法苑珠林 22.34

22.34

The Ekottarika-āgama also says: Devadatta addressed the Buddha, saying, 'I wish that you would allow me to join the ranks of the Way.' The Buddha said, 'You should remain at home, sharing your wealth in almsgiving. To be a śramaṇa is truly not easy.' Devadatta addressed the Buddha again, a second and third time; the Buddha again told him that he was not suited to leave the household life. Devadatta then gave rise to an evil thought: 'This śramaṇa harbors jealousy in his heart. I should now shave my own head and cultivate the pure conduct well. What need have I for this śramaṇa's words?' Devadatta later committed the five sins of immediate retribution. With an evil mind, he wished to go to where the Tathāgata was; as he set foot upon the ground, a great fire and wind arose from the earth, encircling Devadatta's body. Being burned by the fire, he then gave rise to a mind of remorse and proclaimed, 'Homage to the Buddha!' (Namo Buddhāya), but it was not ultimate, and he immediately entered hell. Ānanda wept and said, 'How long will Devadatta remain in hell?' The Buddha said, 'He will pass a mahākalpa. When his life ends, he will be born above the Four Heavenly Kings, passing successively up to Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven; for sixty kalpas he will not fall into the three evil destinies. Finally, receiving a body, he will become a pratyekabuddha named Namo, because at the moment of his death he proclaimed "Namo".' At that time Mahāmaudgalyāyana said, 'I wish to go into the Avīci Hell to see Devadatta, to comfort and congratulate him.' The Buddha said, 'Sinners in Avīci do not understand the sounds of the human world.' Maudgalyāyana addressed the Buddha, 'I understand sixty-four kinds of sounds; I shall use these sounds to go and speak to that person.' In the time it takes to bend and stretch an arm, Maudgalyāyana arrived above the Avīci Hell and called out in the sky, 'Devadatta!' The hell wardens said, 'Here there are also Devadattas from the times of Krakucchanda Buddha and Kāśyapa Buddha. Whom are you calling now?' Maudgalyāyana said, 'I am calling Devadatta, the son of the paternal uncle of Śākyamuni Buddha.' The hell wardens scorched his body to awaken him, saying, 'Look up into the sky!' He saw Mahāmaudgalyāyana seated on a precious lotus flower. Devadatta said to Maudgalyāyana, 'Venerable One, on what account have you condescended to come here?' Maudgalyāyana said, 'The Tathāgata gave a prophecy: because you wished to harm the World-Honoured One, you entered Avīci, but finally you will become a pratyekabuddha named Namo.' Devadatta, hearing this, rejoiced and said, 'Today, lying on my right side in the Avīci Hell throughout an entire kalpa, I will never feel weariness.' Maudgalyāyana asked further, 'Has your suffering and pain increased or decreased?' Devadatta replied, 'Hot iron wheels melt and destroy my body; iron pestles pound and crush my form; fierce black elephants trample my corpse; and volcanic mountains come to crush my face. My kāṣāya of former days has turned into copper sheets, intensely blazingly hot. Now, through you, I bow my head to the feet of the World-Honoured One, and I also pay homage to the Venerable Ānanda.' Maudgalyāyana then withdrew his supernatural power and returned to the World-Honoured One. Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: Devadatta's disciple was named Kokālika. He slandered Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana; when his life ended, he fell into the Lotus Hell. In the Benqi jing, he is named Quheli.