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242
KULLAVAGGA.
VII, 3, 5.
but only the prince and Devadatta. Others of them again said, "Neither should the prince be slain, nor Devadatta, nor the Bhikkhus. But the king should be told of this, and we should do as the king shall command.'
5. So these ministers, taking the prince with them, went to the Râga of Magadha, to Seniya Bimbisâra, and told him what had happened.
What advice, my friends, did the ministers give ?'
When they had told him all (as before he said] : What, my friends, can the Buddha, or the Samgha, or the Dhamma have to do with this ? Has not the Blessed One had a proclamation already made throughout Ragagaha concerning Devadatta, to the effect that whereas his nature used to be of one kind, it is now of another; and that whatsoever he shall do, either bodily or verbally, in that shall neither the Buddha, nor the Dhamma, nor the Samgha be required, but only Devadatta ?'
Then those ministers who had advised that the prince and Devadatta and all the Bhikkhus should be slain, them he made incapable (of ever again holding office). And those ministers who had advised that the prince should be slain, and Devadatta, them he degraded to lower offices. But those ministers who had advised that neither should the prince be slain, nor Devadatta, nor the Bhikkhus, but that the king should be informed of it, and his command be followed, them he advanced to high positions.
And the Râga of Magadha, Seniya Bimbisåra, said to prince Agâtasattu : Why did you want to kill me, O prince ?'
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