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That the Buddha was unfavourably disposed towards Ajatasatru should be clear from the fact that after Ajātasatru had held a discussion with the Buddha on the outcome of monkhood and departed, the Buddha is said to have made the following observations about him to his monks,
"The background of this king has not been very good. He is very unfortunate. If he had not killed his pious father, then, today, he would have his dirtfree, spiritual eye opened on his very seat (94). In the context of Devadatta, he said, "Monks! Ajatasatru, the King of Magadha, who is an embodiment of sin, is his friend, is very intimate with him, and maintains a close relation with him "(95).
Once the Buddha was tendering some spiritual advice to Bimbisāra at the latter's palace. But instead of concentrating on the Buddha's words, he was all the time busy with patting his dear son. The Buddha invited the king's attention towards himself and told him a story whose substance was that the boy for whom he had so much of affection would one day take his life (96).
For the victory of the Vajjis, once Ajatasatru sent his minister Vassakara to the Buddha. This was a conspiracy to ascertain beforehand as to who would win. Had Ajàtasatru been a follower of the Buddha, how would he have played such a mean trick with him?
It is said that 500 nirgrantha monks were butchered by the command of King Ajatasatru after the murder of Moggallana (97). This would suggest that he was a staunch follower of Buddhism. But this record is only in the Aṭṭhakatha, and, therefore, it has no more value than a fiction.
The Atthakathās have other interesting records as well. For instance, it is said that after the death of the Buddha, the problem for his ministers was as to who would break this sad news to the king and how. They were particularly careful to make sure that the revelation of the said news of the demise of the Buddha did not overwhelm the king. So the ministers organised a 'catu-madhura' bath for the king as an antedote against evil dreams. In the pleasant surrounding created by the bath, they broke
