The Khandahala-Jataka
“In Pupphavati once there reigned,” etc. The Teacher, while dwelling on the Gijjhakita mountain, related this story concerning Devadatta. Its substance is contained in the section relating to the sin of causing schisms in the community; it is to be fully known by studying the Tathagata’s conduct from his first becoming an ascetic down to the murder of King Bimbisara. As soon as he had caused him to be killed, Devadatta went to Ajatasattu and said to him, “O king, thy desire has attained its end, but mine has not yet attained it.” He replied, “What is your desire” “TI wish to have Dasabala killed and then myself become Buddha.” ‘Well, what have we to do” “We must collect some archers together.” The king assented and collected five hundred archers, all able to shoot as quick as the lightning, and of these he chose out one-andthirty and sent them to wait on Devadatta, telling them to carry out his commands. He called the chief one amongst them and said to him, “My friend, the ascetic Gotama lives on the Gijjhakita mountain: at a certain time he walks up and down in his place of retirement during the day; do you go: there and wound him with a poisoned arrow, and when you have killed him return hither by such a road.” Then he sent two archers by that road, and said to them, “You will meet a man coming by your road,—kill him and return by such a road.” Then he sent four archers by that road with the same instructions, and after that similarly eight and sixteen. If you ask why he did this, he did it to conceal his own wickedness. So this chief man among the archers bound his sword on his left side and his quiver on his back, and taking his bow made of a ram’s horn went to the Tathagata; but after he had strung his bow to wound him, and fixed the arrow, and pulled the string, he could not discharge it. His whole body became stiff as if it were crushed, and he stood terrified with the fear of death. When the Teacher saw him he spoke in a gentle voice, “Fear not, come hither.” He at once threw down his weapons and fell with his head on the Blessed One’s feet, saying, ‘“‘My lord, sin has overpowered me like a child or a fool or a sinner; I knew not thy virtues, and I came here at the command of that blind dotard Devadatta, to take away thy life: forgive me, I pray.” He gained his pardon and sat down on one side. Then the Teacher revealed the Truths to him and caused him to attain the first grade of sanctification. Then he told him to return by another road than that ordered by Devadatta; and himself came down from his covered walk and sat at the foot of a tree. As the first archer did not return, the two others came along the road to meet him, and wondered why he delayed so long, until at last they saw the Buddha, when they went up to him, and after saluting him sat down on one side of him. Then he revealed the Truths to them also and made them attain the first grade of sanctification, and told them to return by another road than that ordered by Devadatta. In the same way, as the others came up and successively sat down, he established them also in the first grade of sanctification and sent them away by another road. Then the archer who first returned went to Devadatta and said to him, “Master, I was not able to kill the Allwise One, he is the Mighty One, the Blessed One of supernatural powers.” Thus they all recognised that they had saved their lives only through the Allwise One, and they embraced the ascetic life under him, and became arhats. This incident became known in the assembly of the Brotherhood, and one day they began to talk of it in the hall of truth; “Brethren, have you heard how Devadatta, in his enmity against one person, the Blessed One, has tried hard to deprive many people of their lives, and how they all saved their lives through the Teacher” In came the Master and asked, “Brethren, what are you talking of as you sit here” and when they told him, “This is not the first time,” said he; ‘he tried before this to deprive many people of their lives in his enmity against me”; and he told them a story of the past.