諸經要集 16.13

16.13

As the Zabaozang jing states: At that time, Devadatta made use of various means, wishing to kill the Buddha, yet he could not do so. At that time, in a southern Indian kingdom, there was a brāhmaṇa who came, who was adept in mantras and the compounding of poisonous drugs. Devadatta then compounded a poisonous drug to scatter over the Buddha. The wind blew this drug so that it fell back onto his own head. Thereupon he fainted, falling to the ground on the verge of death; physicians could not cure him. Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying, 'Bhagavat! Devadatta has been poisoned and is on the verge of death.' Because the Buddha felt pity, he made an utterance of truth for his sake: 'From the time when, as a bodhisattva, I attained buddhahood down to the present, I have always generated loving-kindness and compassion toward Devadatta without any malicious intent; may the poison naturally disappear!' Having spoken these words, the poison immediately dissolved. The monks said, 'It is rare, Bhagavat! Devadatta constantly gives rise to malicious intent toward the Tathāgata. Why does the Tathāgata nevertheless save his life?' The Buddha said, 'Not only today does he bear malicious intent toward me; in the past it was also like this.' They then asked the Buddha, saying, 'What were the circumstances of his malicious intent toward the Buddha?' The Buddha said, 'In a past age, in the kingdom of Kāśi, there was the city of Vārāṇasī. There were two ministers: the first was named Senā, and the second was named Malice (Durbuddhi). Senā always acted in accordance with the Dharma, while Malice constantly committed evil deeds, being fond of slanderous schemes. He said to the king, "Senā intends to commit treason." The king then had [Senā] seized and imprisoned. Devas and benevolent spirits cried out in the empty air, saying, "Such a worthy person has truly committed no fault or transgression; why is he bound and detained?" Next, Malice plundered the king's treasury and falsely accused Senā of it, but the king still did not believe him. The king said, "Seize this Malice, hand him over to Senā, and order him to execute judgment upon him." Senā then instructed Malice to repent before the king. Malice, knowing himself to be guilty, fled to the King of Videha. He crafted a jeweled chest containing two vicious serpents, endowed with lethal gaze. He had the King of Videha send an envoy to deliver it to that king and Senā, [saying], "Let the two of them view it together; do not show it to other people." When the king saw that the jeweled chest was exceedingly adorned, his heart was greatly delighted. He immediately summoned Senā, wishing to open and view it together. Senā replied, saying, "Objects that come from afar must not be inspected carelessly; fruits and foods that come from afar must not be eaten immediately. For what reason? Over there are evil persons who may perhaps come to harm us with evil." The king said, "I must look at it." [Senā] earnestly admonished him three times, but the king would not heed his words. He further addressed the king, saying, "If you do not heed your subject's words, Your Majesty may look at it yourself; your subject cannot look at it." The king then opened and looked at it, and both of his eyes were blinded into darkness so that he could not see objects. Senā was full of sorrow and distress, emaciated on the verge of death. He sent people out in the four directions, traveling extensively through all countries to seek far and wide for good medicine. Once they obtained good medicine, they cured the king's eyes, restoring them as before. The king at that time was Śāriputra; Senā at that time was myself; and Malice at that time was Devadatta.'