The Workings of Brahmā and Shakra

Chapter2(Instructing Practitioners by Citing Shakyamuni’s Great Ordeals)

Main Text

A king named Bimbisāra was a worthy ruler and the greatest lay supporter of the Buddha within the entire land of Jambudvīpa. Moreover, he reigned over Magadha, the state where the Buddha intended to preach the Lotus Sutra. Since the king and the Buddha were thus united in mind, it seemed certain that the Lotus Sutra would be expounded in Magadha. A man named Devadatta wished to prevent this by any means possible, but all his attempts ended in failure. After much thought, he spent several years befriending King Bimbisāra’s son, Prince Ajātashatru, and gradually obtained his confidence. Then he set out to estrange father and son. He deceived the prince into killing his own father, King Bimbisāra.

Now that Ajātashatru, the new king, had become of the same mind as Devadatta and the two had banded together, non-Buddhists and evil men from all five regions of India swarmed like clouds or mist gathering into Magadha. Ajātashatru flattered them and won them over by giving them land and treasures. Thus the king of the state became an archenemy of the Buddha.

Seeing this, the devil king of the sixth heaven of the world of desire descended with his innumerable followers to Magadha and possessed the bodies of Devadatta, Ajātashatru, his six ministers, and others. Therefore, although these people were human in appearance, they wielded the power of the devil king of the sixth heaven. They were more boisterous, frightful, and alarming than a high wind flattening the grasses and trees, a gale stirring up waves upon the sea, a great quake jolting the earth, or a huge fire devouring one house after another.

A king named Virūdhaka, incited by Ajātashatru, put hundreds of Shakyamuni Buddha’s clan to the sword. King Ajātashatru unleashed a herd of drunken elephants and let them trample to death countless disciples of the Buddha. He also had many other disciples killed by concealing his soldiers in ambush at the roadsides, defiling well water with excrement, or persuading women to bring false charges³ against them. Shāriputra and Maudgalyāyana were severely persecuted.⁴ Kālodāyin was buried in horse dung.⁵ The Buddha was forced to survive for ninety days, one whole summer, on horse fodder.

People thought that perhaps not even the Buddha’s power could match that of those evil persons. Even those who believed in him swallowed their words and said nothing, and closed their eyes so that they might not see. They could only wave their hands helplessly,⁶ speechless with dismay. Finally, Devadatta beat to death the Thus Come One Shakyamuni’s foster mother, the nun Utpalavarnā,⁷ and then caused the Buddha’s body to bleed. Under these circumstances, there was no one who would side with the Buddha.

Notes

3. In an attempt to disgrace and create animosity against the Buddha’s followers, Ajātashatru persuaded women to pretend to have been impregnated by these followers.

4. According to The Monastic Rules on Various Matters, Shāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, leading disciples of Shakyamuni, while on their travels to spread Buddhism in Rājagriha, once refuted the master of a group of Brahmans. As a result, they were attacked with staves, and Maudgalyāyana is said to have been beaten to death.

5. According to The Ten Divisions of Monastic Rules, Kālodāyin, a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha, was given offerings by a woman when he was going about begging for alms in Shrāvastī. Her jealous husband killed Kālodāyin and buried his head in horse dung.

6. This indicates a gesture of advising others not to speak out.

7. According to most accounts, Shakyamuni’s foster mother was his maternal aunt, Mahāprajāpatī, under whose guidance the nun Utpalavarnā is said to have attained the state of arhat. The story of Utpalavarnā is found in The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom.

Lecture

Following the example of Yin Jifu being deceived by his second wife, this section cites how King Ajatashatru was misled by Devadatta during the lifetime of Shakyamuni Buddha, and how King Virudhaka and others were in turn deceived by Ajatashatru to become enemies of the Buddhist Law. It explains that these events occurred because the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven descended with his followers to enter the bodies of Devadatta, King Ajatashatru, the six ministers, and others, inflicting persecutions such as the “nine great ordeals” upon Shakyamuni in order to prevent him from preaching the Lotus Sutra.

In “On Prayer” (Kito-sho), the Daishonin records the reason why the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven entered the bodies of all living beings to persecute Shakyamuni as follows:

“If the Buddha, having attained enlightenment through this Lotus Sutra, failed to preach it to others, he would be guilty of the fault of allowing the seed of Buddhahood to wither. Therefore, Shakyamuni Tathagata appeared in this saha world and prepared to preach it. At that time, the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven, who is also called fundamental darkness, entered the bodies of all living beings and, out of hatred for the Buddha, attempted to prevent him from preaching. Thus, King Virudhaka killed five hundred of the Shakya clan; Angulimala pursued the Buddha; Devadatta rolled down a huge rock to crush him; and the daughter of a Brahmin named Chincha tied a bowl to her belly and claimed she was pregnant with the Buddha’s child. Furthermore, a reward of five hundred pieces of gold was offered to anyone who could prevent the Buddha from entering the city of the Brahmins. Thorns were planted on the roads, the wells were filled with excrement, and stakes were placed at the gates. Poison was put in the Buddha’s food—all because of hatred for the Buddha. The nun Utpalavarna was killed, Maudgalyayana was killed by the bamboo-staff heretics, and Kalodayin was buried in horse manure—all because of enmity toward the Buddha.” (WND-1, p. 343)

The Lotus Sutra is the scripture through which all Buddhas of the three existences and ten directions attained enlightenment; it is the unique teaching capable of developing the Buddha nature of all living beings and leading them to Buddhahood. Therefore, Shakyamuni appeared in this world specifically to preach this Lotus Sutra. However, because the preaching of this sutra would enable all living beings to attain Buddhahood and escape the cycle of the threefold world and the six paths, the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven—manifesting as fundamental darkness—entered the bodies of the people to obstruct Shakyamuni’s preaching.

As stated in the “Encouraging Devotion” (Kanji) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, “Evil demons will take possession of others,” Devadatta and King Ajatashatru, possessed by the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven, continued to persecute Shakyamuni and his disciples at the command of that demonic power.

First, Devadatta drove a wedge between King Bimbisara—a wise ruler and a great patron of Shakyamuni—and his son, Ajatashatru, eventually inciting Ajatashatru to commit the crime of parricide. From birth, Ajatashatru had harbored deep-seated resentment toward his parents, leading people to call him “Unborn Enemy” (Misho-on). Approaching the young Ajatashatru, Devadatta revealed the secrets surrounding his birth, manifesting the resentment that had been submerged in the depths of his life since infancy and driving him to murder his father.

In “The Hybrid Lotus Sutra” (Horen-sho), it is recorded:

“King Ajatashatru gathered the wicked men of the sixteen great states, won over the heretics of the entire world, took Devadatta as his teacher, and dispatched countless evil men to attack and kill the Buddha’s disciples. Not only that, he used nails a foot long to pierce his father, the great wise king who was without fault, in seven places. He also attacked his own mother, cutting off her royal hairpin and holding a sword to her head. As a result of these heavy sins, he developed malignant sores in seven places on his body.” (cf. GZ, 1043)

While there are strong theories suggesting King Bimbisara died of starvation, the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven extended his influence not only to Bimbisara but to the persons of Shakyamuni himself and his disciples. Consequently, Shakyamuni encountered the “nine great ordeals,” and his disciples faced various life-threatening hardships.

Concerning the Nine Great Ordeals

Regarding the nine great ordeals, the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (Daichido-ron), Volume 9, states: “Question: If the Buddha’s divine power is immeasurable and his dignity is beyond description, why did he undergo these nine retributions? First, the slander of the Brahmin woman Sundari… second, the slander of Chincha, the Brahmin woman… third, Devadatta pushing a mountain to crush the Buddha… fourth, a wood splinter piercing his foot… fifth, King Virudhaka raising an army and killing the Shakyas… sixth, eating horse grain at the invitation of the Brahmin Agidatta… seventh, back pain caused by cold wind… eighth, six years of asceticism… ninth, entering a Brahmin village and receiving no food, returning with an empty bowl. Furthermore… eight nights of bitter cold around the winter solstice… and suffering from heat while Ananda fanned him. The Buddha underwent all such minor worldly hardships.”

High Priest Nikkan summarized this passage in his “Exegesis on The Opening of the Eyes” (Kaimoku-sho Guki) as follows: “These are scattered throughout various texts, but are clear in the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and the Sutra of the Buddha’s Explaining His Former Retributions. 1. Sundari’s slander; 2. Chincha’s slander; 3. Devadatta rolling a rock; 4. Wood splinter piercing the foot; 5. Virudhaka killing the Shakyas; 6. Agidatta’s horse grain; 7. Back pain from cold wind; 8. Six years of asceticism; 9. Empty bowl while begging. Others include cold, heat, the slander of Shamyavat, joint pain, etc.”

In “The Opening of the Eyes” (Kaimoku-sho), Nichiren Daishonin writes:

“Even the Buddha had to suffer the nine great ordeals: Devadatta rolled a huge rock down on him; King Ajatashatru loosed wild elephants to trample him; he was forced to eat horse grain; he was given smelly rice water; he was slandered by the Brahmin woman Chincha… How much more must his disciples in this later age expect to suffer! Countless members of the Shakya clan were killed by King Virudhaka; ten million followers were trampled by wild elephants; the nun Utpalavarna was murdered by Devadatta; the venerable Kalodayin was buried in horse manure; and the venerable Maudgalyayana was killed by bamboo-staff heretics.” (WND-1, p. 241-242)

Let us examine the nine great ordeals cited by Nichiren Daishonin in relation to the text of this Gosho:

1. The slander of Sundari: A beautiful heretic woman named Sundari, incited by heretics, spread rumors that she had a physical relationship with Shakyamuni.

2. The Golden Spear (and the smelly rice water): While Shakyamuni was begging in a Brahmin city, a servant girl offered him smelly rice water. When Shakyamuni preached on the karmic reward of this act, a heretic slandered him, claiming it was a lie.

3. Horse Grain: At the invitation of King Agidatta, Shakyamuni went to the town of Viramja with five hundred disciples. However, the king became preoccupied with pleasure and forgot the Buddha’s arrival. For ninety days, no food was provided, and they had to survive by eating barley intended for horses. This Gosho notes, “The Buddha was harassed and for ninety days of one summer was forced to eat horse grain.”

4. Virudhaka’s slaughter of the Shakyas: King Virudhaka of Kosala annihilated the Shakya clan due to a past grievance. This Gosho states, “King Virudhaka was won over by King Ajatashatru and killed several hundred of the Shakya clan.”

5. The empty bowl while begging: When Shakyamuni attempted to beg in a Brahmin city, the king forbade the people from making offerings or listening to his teachings, leaving the Buddha with an empty bowl.

6. The slander of Chincha: The Brahmin woman Chincha slandered Shakyamuni while he was preaching by placing a wooden bowl inside her clothing and claiming she was pregnant with his child. It is said that Shakra, using his divine powers, turned into a mouse and bit the string holding the bowl, causing it to fall and exposing the lie. This Gosho mentions, “Or he [the devil king] won over a woman and made her speak lies.”

7. Devadatta pushing a mountain: Devadatta attempted to kill Shakyamuni by rolling a huge rock down from Mount Griddhrakuta. A splinter from the rock hit the Buddha’s toe, causing it to bleed. This Gosho refers to this as “causing the Buddha’s person to bleed.”

8. Searching for robes in the cold wind: During the eight nights around the winter solstice, a bitter wind blew so fiercely that Shakyamuni had to seek three extra robes to protect himself from the cold.

9. King Ajatashatru loosing wild elephants: Incited by Devadatta, King Ajatashatru loosed elephants made drunk on wine into Shakyamuni’s procession to trample him. This Gosho states, “King Ajatashatru loosed wild elephants and had them trample countless disciples to death.”

In this Gosho, the nun Utpalavarna, who was beaten to death by Devadatta, is referred to as “the foster mother of Shakyamuni.” However, she is a different person from Mahapajapati, the Buddha’s actual foster mother. It is possible that the Daishonin referred to her this way because the Buddha cherished her as dearly as a mother.