city. It was an act called a declaration (pakāsanīya-kamma) passed with an announcement (ñatti-dutiya) carried out by the assembly of monks after taking the proceeding proclamation (kamma-vācā) at which the motion is put once and followed by the declaration of the Saṅgha’s decision. Then Ven. Sāriputta was nominated by vote to be the person entrusted with the task of making the resolution public in Rājagaha. In accordance with the Buddha’s word of command, the Saṅgha nominated Ven. Sāriputta, and he made the resolution against Devadatta well-known in the city.

On hearing this resolution, those who lacked faith and wisdom blamed the monks, saying: “These monks, these sons of the Sakyan Prince, Buddha, are jealous. They are jealous of Devadatta’s gains!” But those who had faith and wisdom said: “It could not be an evil act on the part of the master to have the facts about Devadatta made public in Rājagaha.”

Prince Ajātasattu

After he has been declared a monk whose acts and words were disavowed by the Saṅgha, Devadatta thought: “Now the monk Gotama has repudiated me, I will do what is harmful to his welfare.” So he went to Prince Ajātasattu and said: “Prince, people in ancient times lived long but nowadays people are short-lived. There is the possibility of your death even as a prince, so you must kill your father now and become king. I also will kill the Buddha and become the Buddha.”

Prince Ajātasattu thought: “Ven. Devadatta is a powerful person. He says so perhaps because he has a reason for saying so.” So he tied a dagger to his thigh; shaking with fear, he hurried into the palace in broad daylight. The ministers who guarded the king seized and searched the prince. When they found the dagger tied to his thigh, they asked him what he wanted to do. The prince said that he wanted to kill his father. The ministers again asked him at whose instigation he tried to kill the king. The prince admitted that Devadatta had incited him. [883]

Then some ministers held the view that the prince and Devadatta and all the monks should be killed. Some contended that the monks should not be killed as they did no wrong and that only the prince and Devadatta should be killed. Still the rest of the ministers maintained that the prince and Devadatta should not be killed nor should the monks be killed, that the matter should be reported to the king and action taken according to the king’s instructions.

Then the ministers took the prince to the king and informed him of the prince’s attempt to kill him. The king asked them about their views and the ministers stated their three different views. The king said: “How can the Fortunate One or the Dhamma or the Saṅgha be guilty of any offence? They are certainly not guilty. Has not the Fortunate One already declared that Devadatta’s present behaviour is quite different from his former behaviour and has not he publicly disavowed the acts and sayings of Devadatta?” Then the king dismissed the ministers in the first group, demoted the second group of ministers and promoted those in the third group.

Then the king asked his son why he wished to kill him. The prince said that he wanted to become king. King Bimbisāra then said: “Prince, if you want to be a king, then this kingdom is yours,” and he handed over his kingdom there on the spot to Prince Ajātasattu.

As his wish was now fulfilled, Prince Ajātasattu was delighted and he told Devadatta about it. But to incite enmity in the Prince Devadatta he said: “Like a man who covers his drum and hides a fox inside it, you think that you have achieved your object. After two or three days, your father will have a second thought about your impudence and make himself king again.”

The prince asked his teacher what he should do. Devadatta cruelly advised him to kill his father. The prince said that he was not desirable to kill his father with any weapon since he was of royal blood. Devadatta again gave devilish advice that in that case the prince should starve his father to death.

Ajātasattu’s Act of Parricide

King Ajātasattu ordered his father King Bimbisāra to be imprisoned in a very hot and humid iron cage. He did not allow any one except his mother to see the king.

Then Queen Vedehī put some food in a golden bowl and took it into the iron cage. The king ate the food and sustained his life. King Ajātasattu asked how his father managed to keep himself alive and when he heard what his mother was doing, he ordered the ministers not to allow her to enter the cage with food again.

Then the queen hid the food in a knot of her hair and entered the cage. The King ate the food and stayed alive. When King Ajātasattu heard this, he forbade the queen to go into the cage with her hair knotted.

Then the queen put the food in her golden footwear and entered the cage. The king subsisted on the food brought by the queen in her footwear. When Ajātasattu learnt how his father was staying alive, he forbade his mother to visit the king in her footwear.

From that time on, Queen Vedehī bathed herself with fragrant water, coated her body with food made of oil, honey, molasses and butter, and putting on her double robe, she entered the iron cage. The king licked her body and in this way he kept himself alive. When the wicked Ajātasattu heard the news, he imperiously ordered the ministers not to allow his mother to enter the cage under any circumstances.

Thus forbidden to go inside the cage, the queen stood near the door of the cage and cried: “Great King! You, yourself, did not allow this wicked son Ajātasattu to be killed when he was young. You, yourself, raised your own potential enemy. Now, this is the last time that I will see you. From now on, I will not have the opportunity to see you. Forgive me if [884] I have done anything wrong.” Thus muttering and weeping, she went back to her residence.

From that time on, the king had no food to eat. Walking to and fro, he stayed alive only by means of the bliss of the Stream-entry fruition (Sotāpatti-phala) that he had attained. His mind being thus always absorbed in that fruition, the king’s body became very splendid.

The wicked Ajātasattu asked his men how his father managed to survive. His men said that the king kept himself alive by walking to and fro and that he had become more splendid than ever before in his physical appearance. Then King Ajātasattu decided to put an end to the walking exercise of his father and told the barbers to gash the soles of his father’s feet, smear them with oil and salt and broil them before red-hot embers.

When he saw the barbers, King Bimbisāra thought that someone had certainly brought his son to his senses, and that the barbers had come to shave his beard. The barbers approached the king and stood there paying their respects to him. The king asked them about the object of their visit, and they informed him of their purpose. Then the king told them to do according to the desire of their master. The barbers requested the king to sit and, after paying respects to him, they said: “Great King! We have to carry out the order of King Ajātasattu. Do not be angry with us. What we have to do is most inappropriate to a good king like you.” Then holding firmly the soles of his feet with their left hands and sharp razors with their right hands, they gashed the soles, smeared and rubbed them with oil and salt and then broiled them before the red-hot embers.

King Bimbisāra had to endure excruciating pain. Without harbouring any ill-will, he contemplated the wonderful attributes of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. Then withering away like a flower dumped on the shrine platform, he became an attendant of Vessavaṇa Deva King in the Catumahārājika realm, and the supreme commander of the Yakkhas having the name Janavasabha.

Ito satta tato satta, saṁsārāni catuddasa,
nivāsam-abhijānāmi, yattha me vusitaṁ pure.

Here I had seven lives, and there I had seven lives, that is fourteen dwelling places in Saṁsāra that I know of, where I dwelt formerly.

The Remorse of Ajātasattu

On the very day of King Bimbisāra’s death, the wife of the foolish King Ajātasattu gave birth to a son, later called Udāyabhadda. So the two messages, one reporting the birth of a son from the chief of the palace and the other reporting the death of the king’s father, [885] Bimbisāra, came to the palace at the same time.

The ministers considered it advisable to submit first the report of the birth of a son and they did so accordingly. As soon as he read the report there arose in him an intense love for his son that excited his whole body and made him ecstatic to the marrow. At the same time he became aware of his gratitude to his father, thinking that at the time of his birth his father might have also experienced intense love for his son.

King Ajātasattu then ordered his ministers to release his father at once. But the ministers said that it was impossible and submitted the report of the death of King Bimbisāra. On hearing the news, King Ajātasattu wept bitterly, went to his mother and asked her whether there arose intense love in his father at the time of his birth.

Queen Vedehī replied: “You foolish son! What do you say? During your childhood you had a whitlow on your finger. The royal nurses were unable to make you stop crying. In the end they took you to your father who was seated in the court of law. Your father kept your finger in his mouth that was afflicted with the whitlow and due to the warmth of his mouth, the tumour erupted there. Out of great love for you, your father did not spit out the pus mixed with putrid blood lest you should wake up and he swallowed it instead. Your father loved you so very much.” The Queen thus told him at length how his father was greatly attached to him. King Ajātasattu wept bitterly and performed the funeral of his father.

Assassins Sent by Devadatta

Then Devadatta went to King Ajātasattu and asked him to despatch men who would kill the Buddha. The king sent the assassins to Devadatta telling them to follow the instructions of his teacher. Devadatta told the first man: “Man, you go to the place where the monk Gotama is now living. You kill Gotama and come back by this way.”

Then he told a couple of men to kill the first man and come back by another way. Then the third batch of four men was instructed to kill the two men and return by another way. A fourth batch of eight men was instructed to kill the four men and come back by another way. Then still another sixteen men were told to kill the eight men and return by another way.

Armed with a sword and a shield and a bow and a quiver of arrows, the first man went to the Buddha and stood with his body near him, trembling with fear and agitation.

Seeing him, the Buddha said: “Man, come here. Have no fear.” The man got over his fear and put his sword and shield as well as his bow and arrows in a suitable place. Then having approached the Buddha, he bowed his head at the feet of the Buddha and confessed and apologized for his offence. The Buddha forgave him and gave a series of talks on generosity, morality and other good deeds that lead to the attainment of the paths and fruitions. As a result the assassin became a noble Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna-ariya) and at the same time he sought supermundane refuge in the Three Treasures. Then the Buddha dismissed the assassin telling him not to go by the way instructed by Devadatta but to go by another way.

The two assassins of the second batch waited for the first assassin for a long time. Then going in the opposite direction they saw the Buddha seated at the foot of a tree. They went up to the Buddha, paid respects and sat at a proper place. The Buddha gave them a series of Dhamma talks and explained the four truths and established them in the fruition of Stream-entry. Like the first assassin, they too became noble Stream-enterers (Sotāpanna-ariya) and thereby took supermundane refuge in the Three Treasures. [886]

Again, the Buddha dismissed these assassins, telling them to go by another way. Then the four assassins of the third batch, then the eight assassins of the fourth batch, the sixteen assassins of the fifth batch waited for the eight assassins for a long time and going in the opposite direction, they saw the Buddha as did those who went before them. They paid respects to the Buddha and sat at a proper place. The Buddha gave them a Dhamma talk on the four truths and established them in the fruition of Stream-entry. After they had gained supermundane refuge in the Three Treasures, the Buddha dismissed the men, telling them to go back by another way.

Then the first assassin approached Devadatta and said: “Sir, I cannot kill the exalted Buddha. He is so very powerful.” Devadatta said: “Enough then! Do not kill the monk Gotama. I will kill him myself.”

After having helped the assassins to gain Stream-entry, the Buddha was one day walking to and fro in the shadow of the Gijjhakūṭa Hill. Then Devadatta climbed the hill and rolled down a large rock with the intention of killing him. As it rolled down, two promontories appeared automatically and blocked the rock. A slither of the rock flew off and caused blood to flow on the foot of the Buddha.

The Buddha looked up and said to Devadatta: “You foolish man, you can now make no spiritual progress! You have caused my blood to flow with ill-will and murderous intent. You have done much evil.”

Then the Buddha said to the monks: “Monks, Devadatta has done this first heinous act having immediate result upon death (anantariya-kamma) because he spilled my blood with ill-will and murderous intent.”

The monks carried the Buddha to the monastery in Maddakucchi Park. There the Buddha expressed his desire to go to the monastery in Jīvaka’s Mango Grove and told the monks to take him there. Accordingly, the monks took him there.

On hearing the news, the great physician Jīvaka went to the Buddha and applied a highly potent medicine to the wound. Having bandaged the wound, he told the Buddha to keep the bandage intact until his return from his visit to a patient in the city. After calling on the patient and doing the needful for him, the physician came back but did not reach the city before the gate was closed.

Then the physician Jīvaka thought: “I have applied a powerful medicine to the foot of the exalted Buddha and bandaged the wound treating him like an ordinary patient. I have made a grave mistake. This is the time to untie the bandage. If the bandage is not untied, he will suffer intense pain the whole night.” So thinking, Jīvaka was very worried. At that moment, the Buddha called Ānanda and said: “Ānanda, the physician Jīvaka came back after dark and could not reach the city gate before it was closed. He is worried because now is the time to untie the bandage. Untie the bandage immediately.” Ven. Ānanda removed the bandage and the wound was gone, like bark detached from a tree.

As soon as the city-gate was opened, Jīvaka hurried to the Buddha even before dawn and asked him whether he suffered any pain. The Buddha said: “Jīvaka, I have overcome all pain since I gained Supreme Awakening under the Bodhi tree,” and then he taught the following verse (Dhp 90):

Gataddhino visokassa, vippamuttassa sabbadhi,
sabba-ganthappahīnassa, pariḷāho na vijjati.

Jīvaka! There is absolutely no sorrow, no suffering in the Arahat who has been liberated from Saṁsāra, who has gone to the other shore of Saṁsāra, who is free from all grief, who has no attachment whatsoever to all things including the body, etc., the one who has removed all his fetters. [887]

By the end of the discourse, many living beings gained the Stream-entry and so forth.

Many monks, who heard the report about Devadatta’s attempt to kill the Buddha, surrounded the residence of the Buddha in one ring after another. They recited the scriptures loudly and walked up and down to guard, protect and ensure the security of the Buddha.

On hearing their recitation and the noise of their movement the Buddha asked Ven. Ānanda, in spite of his knowledge, and when he told him about the vigilant monks, he summoned the monks and said:

Aṭṭhānam-etaṁ, bhikkhave, anavakāso, yaṁ parūpakkamena Tathāgataṁ jīvitā voropeyya. Anupakkamena, bhikkhave, Tathāgatā parinibbāyanti.

Monks, it is wholly impossible for anyone to kill the Buddha. He added that it was impossible for any one to kill a Buddha and that Buddhas always attained Nibbāna, and could not be killed beforehand.

Then the Buddha said to them, as he did to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna on one occasion, that there are five kinds of teachers in the world, that only these kinds of teachers need the protection of their disciples, that, as for the Buddha, he truly claimed pure morality, pure livelihood, pure teaching, pure speech and pure intellectual vision as he had all these virtues and therefore, he did not need the protection of his disciples. Finally the Buddha said to the monks: “Monks, go back to your own abode. The Buddhas are not beings whose security depends on other people’s protection.”

Nāḷāgiri the Elephant

Due to the treatment given by the physician Jīvaka, the Buddha recovered his fitness and as before, he went about in the glory of a great Buddha, surrounded by monks. On seeing the Buddha, Devadatta thought: “It is impossible for any men to approach and kill the monk Gotama when he sees him in the glow of his physical body at its zenith. But King Ajātasattu’s elephant, Nāḷāgiri, is vicious, wild and homicidal. He does not know any good thing about the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. Only that wild Nāḷāgiri can kill the monk Gotama.” So he went to the king and told him about his plan.

King Ajātasattu agreed to his plan. He summoned the mahout and ordered him to intoxicate Nāḷāgiri the elephant and send him out the next morning along the same way the Buddha was taking. King Ajātasattu had it announced by the beat of drum in the city that all citizens should do their business early the next morning and avoid going about in the streets as Nāḷāgiri [888] would be intoxicated and would be sent into the city.

Devadatta also left the palace, went to the elephant-shed and told the mahouts: “Men, we are the king’s teachers who can have the king’s servants promoted or demoted in their work. If you want to be promoted, then give the elephant sixteen pots of very potent liquor early in the morning and when the monk Gotama comes into the city, incite and enrage the animal with goads and spears. Let the elephant break open the shed, rush in the direction of the monk Gotama and kill him.” The mahouts agreed to follow his instructions.

The news spread throughout the whole city. The Buddha’s lay devotees who adored the Three Treasures approached the Buddha and said: “Exalted Buddha, in collaboration with the king, Devadatta will send the wild elephant, Nāḷāgiri, tomorrow along the same way by which you are coming. Do not come into the city for alms tomorrow but stay here in Veḷuvana monastery. We will offer meals to you and the monks in the monastery.”

The Buddha did not say that he would not go into the city for alms. But he decided to teach the wild elephant the next day, perform the miracle (pāṭihāriya) of the teaching, subdue the heretics, and without going about for alms in Rājagaha, return to Veḷuvana with monks from the city.

The Buddha knew that the lay followers in Rājagaha would bring many pots and bowls of food and that he could have his meal in the monastery. For this reason the Buddha accepted the invitation of the laymen. Knowing very well the acceptance of their invitation by the Buddha, the laymen decided to bring and offer food at the monastery and went away.

The Buddha taught the monks in the first watch of the night and answered the questions of Devas and Brahmas in the second watch. The third watch was divided into three periods. In the first period, the Buddha lay down on his right side like a lion-king. In the second, he was absorbed in the Arahat fruition. In the third, he was filled with infinite compassion, and after arising from that state, he surveyed the worthy beings, and saw Nāḷāgiri. The Buddha saw clearly that when he taught the elephant, 840,000 beings would realize the four truths and become liberated. So, after cleaning his body at dawn, he called Ven. Ānanda and said: “Ānanda, tell all the monks who live in the eighteen monasteries around Rājagaha to come with me into the city.”

Ven. Ānanda acted according to the instructions of the Buddha. All the monks assembled in the Veḷuvana monastery. The Buddha entered Rājagaha surrounded by many monks.

Then the mahouts carried out the instructions of King Ajātasattu and Devadatta. There was a very large gathering of people. At the meeting those who had faith in the Buddha said: “Today, there will be a battle between the two bull elephants, the Buddha and Nāḷāgiri. We will witness clearly the admonition of the animal bull, Nāḷāgiri, by the Buddha bull.” So saying they climbed the turreted and unturreted mansions, house roofs, etc., to wait and see the battle.

But as for the heretics, who had no faith in the Buddha, they said: “This Nāḷāgiri elephant [889] is vicious, violent and homicidal. He does not know anything good about the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. Today he will destroy the bright, yellow and golden body of the monk Gotama and terminate his life. Today we will clearly see the end of our enemy.” So saying, they climbed the turreted and non-turreted mansions, house roofs, etc. and waited there.

When Nāḷāgiri the elephant saw the Buddha coming, it rushed towards the Buddha like a moving mountain with its trunk raised, his ears and tails set upright, scaring the people, destroying the houses and crushing the carts to pieces.

When the monks saw the elephant rushing, they said to the Buddha: “Exalted Buddha, the wild, vicious and homicidal Nāḷāgiri is coming this way. This animal does not know anything good about the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. We want the exalted Buddha, the Gracious One, to step aside and keep off the way along which the elephant is coming.” Then the Buddha said: “Monks! Have no fear! I can tame Nāḷāgiri.”

Then Ven. Sāriputta said: “Exalted Buddha, it is the duty of the eldest son to attend to any matter that concerns his father. Let me tame the elephant.” But the Buddha turned down his request, saying: “Sāriputta, the power of the Buddha is one thing and the power of the disciples is a different matter. You need not take any trouble for me.” Most of the 80 great disciples made the same request but the Buddha did not give his consent.

Then, because of his great love for the Buddha, Ven. Ānanda could no longer restrain himself. He came forward and stood in front of the master, bent on sacrificing his life for him and allowing himself to be the first trampled to death by the elephant. The Buddha said: “Keep back, Ānanda. Do not come and stand in front of me.” Ven. Ānanda replied: “Exalted Buddha, this elephant is vicious, wild and homicidal. It is like the fire that destroys the world. Let it come to you after first trampling me to death.” The Buddha dissuaded Ven. Ānanda three times but the latter persisted in standing before him. Finally, he had to remove him by his psychic power and put him back amongst the monks.

At that moment, a child’s mother saw the elephant and fearful of death, she fled, abandoning the child from her bosom on the ground between the Buddha and the elephant. Nāḷāgiri pursued the woman but being unable to overtake her, it turned back and approached the child. The Buddha focused his loving-kindness specifically (odissaka-mettā) on the elephant and in a very sweet voice of a Brahma-king, he said: “Nāḷāgiri, they served you sixteen pots of liquor and made you drunk not to catch any other being, but verily to kill me. So do not go about harassing pedestrians. Come straight to where I am.” In this way the master invited the elephant.

On hearing the sweet words of the Buddha, the wild Nāḷāgiri opened both his eyes and saw the glorious body of the Buddha. He was shocked, and owing to the power of the Buddha, he became sober and dropping his trunk and flapping his ears, he went up to him and crouched at his feet.

Then the Buddha said: “Nāḷāgiri, you are an animal and I am a Buddha. From now on, do not be vicious, violent and homicidal. Try to cultivate loving-kindness towards all living beings.” The Buddha stretched his right hand, and stroking the forehead of the elephant, he spoke the following two verses (Ja 533):

Mā kuñjara nāgam-āsado,
dukkhañ-hi kuñjara nāgam-āsado, [890]
na hi Nāga-hatassa kuñjara
sugati, hoti ito paraṁ yato.

O, Elephant Nāḷāgiri! Do not approach with murderous intent, with the desire to kill the Buddha who has never done any evil. To approach the Buddha with murderous intent is an evil that will lead to suffering. There is absolutely no possibility of good rebirth in the Deva or human worlds after the death of anyone who wants to hurt or kill the Buddha.

Mā ca mado mā ca pamādo,
na hi pamattā sugatiṁ vajanti te,
tvañ-ñeva tathā karissasi,
yena tvaṁ Sugatiṁ gamissasi.

O, Elephant Nāḷāgiri! Do not be conceited. Do not be unmindful of the ten good deeds. Those, who are unmindful of the ten good deeds, do not have good rebirth in Deva and human worlds. You will have to do such good deeds as will ensure good rebirth.

The elephant Nāḷāgiri was overwhelmed with ecstasy. If he had not been an elephant, he would have attained the fruition of Stream-entry on the spot.

On seeing this miracle, the people gave a resounding ovation. They clapped their hands and joyously threw various ornaments over the elephant as their rewards. The ornaments covered nearly the whole body of the elephant and from that time he came to be known as Dhanapāla. At the time when Dhanapāla was tamed by the Buddha, 84,000 beings had the opportunity to sample the Dhamma, the elixir of the deathless.

The Buddha established the elephant in the five precepts. The elephant gently collected the dust at the master’s feet, scattered it over his head and stepped back on its knees. He stepped at the last place within sight of the Buddha and after paying respects entered the elephant-shed. From that time he became a docile, good tempered and very tame elephant and did not harm any being for the rest of his life.

Having his wish fulfilled, the Buddha resolved that the ornaments that had accumulated be returned to their owners. He thought: “Today, I have performed a great miracle and so it is not advisable for me to go about in the city for food.” Having thus subdued the heretics, he left Rājagaha city and returned to the Veḷuvana monastery, surrounded by monks like a triumphant king back from the battlefield. The citizens went to the monastery with much food and offered alms lavishly. They sang the following song joyously (Cv, PTS 2.196):

Daṇḍeneke damayanti, aṅkusehi kasāhi ca,
adaṇḍena asatthena, nāgo danto mahesinā.

Some animal trainers train elephants, horses and cattle by beating them violently with iron spikes, sticks, spears, goads, hooks and canes. As for the Buddha, he tamed the elephant Nāḷāgiri without using any destructive weapon and removed his violent temper through loving-kindness.

Decline of Devadatta

Devadatta’s attempt on the life of the Buddha caused a big outcry among the people. They loudly blamed King Ajātasattu, saying: “It was Devadatta who caused the death of our King Bimbisāra. It was Devadatta who sent the assassins. It was he who rolled down the rock; and now he has sent the elephant Nāḷāgiri to kill the master. Yet such an evil man is appointed teacher by King Ajātasattu who goes about with him.”

When King Ajātasattu heard the people’s reproach, he ordered the withdrawal of his regular offer of 500 pots of food to Devadatta and he stopped going to see his former teacher. The citizens, too, ceased to offer any food to Devadatta who visited their houses for alms. [891]

His gains having dwindled day by day, Devadatta decided to do something dramatic and spectacular for his living. He went to the Buddha and said: “Exalted Buddha, I beg you to lay down the following rules for the monks:

Then the Buddha said: “Devadatta, your demands are not proper or reasonable.

Schism

Devadatta was delighted when the Buddha refused to comply with his five demands. Together with his followers, Kokālika, Kaṭamodaka Tissaka, the son of Queen Khaṇḍā, and Samuddadatta, he rose, paid respects to the Buddha, and went away.

Then Devadatta went to Rājagaha with his followers and propagated their doctrine. They told the people that the Buddha had rejected what they regarded as their reasonable demands for five rules that would contribute to non-attachment, etc. and that they, on their part, would live in accordance with those five rules.

People who lacked faith and intelligence extolled Devadatta and blamed the Buddha. Those who had faith and intelligence criticized Devadatta for trying to create a schism in the Saṅgha and undermine the authority of the Buddha. The monks, who heard the people’s words, also criticized Devadatta and reported to the Buddha.

Then the Buddha called a meeting of the Saṅgha in connection with the matter reported by the monks and in the presence of all monks, he asked: “Devadatta, is it true that you are trying to create a schism in the Saṅgha and destroy its authority?” Devadatta replied: “Yes, venerable sir!”

Then the Buddha said: “Devadatta, what you are doing is not proper. Do not wish to see dissension in the Saṅgha. One who causes a schism in the Saṅgha bears a very grave responsibility. One who causes a schism in a united Saṅgha commits an evil that will last one whole aeon (kappa). He will also suffer in hell for all that time.

Devadatta, one who restores unity to a disunited Saṅgha commits a good deed and enjoys life in the Deva realm for one whole aeon. Devadatta, what you are doing is not proper. Do not wish to see dissension in the Saṅgha. One who causes a schism in the Saṅgha bears a very grave responsibility.”

Although the Buddha thus admonished him, Devadatta did not give up his attempt and carried out the preliminary plan for the schism. The next day, he decided to perform the Observance Day (Uposatha) service and acts of the Saṅgha (Saṅgha-kamma) separately. In the morning, he approached Ven. Ānanda who came into Rājagaha for alms, and he said: “Dear Ānanda, from today I will perform the Observance Day service and acts of Saṅgha without the Buddha and his monks.”

When Ven. Ānanda reported the matter to the Buddha, he breathed forth the following verse (Ud 5.8):

Sukaraṁ sādhunā sādhuṁ, sādhuṁ pāpena dukkaraṁ,
pāpaṁ pāpena sukaraṁ, pāpam-ariyehi dukkaraṁ.

It is easy for a good man to do a good deed, it is hard for an evil man to do a good deed, it is easy for an evil man to do an evil deed, [893] it is hard for a good man to do an evil deed.

Then on that Observance Day, Devadatta rose from his seat in the assembly of monks and said that the monk Gotama had rejected his demand for five rules that would lead to non-attachment, and so on, but that he would abide by the five rules and that those who liked the rules should vote for them. The votes were taken and the 500 young monks of Vajji country who lived in Vesālī and who were ignorant of the Vinaya teaching voted for the rules as they thought that the rules represented the Dhamma, Vinaya and the sayings of the Buddha. Devadatta took the 500 monks and went to Gayāsīsa.

Sending the Two Chief Disciples

Then Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Mahā Moggallāna, the two chief disciples, went to the Buddha and Ven. Sāriputta and informed him of Devadatta’s schismatic defection and his departure for Gayāsīsa with 500 monks. The Buddha reproached them for having no compassion for the young monks and urged them to go and save the monks from spiritual ruin. The two elders promised to do so and after paying respect to the Buddha they left for Gayāsīsa.

Then a monk came and stood crying near the Buddha. The Buddha asked him why he was crying. The monk said that the two chief disciples of his, Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Moggallāna, had gone to Devadatta, presumably because they preferred Devadatta’s teaching. Then the Buddha said: “Monk, there is absolutely no reason why Sāriputta and Moggallāna should like Devadatta’s teaching. In fact, they have gone there in order to enlighten the 500 young monks who have become Devadatta’s followers.”

At that time, Devadatta was seated teaching in the midst of many of his followers. When he saw from afar the two elders coming, he said to the young monks: “Monks look over there! I have proclaimed my doctrine very well. Even the monk Gotama’s chief disciples, Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Moggallāna prefer my teaching, and they are now coming over to join me.”

Then the monk Kokālika, one of the leaders of his sect, warned Devadatta: “Friend Devadatta, do not associate with Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Moggallāna. They have evil desires and they follow their evil desires.” But Devadatta said: “Friend, you should not say like this. Their coming here is good for us because it is motivated by their appreciation of my teaching.”

When the two Venerables came near, Devadatta said: “Come, Ven. Sāriputta, sit here,” and offered to share his seat with him. But Ven. Sāriputta refused to accept his offer and took his seat in a suitable place, as did Ven. Moggallāna.

Having taught the monks the whole night, Devadatta said to Ven. Sāriputta: “Friend Sāriputta, the monks are free from sloth and torpor. You carry on with your talk on the Dhamma. My neck is stiff and cramped. Let me stretch my back.” Here he imitated the Buddha in the way he urged Ven. Sāriputta to take over the teaching.

Ven. Sāriputta agreed. After spreading his big fourfold double robe, Devadatta lay down on his right side. As he was tired, unmindful and devoid of intelligence, he instantly fell asleep.

Then Ven. Sāriputta taught the 500 young monks first by making them aware of their own mental states (ādesanā-pāṭihāriya). This was followed by his pointing out the things that they should avoid and the things that they should practise (anusāsāni-pāṭihāriya). Ven. Mahā Moggallāna taught them first by performing miracles (iddhi-pāṭihāriya) and then telling them what to avoid and what to follow. Therefore the 500 young monks gained the fruition of Stream-entry right then and there and became noble Stream-enterers (Sotāpanna-ariya).

After the 500 young monks had become noble Stream-enterers, Ven. Sāriputta told them that he and Ven. Moggallāna would return to the Buddha and that those who liked his teaching might go along with them. All the monks [894] followed them and, travelling through the air by their psychic power, they reached Veḷuvana.

After the two chief disciples had gone away with the 500 young monks, Kokālika, a teacher of the sect, woke Devadatta up by hitting his chest with his knee and saying: “Get up, Devadatta! Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Moggallāna have taken away the young monks. Have I not told you that you should not associate with them, that they have evil desires and that they follow their evil desires?” Then Devadatta vomited hot blood on the spot.

Birth Stories concerning Devadatta

When the monks living in the Veḷuvana monastery saw Ven. Sāriputta returning with the 500 monks, they said to the Buddha: “Exalted Buddha, when Ven. Sāriputta left for Gayāsīsa, he had only Ven. Mahā Moggallāna as his companion. Now on his return from there he has so many followers and is indeed glorious.”

The Buddha said: “Monks, it is not only now that Sāriputta is glorious. When he came back to me as an animal in a previous life he was also glorious.” and he recounted the Birth Story about the Deer named Lakkhaṇa (Lakkhaṇa-miga-jātaka, Ja 11).

Again, when the monks reported that Devadatta imitated the Buddha by trying to preach like a exalted Buddha with the two chief disciples on the right and left side, the Buddha said: “Monks, it is not only now; also a long time ago Devadatta tried to imitate me but it was in vain.” Then the Buddha told them the Birth Story about the Hero Crow Vīrika (Vīraka-jātaka, Ja 204).

On the following days, too, the Buddha narrated the Birth Story about the Woodpecker Kandagalaka (Kanda-galaka-jātaka, Ja 210) in connection with Devadatta.

Again the Birth Story about the Quick Bird and a Lion (Sakuṇa-jātaka, Ja 308) was recounted in connection with Devadatta’s ingratitude.

Then in connection with Devadatta’s attempt to kill the Buddha, he told the Birth Story about the Antelope (Kuruṅga-miga-jātaka, Ja 21) and others.

Then one day the monks were talking about Devadatta’s downfall in respect to the offerings he received from the laity and in respect of his spiritual life when the Buddha said: “Monks, it is not only now that Devadatta had his downfall. He had it also long ago,” and he narrated the Birth Story about Falling Both Ways (Ubhato-bhaṭṭha-jātaka, Ja 139), etc.

Here is a short list of Birth Stories (Jātaka) which the Buddha recounted in connection with Devadatta:

Book of the Ones:
the Birth Story about the Merchant from Seri (Serivāṇi-jātaka, Ja 3)
the Birth Story about the Deer named Lakkhaṇa (Lakkhaṇa-jātaka, Ja 11)
the Birth Story about the Antelope (Kuruṅga-miga-jātaka, Ja 21)
the Birth Story about One with Great Virtue (Sīlava-jātaka, Ja 51)
the Birth Story about the Lord of the Monkeys (Vānarinda-jātaka, Ja 57)
the Birth Story about the Three Things (Tayo-dhamma-jātaka, Ja 58)
the Birth Story about the Assertion of Truth (Saccaṅkira-jātaka, Ja 73)
the Birth Story about the Deceitful Jackal (Sigāla-jātaka, Ja 113)
the Birth Story about the Fool (Dummedha-jātaka, Ja 122)
the Birth Story about the Miser (Asampadāna-jātaka, Ja 131)
the Birth Story about Falling Both Ways (Ubhato-bhaṭṭha-jātaka, Ja 139)
the Birth Story about the Jackal (Sigāla-jātaka, Ja 142)
the Birth Story about Shining Forth (Virocana-jātaka, Ja 143)
the Birth Story about the Young Brahmin Sañjīva (Sañjīva-jātaka, Ja 150).

Book of the Twos:
the Birth Story about the Crossbreed (Vinīlaka-jātaka, Ja 160)
the Birth Story about the Treacherous Monkey (Dubbhiya-makkaṭa-jātaka, Ja 174)
the Birth Story about the Jewel Thief (Maṇi-cora-jātaka, Ja 194)
the Birth Story about the Hero Crow Vīrika (Vīraka-jātaka, Ja 204)
the Birth Story about the Antelope (Kuruṅga-miga-jātaka, Ja 206)
the Birth Story about the Murderous Crocodile (Suṁsumāra-jātaka, Ja 208)
the Birth Story about the Woodpecker Kandagalaka (Kanda-galaka-jātaka, Ja 210)
the Birth Story about the Family Priest Dhammaddhaja (Dhammaddhaja-jātaka, Ja 220)
the Birth Story about the Renunciant’s Robe (Kāsāva-jātaka, Ja 221)
the Birth Story about the Monkey Little Nanda (Cūḷa-nandiya-jātaka, Ja 222)
the Birth Story about the Crocodile (Kumbhīla-jātaka, Ja 224)
the Birth Story about the Shoes (Upāhana-jātaka, Ja 231)
the Birth Story about the Unjust King Mahā Piṅgala (Mahā-piṅgala-jātaka, Ja 240)
the Birth Story about the Jackal Sabbadāṭhi (Sabba-dāṭhi-jātaka, Ja 241)
the Birth Story about the Heavenly Musician Guttila (Guttila-jātaka, Ja 243).

Book of the Threes:
the Birth Story about the Feathered One (Romaka-jātaka, Ja 277)
the Birth Story about eating Jambu Plums (Jambu-khādaka-jātaka, Ja 294).

Book of the Fours:
the Birth Story about the Quick Bird and a Lion (Sakuṇa-jātaka, Ja 308)
the Birth Story about the One who Spoke of Forbearance (Khantivādī-jātaka, Ja 313)
the Birth Story about the Heavenly Flower (Kakkāru-jātaka, Ja 326)
the Birth Story about the Black Monkey Kālabāhu (Kāḷa-bāhu-jātaka, Ja 329)
the Birth Story about the Jackal who played the Lion (Jambuka-jātaka, Ja 335)
and the Birth Story about the Clever Monkey (Vānara-jātaka, Ja 342).

Book of the Fives:
the Short Birth Story about Prince Dhammapāla (Cūḷa-dhammapāla-jātaka, Ja 358)
the Birth Story about the Mynah Bird (Sāḷiya-jātaka, Ja 367).

Book of the Sevens:
the Birth Story about the Disobedient Monkey (Kapi-jātaka, Ja 404)
the Birth Story about the Attendant Parantapa (Parantapa-jātaka, Ja 416).

Book of the Eights:
the Birth Story about the King of Cetiya (Cetiya-jātaka, Ja 422).

Book of the Nines:
the Birth Story about the Wise Partridge (Tittira-jātaka, Ja 438).

Book of the Tens:
the Birth Story about Nigrodha the Orphan (Nigrodha-jātaka, Ja 445)
the Birth Story about the Undeceived Chicken (Kukkuṭa-jātaka, Ja 448).

Book of the Elevens:
the Birth Story about the Devaputta named Dhamma (Dhamma-deva-putta-jātaka, Ja 457).

Book of the Twelves:
the Birth Story about the Merchant who Travelled the Ocean (Samudda-vāṇija-jātaka, Ja 466). [895]

Book of the Thirteens:
the Birth Story about the Mango (Amba-jātaka, Ja 474)
the Birth Story about the King of the Ruru Deer (Ruru-miga-rāja-jātaka, Ja 482).

Book of the Miscellaneous Numbers:
the Birth Story about the Kinnarī Canda (Canda-kinnarī-jātaka, Ja 485).

Book of the Twenties:
the Birth Story about the Thieving Parrot Sattigumba (Satti-gumba-jātaka, Ja 503)
the Birth Story about Prince Somanassa (Somanassa-jātaka, Ja 505).

The Last Days of Devadatta

Thus while residing in Rājagaha, the Buddha recounted many Birth Stories (Jātaka) concerning Devadatta and then he went to Sāvatthī where he dwelt in the Jetavana monastery.

Having been ill for nine months, Devadatta had the desire to see the Buddha at the last moment. So he told his disciples to take him to the Buddha. But his disciples said: “You went about as the enemy of the Buddha when you were healthy. So we dare not take you to him now.” Then Devadatta said: “My disciples, do not ruin me. As a matter of fact, it was only I who bore grudge against the Buddha. He did not have the slightest grudge against me.” There is this verse in Milindapañha (Mil PTS 410):

Vadhake Devadattamhi, core Aṅgulimālake,
Dhanapāle Rāhule ca, sabbattha sama-mānaso.

My cousin brother, the Buddha, had good-will towards his brother-in-law Devadatta who was bent on killing him, towards Aṅgulimāla the robber who adorned himself with 1,000 fingers, towards Nāḷāgiri the wild elephant, later called Dhanapāla, towards his own son, Rāhula and towards all living beings equally.

“Take me now to my brother, the exalted Buddha.” Thus Devadatta again and again entreated them to let him see the Buddha. Then his disciples laid him on a couch and carried him to Sāvatthī where the Buddha was staying. When the monks heard the news that Devadatta was coming, they reported to the Buddha. The Buddha said: “Devadatta would not be able to see me in the present existence, under any circumstances, though I may remain here.” The monks were nonplussed and they did not know what to make of the Buddha’s saying. Therefore, again and again they informed him of Devadatta’s arrival at such and such a place. But he still insisted that whatever Devadatta did: “By no means will he see me.”

But, from time to time, the monks reported the progress of Devadatta’s journey saying that he was now one league away from Sāvatthī. That he was now only a mile away and that he was close upon the pond near the Jetavana monastery. Finally the Buddha said: “Devadatta will not see me even though he may get into the Jetavana monastery.”

Devadatta Swallowed by the Earth

The disciples bearing Devadatta laid down the couch on the bank of the pond near the Jetavana monastery and stepped into the pond to bathe. Devadatta sat up on the couch putting his two feet on the ground. Then his feet sank into the earth irresistibly. Down he went, the parts of his body sinking one after another, the ankle, the kneecap, the waist, the chest, and the neck, and the earth had gorged him up to the jaw-bones when he uttered the following verse (Mil PTS 111):

Imehi aṭṭhīhi tam-agga-puggalaṁ,
devātidevaṁ nara-damma-sārathiṁ,
samanta-cakkhuṁ sata-puñña-lakkhaṇaṁ, [896]

pāṇehi Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ upemi.

I, Devadatta, on my death-bed seek refuge in the Fortunate One with these bones and this lingering life-force. With intelligent, noble, joyous mind motivated by the three noble root-conditions I seek refuge in the omniscient Buddha, the supreme one in the world, the all-seeing teacher who can discipline all worthy beings and who possesses the 32 splendid marks of a great man by virtue of his countless good deeds.

After uttering the verse, Devadatta entered the earth and landed in the relentless Avīci hell. It seemed as if he was to suffer relentlessly in the hell because he had wronged the Buddha. In the great Avīci hell, 100 leagues in width, Devadatta’s body was 100 leagues in height. His head was inside an iron pan up to his two ears. The two legs were inside the red-hot iron bottom up to the ankles. He was roasted standing and facing east. An iron stake with the thickness of a palm tree protruding from the west side of the hell-pot pierced right through the middle of Devadatta’s back, came out from the front breast and went into the east side of the hell-pot. Another iron stake came out of the south side of the hell-pot, passed through Devadatta’s right side, came out from the left side and went into the north side of the hell-pot. Still another iron stake came from the iron pan, pierced right through the top of the head, came out of the bottom and went into the iron floor under the hell-pot. In this way Devadatta was roasted relentlessly in the great Avīci hell.

Narration of Birth Stories after Devadatta’s Death

After Devadatta was thus swallowed up by the earth, the topic of conversation among the monks was Devadatta’s inability to see the Buddha although he had travelled laboriously 45 leagues for this purpose. The Buddha said that Devadatta was swallowed by the earth also in one of his former lives and told the story of the elephant Sīlava.

When the Bodhisatta was the elephant Sīlava, he put a man who had lost his way on his back and took him to a safe place. Yet the man came back thrice to cut his tusks, and when he went back with the last portion of the tusks he was swallowed up by the earth as soon as he went out of sight of the Bodhisatta. This man, a hunter, named Mittadubbhi became Devadatta (Ja 51).

Then again the Buddha recounted the Birth Story about the One who Spoke of Forbearance (Khantivādī-jātaka, Ja 313) to show how King Kalābu, Devadatta at that time, was gorged by the earth when he wronged the Bodhisatta, recluse Khantivādī.

The Buddha also told the Short Birth Story about Prince Dhammapāla (Cūḷa-dhammapāla-jātaka, Ja 358) in which, as King Mahāpatāpa, Devadatta was swallowed by the earth for having wronged his own son, Cūḷa Dhammapāla, who was the Bodhisatta. [897]

After the death of Devadatta people were overjoyed. They set up all kinds of flags and banana plants, etc, and placed pots full of water and celebrated their riddance of Devadatta. When this was reported to the Buddha by the monks, he said that in ancient times, too, the death of Devadatta delighted many people. To illustrate his saying, the Buddha recited the Birth Story about the Unjust King Mahāpiṅgala (Mahā-piṅgala-jātaka, Ja 240) in which people rejoiced at the death of the evil King Piṅgala in Bārāṇasī.

The monks asked the Buddha about the afterlife of Devadatta. The Buddha said that he had landed in Avīci hell. The monks said: “Exalted Buddha, Devadatta had to suffer much in the present life and now at the end of this life also he has landed in a world of much suffering.”

Then the Buddha said: “Yes, monks, that is true. All beings whether monks or laymen who are unmindful in respect of good deeds have to suffer in the present life and the afterlife.” And the Buddha uttered the following verse (Dhp 17):

Idha tappati pecca tappati,
pāpa-kārī ubhayattha tappati,
pāpaṁ me katanti tappati,
bhiyyo tappati duggatiṁ gato.

Monks, the man who does evil has to suffer because of the effect of his evil act. He has to suffer both in the present life and the afterlife. Stricken by his conscience: “I have done an evil deed,” he has to grieve in the present life. When he lands in the lower, evil world after his death, he has to grieve extremely because of the effect of his deed.

By the end of the discourse many beings became noble Stream-enterers (Sotāpanna-ariya), and higher, and the discourse was beneficial to many people. [898]