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126
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JUNE, 1924
chavassa mdsa kari passa karand kopinam dasseti evam eva kho taya Bharadvája charassa darupattassa kårand gihinam uttarimanussa dhammam iddhipatihariyam dassitam ). The explanation, therefore, that Buddha's use of unbecoming language towards Devadatta was scarcely in keeping with his character, but with that of a cross-cousin, becomes, to my mind, considerably weakened, for that was not the only occasion on which he used language unworthy of his character. In fact the word chava seems to have been used frequently, e.g., in Majjhima Nikaya (Updlisuttam, M.N., I, 371 ff.): chavo manadando .... kimhi soshati eko-charo puriso, ekd chava Nalanda.
Then again we get a passage, “Devadatta is hurt and one day when Buddha is walking up and down on Grdhrakůta hill throws a stone at him (op. cit., p. 193)."
Mr. Hocart says that "it is remarkable that în Fiji this kind of legend is often told to account for the cross-cousinship ;” and he tells a legend of the island of Nayau and of Vanuavatu bearing likeness to the Gydhrakata legend. In South Africa the uterine nephew for stealing the offering "gets pelted by the others" (ante, vol. LII, p. 268), and "the pelting of the uterine nephew is part of a religious ceremonial " (anie, vol. LII, p. 271). It appears that all this was "a playful antagonism” (ante, vol. LII, p. 269), and not intended to bring about death. Devadatta however hurled down a rock, intending to kill the Buddha (atha kho Devadatto Gujha kohtam pabbatam abhiruhitud mahantam silan pavijjhi imdya samanam Gotamam jivitâ voropesadmiti). He is said to have hurled the immense stone by the help of a machine,"4 "Hiuen Tsang saw the stone which was fourteen or fifteen feet high," Of course it may be that "the playful antagonism” (such as is preserved in pelting as "a religious ceremonial "), expressive of the liberty of the cross-cousin system, originally existed, but was subsequently mis-represented as a deadly feud, when the memory of the custom was lost, the idea of fighting having been somehow or other regarded as essential, as Mr. Hocart explains.
I shall notice only another passage in the article : "If the hostility of Devadatta is merely the record of ordinary hatred, it is difficult to understand why Devadatta possesses the power of flying through the air and of performing miracles (ante, vol. LII, p. 269)."
Whatever power Devadatta possessed of " flying through the air and performing miracles" he seems to have lost it, and that for ever, after his miraculous appearance before Ajasat ; for we learn that Devadatta " at this time lost the power of dhyana." I do not find anywhere in the subsequent part of the Manual that Devadatta ever recovered his magic power.
The possession of the power of flying through the air by Devadatta does not present any difficulty to me. This power was entirely due to the Buddha, and vanished from him even at the very thought of revolt against the Great Teacher. Let me pursue this view a little further. It is related in Oullavagga (VII. 1. 4) that when he was ordained by the Buddha (pabbajja) along with Bhaddiya, Anuruddha, Bhagu and Kim bila--the Sakyas, Devadatta attained only pothujjanikan iddhim (the lower grade of Magic Power). He exhibited his power by assuming the form of a child (or & Brahmin ?), wearing a girdle of snakes and suddenly appear. ing in Ajátasattu's lap (atha kho Devadatto sakavanņam patisamharitud kumarakavannam abhinimminitud ahimekhalikdya Ajatasattussa Kundrassa ucсhange påturahosi). But as soon as the evil thought of administering the Order possessod him, nis Magic Power diminished
3 0.V., VII. 3. 9. Spence Hardy, Manual of Buddhism (1860), p. 320.
Quoted from the article, p. 271.
Mr. Hocart refers to Hardy's Manual of Buddhism, p. 326. This page corresponds to p. 315 of the edition (1860) I am consulting. Apparently he refers to the passage : "By the power of dhyana he became arishi, so that he could pass through the air and assume any form." All my references are to be found in the edition of the Manual published in 1860.
Hardy's Manual, p. 316.
