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THE DUTIES OF THE BHIKKHU
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the thorough destruction of ill for the doer thereof?’
“ ‘Whether, Sir, they are revealed or not, that is indeed the object for which the Dhamma is taught by the Exalted One.’
“ ‘If then, Sunakkhatta, it matters not to that object whether the beginning of things be revealed, or whether it be not, of what use to you would it be to have the beginning of things revealed ?’
“ ‘In many ways have you, Sunakkhatta, spoken my praises among the Vajjins.’
“ ‘In many ways have you, Sunakkhatta, spoken the praises of the Dhamma among the Vajjins.’
“ ‘In many ways have you, Sunakkhatta, spoken the praises of the Order among the Vajjins.’
“I tell you, Sunakkhatta, I make known to you, that there will be those that shall say concerning you thus: ‘Sunakkhatta of the Licchavis was not able to live the holy life under Gotama the recluse. And he, not being able to adhere to it, hath renounced the discipline and turned to lower things.’
“Thus, Bhaggava, did Sunakkhatta of the Licchavis, addressed by me, depart from this Doctrine and Discipline, as one doomed to disaster.”
And soon after, leaving the Doctrine and Discipline of the Buddha, Sunakkhatta started telling people that there was nothing superhuman about the Buddha’s ennobling gifts of knowledge and insight; that it was his own reasoning which had hammered out a doctrine of his own evolving and of his personal invention, such that whoso hears it preached for his good has only to act up to it to be guided to the utter ending of ill.
Although, Sunakkhatta was slandering the Buddha, what he was telling people was true. For, the Buddha never resorted to the superhuman or the miraculous in propagating his Doctrine.
§ 3. Conversion Not to be by Force
- The Blessed One was once going along the high road between Rajagraha and Nalanda with a great
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