Contemporaneity and Chronology of Mahavira and Buddha

Author(s): Nagrajmuni, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Book Agency

Page 69

Dr. K. P. Jayaswal
"Sire, I have need of a kingdom."
"If it be that you, prince, have need of a kingdom this kingdom is yours and handed over the kingdom to prince Ajātśatru.
Then Devadatta approached prince Ajātaśatru; having approached, he spoke thus to prince Ajātaśatru:
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"Your majesty, command your men so that they deprive the recluse Gotama of life." Then prince Ajātśatru commanded his men saying: "My good men, do whatever master Devadatta says." Then Devadatta enjoined the men, saying: "Go along, friend, the recluse Gotama is staying at a certain road," and he set two men on that road, saying: "Whatever man comes alone along this road, having deprived him of life, come back by this road."
"Then that one man approached Devadatta; having approached, he spoke thus to Devadatta: Honoured sir, I am not able to deprive that Lord of life, that Lord of great psychic power, of great might."
"All right, friend, do not you deprive the recluse Gotma of life. I myself will deprive the recluse Gotama of life."
"Now at that time the Lord was pacing up and down in the shade of Mount Vulture Peak. Then Devadatta, having climbed Mount Vulture Peak, hurled down a great stone, thinking: With this I will deprive the recluse Gotama of life.' But two mountain peaks, having met, crushed that stone, and (only) a fragment of it, having fallen down, drew blood on the Lord's foot. Then the Lord, having looked upwards, spoke thus to Devadatta: "You have produced great demerit, foolish man, in that you, with your mind maliganant, your mind on murder, drew the Truth finder's blood." Then the Lord addressed the monks,