A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t4.245

v2.c19.s6.t4.245

One of Nāgārjuna's pupils was Deva or Āryadeva, also known as Kāṇadeva, "the one-eyed Deva" and Nīlanetra, "the blue-eyed."¹ Hsüan-Tsang relates the following of him: The Bodhisattva Deva came from the land of Siṁhala (Ceylon), in order to discuss the difficulties of the doctrine with Nāgārjuna. He asked a pupil to announce him to the Master. Nāgārjuna sends his begging-bowl out, filled with pure water. Deva throws a needle into it. The pupil takes the bowl back, and Nāgārjuna is much delighted at this "eloquent silence." In reply to the question of his astonished pupil, the master says, that the bowl with the water signified his own pure knowledge; by throwing the needle in, Deva wanted to say that he has reached the very bottom of this knowledge. Deva is shown in, and approaches the Master very modestly. Nāgārjuna was very well satisfied with the discussion he had with Deva, and as he himself was already old and feeble, he appointed him as his successor.² Deva's biography was translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva (in about 405 A.D.) together with those of Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna, and is just as legendary as these last named. Legend has it that he died at the hands of a murderer. The pupil of one of the heretical teachers whom Deva had defeated in disputation, waylaid him and pierced him through with a sword, as he sat in the forest absorbed in meditation. Before his death he instructed the murderer, and restrained his pupils who were about to pursue the murderer, with these words: "Everything is unreal. Reflect upon the true meaning of all things in the world of phenomena. Where is the oppression or cruelty? Who is pierced or murdered? If you recognise the true nature of all things, then there is neither murdered nor murderer. Who is a friend and who is a foe? Who is the murderer and who is the murdered?"¹ Both Hsüan-Tsang and I-tsing mention Āryadeva along with Aśvaghoṣa and Nāgārjuna, as one of the great men who lived "in ancient times." Most probably he lived at about the turning-point of the second and third centuries A.D.²