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VII, 3, I.
'Honour destroys the evil man, just as its foal destroys the young she-mule.'
238
KULLAVAGGA.
Here endeth the First Portion for Recitation.
3.
1. Now at that time the Blessed One was seated preaching the Dhamma, and surrounded by a great multitude, including the king and his retinue. And Devadatta rose from his seat, and arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, stretched out his joined hands to the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One:
'The Blessed One, Lord, is now grown aged, he is old and stricken in years, he has accomplished a long journey, and his term of life is nearly run1. Let the Blessed One now dwell at ease in the enjoyment of happiness reached even in this world. Let the Blessed One give up the Bhikkhu-samgha to me, I will be its leader.'
'Thou hast said enough, Devadatta. Desire not to be the leader of the Bhikkhu-samgha.'
[And a second time Devadatta made the same request, and received the same reply. And a third time Devadatta made the same request.]
'I would not give over the Bhikkhu-samgha, Devadatta, even to Sâriputta and Moggallâna.
1 This string of epithets recurs in Pârâgîka I, 1, 2, of old and venerable Brahmans.
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