Those Who Do Not Deserve The Stained Robe & The Virtuous Deserve The Stained Robe
The Story of Devadatta
Chapter 1: Twin Verses • Verse 10
The Story of Devadatta
Chapter 1: Twin Verses • Verse 10
But whoever is purged of depravity, well-established in virtues and filled with self-control and truthfulness, he indeed is worthy of the yellow robe.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha spoke these verses with reference to Devadatta. On a certain occasion the two Chief Disciples, each with a retinue of five hundred monks, took leave of the Buddha and went from Jetavana to Rajagaha. The residents of Rajagaha gave alms to the visiting monks in accordance with local custom.
One day, Venerable Sariputta said, in making the Address of Thanksgiving, "Lay brethren, one man himself gives alms, but does not urge another to give; that man receives in future births the blessing of wealth, but not the blessing of a retinue. Another man urges his neighbour to give, but does not himself give; that man receives in future births the blessing of a retinue, but not the blessing of wealth. Another man neither himself gives alms nor urges others to give; in future births that man receives not so much as a bellyful of sour rice-gruel, but is forlorn and destitute. Yet another both himself gives alms and urges his neighbour to give; that man, in future births in a hundred states of existence, in a thousand states of existence, in a hundred thousand states of existence, receives both the blessing of wealth and the blessing of a retinue." Thus did Venerable Sariputta preach the law.
One person invited the Venerable to take a meal with him the next day. For the alms-giving, someone handed over a piece of cloth worth one hundred thousand to the organizers of the ceremony, instructing them to use the proceeds if there were a shortage of funds, or otherwise to offer the cloth to any monk they thought fit.
Since there was no shortage, the cloth was to be given to a monk. Because the two Chief Disciples visited Rajagaha only occasionally, the cloth was offered to Devadatta, who was a permanent resident there.
Some said, "Let us give it to the Venerable Sariputta." Others said, "The Venerable Sariputta comes and goes, but Devadatta is our constant companion, both on festival days and on ordinary days, ever ready like a water-pot. Let us give it to him." After a long discussion, it was decided by a majority to give the robe to Devadatta.
Devadatta cut the cloth in two, fashioned it, dyed it, and wore one part as an undergarment and the other as an upper garment as he walked about.
When people saw him wearing the new robe, they said, "This robe does not befit Devadatta, but befits the Venerable Sariputta. Devadatta is going about wearing garments which do not befit him." Said the Buddha, "Monks, this is not the first time Devadatta has worn robes unbecoming to him; in a previous existence also he wore robes which did not befit him." So saying, he related the following story.
Once, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benares, there lived an elephant-hunter who made his living by killing elephants. In a certain forest several thousand elephants found pasture. One day, when they went into the forest, they saw some Private Buddhas, and from that day, both going and coming, they knelt before the Private Buddhas before proceeding on their way.
The elephant-hunter observed this and thought, "I too ought to get a yellow robe." So he went to a pool used by a certain Private Buddha, and while the latter was bathing, stole his robe from the bank.
He then sat on the elephants' path with a spear in hand and the robe drawn over his head. The elephants, taking him for a Private Buddha, paid obeisance to him as they passed. The elephant that came last he killed with a thrust of his spear, taking the tusks and valuable parts and burying the rest.
Later, the Future Buddha was reborn as an elephant and became the leader and lord of the herd. The hunter continued the same tactics. Noticing his herd shrinking, the Buddha asked where the elephants were going, but none knew.
Suspecting the figure in the yellow robe, he sent the other elephants ahead and himself walked slowly at the rear to investigate.
When the rest had passed, the hunter saw the leader approaching and threw his spear, but the Buddha stepped back to avoid it. Realizing this was the killer of his kinsmen, he sprang forward to seize the man, who jumped behind a tree and crouched down.
Thinking to encircle both the hunter and the tree with his trunk and dash him to the ground, the elephant was stopped when the hunter removed the yellow robe and showed it to him.
Seeing the robe, the Great Being thought, "If I offend against this man, the reverence which thousands of Buddhas, Private Buddhas, and Arahats feel toward this robe will be lost." So he restrained his anger and asked, "Was it you who killed all these kinsmen of mine?" "Yes, master," replied the hunter.
"Why did you do so wicked a deed? You have put on robes that befit those free from passion but are unbecoming to you. In doing this, you have committed a grievous sin," the elephant rebuked him, and let him go.
The Buddha then identified the characters: "At that time the elephant-hunter was Devadatta, and the noble elephant who rebuked him was I myself. Monks, this is not the first time Devadatta has worn a robe which was unbecoming to him."
The Story of Devadatta
Chapter 1: Twin Verses • Verse 10
But whoever is purged of depravity, well-established in virtues and filled with self-control and truthfulness, he indeed is worthy of the yellow robe.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha spoke these verses with reference to Devadatta. On a certain occasion the two Chief Disciples, each with a retinue of five hundred monks, took leave of the Buddha and went from Jetavana to Rajagaha. The residents of Rajagaha gave alms to the visiting monks in accordance with local custom.
One day, Venerable Sariputta said, in making the Address of Thanksgiving, "Lay brethren, one man himself gives alms, but does not urge another to give; that man receives in future births the blessing of wealth, but not the blessing of a retinue. Another man urges his neighbour to give, but does not himself give; that man receives in future births the blessing of a retinue, but not the blessing of wealth. Another man neither himself gives alms nor urges others to give; in future births that man receives not so much as a bellyful of sour rice-gruel, but is forlorn and destitute. Yet another both himself gives alms and urges his neighbour to give; that man, in future births in a hundred states of existence, in a thousand states of existence, in a hundred thousand states of existence, receives both the blessing of wealth and the blessing of a retinue." Thus did Venerable Sariputta preach the law.
One person invited the Venerable to take a meal with him the next day. For the alms-giving, someone handed over a piece of cloth worth one hundred thousand to the organizers of the ceremony, instructing them to use the proceeds if there were a shortage of funds, or otherwise to offer the cloth to any monk they thought fit.
Since there was no shortage, the cloth was to be given to a monk. Because the two Chief Disciples visited Rajagaha only occasionally, the cloth was offered to Devadatta, who was a permanent resident there.
Some said, "Let us give it to the Venerable Sariputta." Others said, "The Venerable Sariputta comes and goes, but Devadatta is our constant companion, both on festival days and on ordinary days, ever ready like a water-pot. Let us give it to him." After a long discussion, it was decided by a majority to give the robe to Devadatta.
Devadatta cut the cloth in two, fashioned it, dyed it, and wore one part as an undergarment and the other as an upper garment as he walked about.
When people saw him wearing the new robe, they said, "This robe does not befit Devadatta, but befits the Venerable Sariputta. Devadatta is going about wearing garments which do not befit him." Said the Buddha, "Monks, this is not the first time Devadatta has worn robes unbecoming to him; in a previous existence also he wore robes which did not befit him." So saying, he related the following story.
Once, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benares, there lived an elephant-hunter who made his living by killing elephants. In a certain forest several thousand elephants found pasture. One day, when they went into the forest, they saw some Private Buddhas, and from that day, both going and coming, they knelt before the Private Buddhas before proceeding on their way.
The elephant-hunter observed this and thought, "I too ought to get a yellow robe." So he went to a pool used by a certain Private Buddha, and while the latter was bathing, stole his robe from the bank.
He then sat on the elephants' path with a spear in hand and the robe drawn over his head. The elephants, taking him for a Private Buddha, paid obeisance to him as they passed. The elephant that came last he killed with a thrust of his spear, taking the tusks and valuable parts and burying the rest.
Later, the Future Buddha was reborn as an elephant and became the leader and lord of the herd. The hunter continued the same tactics. Noticing his herd shrinking, the Buddha asked where the elephants were going, but none knew.
Suspecting the figure in the yellow robe, he sent the other elephants ahead and himself walked slowly at the rear to investigate.
When the rest had passed, the hunter saw the leader approaching and threw his spear, but the Buddha stepped back to avoid it. Realizing this was the killer of his kinsmen, he sprang forward to seize the man, who jumped behind a tree and crouched down.
Thinking to encircle both the hunter and the tree with his trunk and dash him to the ground, the elephant was stopped when the hunter removed the yellow robe and showed it to him.
Seeing the robe, the Great Being thought, "If I offend against this man, the reverence which thousands of Buddhas, Private Buddhas, and Arahats feel toward this robe will be lost." So he restrained his anger and asked, "Was it you who killed all these kinsmen of mine?" "Yes, master," replied the hunter.
"Why did you do so wicked a deed? You have put on robes that befit those free from passion but are unbecoming to you. In doing this, you have committed a grievous sin," the elephant rebuked him, and let him go.
The Buddha then identified the characters: "At that time the elephant-hunter was Devadatta, and the noble elephant who rebuked him was I myself. Monks, this is not the first time Devadatta has worn a robe which was unbecoming to him."