z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 07.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 493
HIS ENEMIES
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“Don’t you recognize me, Yeshodhara? I am Devadatta who loves you.”
“ Devadatta, I knew you to be false and vile. I thought you would make a bad monk, but did not suspect you to be so mean-minded.”
“ Yeshodhara, Yeshodhara, I love you” pleaded Devadatta. “And your husband shows you nothing but contempt. He has been cruel to you. Love me and revenge his cruelty.”
Yeshodhara’s pale and emaciated face became tinged with a purple hue. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Devadatta, it is you who are cruel to me. Even if your love were sincere, it would have been an insult to me. You are simply lying when you say you love me.
“When I was young and pretty you hardly looked at me. Now I am old, broken down by sorrow and anguish, you have come at night to declare your treacherous and guilty love. You are a base coward.”
And she shouted: “ Devadatta, get out from the place,” and Devadatta left the place.
Devadatta was very angry with the Buddha who did not make him the chief in the Sangh and instead made Sariputta and Mogallana the chief men in the Sangh. Devadatta made three attempts on the Buddha’s life, but did not succeed in any of them.
At one time the Blessed One was walking up and down in the shade below the hill called the Vultures Peak (Girdhra Kuta).
Devadatta climbed it up and hurled down a large stone with the intention of depriving the Blessed One of his life, but it fell upon another rock and there it was entombed; only a splinter falling from it made the foot of the Blessed One to bleed.
A second time he made an attempt to take the life of the Buddha.
This time Devadatta went to Prince Ajatasatru and said: “Give me some men.” And Ajatasatru, the prince gave orders to his men : “ Whatsoever the worthy Devadatta tells you, do that.”
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