法華玄論 9.73

9.73

Answer: The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* states: When the Buddha first attained enlightenment, he converted a thousand matted-hair ascetics and later returned to his native country. Although the disciples had attained the stages of the Path, having engaged in ascetic practices for a long time, their complexions were withered and haggard, lacking radiance. The World-Honoured One's royal father then ordered that the noble sons and others in the kingdom should fully provide for them and that they should all be caused to go forth. Devadatta entered the Path at that time without faithful devotion; he only wished to master supernormal powers and did not wish to seek the Buddha's Path. After attaining powers, he subsequently lost them. He sought disciples, but the Buddha did not permit it; thereupon he went on to commit the deadly sins. First he caused a schism in the Saṅgha: because a person who breaks the precepts cannot cause a schism in the Saṅgha, we know that before committing other offenses he first caused a schism in the Saṅgha. After causing a schism in the Saṅgha, he next rolled down a boulder to crush the Buddha; the Vajra deity struck the stone with his pestle, and the broken stone injured the Buddha's great toe, causing blood to flow; therefore, he next drew blood from the Buddha's body. The bhikṣuṇī Utpalavarṇā had attained the fruit of an arhat; seeing that he had injured the Buddha's toe, she reprimanded him, and Devadatta struck the bhikṣuṇī with his fist; blood gushed from the nun's eyes and she died; therefore, he next killed an arhat. He thus fulfilled the three deadly sins in this sequence. The explanation here of the sequence of Devadatta's committing the deadly sins is no different from what is explained in the Vinaya.