Devadatta is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Mara) of Buddhism.
A historical figure and Buddhist monk, he was the cousin and brother-in-law of Gautama Siddhārtha, being his archenemy in every life that they share.
History[]
Devadatta was the enemy of Siddhartha in all their past lives; the beginning of this feud was an unknowable eons ago, but this is what's known: Devadatta and Siddhartha were born as merchants, and one day, Devadatta was asked to check the price of an old plate owned by an old millionaire who lost her fortune. It was actually a very valuable golden plate, but he lied about its value before leaving, hoping to buy it at a cheap price sometime later. However, Bodhisattva comes to check the plate and tell the owner its true value and buys it from her accordingly. When Devadatta realizes, he's angry and promises to take vengeance toward Bodhisattva in every life before dying of anger.
Notable Past Lives[]
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As Devadatta[]
Devadatta is a son of king Suppabuddhaa of Devadaha, capital city of Koliya, has around the same ages as his cousin Siddhartha. One day, he hunted Gooseas, able to shoot one of them down with his arrow. Siddharta come to save Goose and heal it's injury. Devadatta demand Goose belong to him. So they go to council of Kapilavastu and ask who should be owner of the goose. The coucil decide that Siddhartha should be the owner of the goose because he save it's life. This created a seed of resentment in Devadatta.
Two years after Siddahartha achieve enlightenment and become Buddha, he return to his home city and has his male siblings including Devadatta become Bhikkus. Almost all of them achieve highest level of enlightenment, become Arhat who's no longer has any desire. With exception of Ananda who help only achieve Sotāpanna and Devadatta who's only achieve supernatural power but has not achieve any level of enlightenment.
At the years 19 after Siddhahartha become Buddha. Devadatta feel jeaoulsy and resentment of not getting respect and offering, leave the Veluvan and appear infront of prince Ajatashatru of Magadha using his super power. Making him admire Devadatta, giving him and his group their own palace and foods for him everyday. However, that isn't enough for him, he want to replace himself as new leader of Buddha religion. Because of his evil desire, he lose all of his supernatural power immediately.
One day Devadatta ask Buddha to allow him to rule over Sangha as Buddha himself is already old in front of a lot people. Which Buddha refuse, make him even more angry. Decide that he want to kill a Buddha.
Devadatta manipulate Ajatashatru to kill his father Bimbisara and become next king. But Ajatashatru get caught, his father forgive him and give his throne to Ajatashatru. But Davadatta manipulate him further, saying he should kill his father to make sure he won't be able to reclaim his throne. Ajatashatru locking his father in prison to eventually strave to death. Feeling remorse when one ofw his wive give birth to a son, want to release his father, but his father is already dead, Ajatashatru give a funeral for his father as king. His mother Kosala Devi died of heart broken soon after.
Devadatta himself tried to assasinate Buddha multiple time
- Send multiple assasins to kill Buddha, all of them change their heart, become Bhikkus and achieve Sotāpanna
- Make an Elphant go drunk with alchol plan to release them to kill Buhha, but Buhha was able to calm the Elphant down.
- Push the giant rock from Mountain to kill Buddha, the giant rock shatter and only hurt Buddha foot a little.
Ajatashatru lose his faith in Devadatta, him and his Bikkhu followes become very unpopular among Rajgir citizens, want to restore their image. He ask Buddha to add 5 new rules.
- that monks should dwell all their lives in the forest,
- that they should accept no invitations to meals, but live entirely on alms obtained by begging,
- that they should wear only robes made of discarded rags and accept no robes from the laity,
- that they should dwell at the foot of a tree and not under a roof,
- that they should abstain completely from fish and flesh.
Buhha refuse and say that it should be each Sanghas choice whatever they want to practice these rule or not. However, this is enough restore some citizen of Rajgir faith in him, enough for him and his Bikkhus to not strave.
The different of rules cause the schism among Sangha. Buddha ask 2 of his Bikkhus. Śāriputra and Maudgalyayana to go to Devadatta temple and teaching dhrama to Devatta's Bikkhus. Make Devadatta lose the majority of his Bikkhu followers as they return. One of his remain Bikkhu scloding him for letting those 2 Bikkhus come in (In some thai version of story he physcially assult him). Cause him to fall sick for 9 months, knowing his death is inevitable, he feel remorse and want to visit Buddha to ask for forgiveness. His remain Bikknus carry him to Veluvan to meet Buddha. However, his accimulate bad karma is too much for him to live long enough to meet Buddha for final tme. Devadatta is consume by the earth itself on the way of him and his Bikkhus journey to meet Buddha, in his last moments, he declare his devotion Buddha and his teaching. He's reborn and currently stuck in Avīci, the lowest level of hell in Buddishm believe.
The reason that Buddha allow Devadatta to become Bikkhu knowing the possiblity of him will commit very big bad karma, is becasue Buddha predict that Devadatta will commit even worse bad karma if he stay secular, dooming him to stuck in Samsara. When Devadatta pay for all his bad Karma, he will be reborn as human and finally achieve Nirvana.
In Media[]
TV series[]
The story of Devadatta in tv series version remain similar to his original Pali Canon version with some change and extension to the story. In contrast of being Yashodhara big brother, he's love rival of Siddhartha instead. He never achieve any super natural power in series. His attempt to assasinate Buddha doesn't happened until the very end of his story.
When Devadatta mother become sick and dying alone as the result of bad karma of her and her son commit to Siddahartha and other family members when he still a prince, she feel deeply remorse and beg Devadatta to stop his action of Schism give up on his vengence on Buddha before he will suffer his consequence, She also denined him of participate in her funeral if he refuse, begging him to ask Buddha for forgiveness at her last breath and died.
When Śāriputra and Maudgalyayana took away most of his followers, Devadatta return to his temple after his mother death. He's very angry and contary to Pali Canon when he is wound by one of his angry Bikkhu, he ask his Bikkhu to hurt him as self punishment out of anger instead. Decalre that he will kill Siddhartha.
At the night Devadatta come to Ajatashatru and ask for army to attack Buddha and his Sangha, but he refuse, decalre his faith to Buddha and end his friendship with Devadatta. On next day he decide to try to assasinate Buddha alone, he throw a knife to Buddha but it doesn't hit him. So he try to puch a giant rock from above moutain to kill Buddha like in Pali Canon. But the result of his bad karma cause Devadatta himself to fall from moutain along with giant rock make him severely injured, while the rock doesn't hit Buddha at all.
Buddha bring Devadatta to Veluvan and has his Bikkhus tending Devadatta injury. Devadatta feeling remorse and realize he isn't even worthy to ask for forgiveness, decalre his faith to triratna (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) in final moment and died from his injury.
External Links[]
- Devadatta on Wikipedia
