The Schism of Devadatta

Devadatta had not given up on his ambition to take over the Sangha. Now that he had been insulted and publicly denounced, he schemed to find a way to lure the monks away from the Buddha and create a rival Sangha. He proposed the following plan to his supporters:

“Come, friends, let us create a schism and a breach of concord in the monk Gautama’s Sangha” Kokalika said: “The monk Gautama is mighty and powerful, friend. How can we do that?”

“Come, friends, we can go to the monk Gautama and demand five points of him: ‘Lord, the Blessed One has in many ways commended one of few wishes, who is contented, devoted to effacement, scrupulous and amiable, given to diminution (of attachment), and energetic. Now here are five points that conduce to those states. (1) Lord, it would be good if monks were forest dwellers for life and any who went to live in a village were censured; (2) if they were eaters of begged-for-almsfood for life and any who accepted an invitation were censured; (3) if they were refuse-rag wearers for life and any who wore a robe were censured; (4) if they were tree-root dwellers for life and any who dwelt in buildings were censured; (5) if they were not to eat fish or meat for life and any who did were censured.’ The monk Gautama will never grant them. So we can inform the people about these five points. It will be possible with these five points to create a schism and a breach of concord in the monk Gautama’s Sangha; for people admire self-denial.” (Ibid, p. 265)

This was pure hypocrisy on the part of Devadatta, for he had previously shown no inclination to asceticism but had in fact been living on the lavish offerings of Prince Ajatashatru. Devadatta and his followers would also have themselves invited as a group for meals in the homes of various householders. They would even inform their hosts beforehand of what they would like to eat. Having to host such large and particular groups of monks became quite a hardship for many families and they began to complain. When the Buddha heard about this he set forth the following rule:

“Now, monks, I shall allow monks to eat among families in groups of not more than three. This is for three reasons: for the restraint of wrong-minded persons and for the comfort of reasonable persons, in order that those of evil wishes may not form a faction and cause schism in the Sangha, and out of compassion for families. But eating in groups should be treated according to the procedure already laid down.” (Ibid, p. 265)

These stories show that Devadatta was no sincere ascetic, but he was certainly prepared to use asceticism as a pretext for winning adherents and admirers. So it was that Devadatta and his supporters went to the Buddha and proposed the adoption of his five points. Just as Devadatta had predicted, the Buddha refused.

“Enough, Devadatta. Let him who wishes be a forest dweller; let him who wishes dwell in a village. Let him who wishes be an eater of begged-for-almsfood; let him who wishes accept invitations. Let him who wishes be a refuse-rag wearer; let him who wishes wear a robe given by householders. Living at the root of a tree is allowed by me for eight months of the year, but not during the rains. I have allowed fish and meat that is pure in the three aspects – when it is not seen or heard or suspected to have been killed for one personally.” (Ibid, p. 266)

The Buddha responded here from the perspective of the Middle Way between self-indulgence and self-denial. The Buddha did allow for the ascetic practices known as the dhuta. The dhuta were various austerities that some monastics could voluntarily take up for a time or even as a permanent way of life in order to cultivate contentment, modesty, humility, simplicity and other virtues. According to the Path of Purification (Visuddhi Magga) of Buddhaghosa the dhuta that could be taken up are:

1. The practice of only wearing robes made of rags from discarded cloth.

2. The practice of keeping no more than the triple robe: the upper, lower, and outer robes.

3. The practice of eating only food begged for on alms rounds as opposed to accepting invitations to eat at a home.

4. The practice of begging door to door on alms rounds without discriminating between the homes of rich and poor.

5. The practice of eating only once a day.

6. The practice of eating only one bowl of food a day.

7. The practice of refusing any food offered later in the morning.

8. The practice of dwelling only in the forest instead of in the monasteries except during the rainy season.

9. The practice of dwelling only at the foot of a tree except during the rainy season.

10. The practice of dwelling only out in the open except during the rainy season.

11. The practice of dwelling in a charnel ground except during the rainy season.

12. The practice of accepting whatever bed in the monastery is assigned.

13. The practice of sitting instead of lying down when resting.

It can be seen from this list that not all of the dhuta could be followed at once, since some of them necessarily implied or excluded the others. Several of them could not be followed during the rainy season retreat. Some of them were not allowable to the nuns. The important thing to note is that in sub-tropical India, none of these ascetic practices would have been injurious or life threatening. The dhuta were a form of pure and simple living that were in line with the ideal of Indian asceticism but at the same time they followed the Buddha’s Middle Way between the extremes of indulgence and excessive mortification. Those who could follow them were admired, but none of them were mandatory practices nor did the Buddha teach that they were necessary for attaining liberation.

Devadatta was pleased that things were unfolding according to his plan. The impressionable young monks and those lay followers who admired stringent asceticism quickly rallied to his cause.

Devadatta was happy and elated then: “The Blessed One does not grant these five points.” He got up together with his adherents, and after paying homage to the Blessed One, he departed, keeping him to his right.

He went into Rajagriha and proceeded to inform people about the five points thus: “Friends, we have been to the monk Gautama and demanded these five points of him…” and he told them the five points concluding: “The Blessed One does not grant these five points. But we undertake to live by them.”

Then unwise people lacking faith said: “These monks, sons of the Shakyans, are scrupulous in effacement; but the monk Gautama lives in luxury, thinking of luxury.” But the wise and faithful were annoyed, and they murmured and protested: “How can Devadatta aim at creating a schism and a breach of concord in the Sangha?”

Monks heard them disapproving. Those monks who had few wants disapproved likewise, and they told the Blessed One. He asked Devadatta: “Devadatta, is it true, as it seems, that you are aiming at creating a schism and a breach of concord in the Sangha?”

“It is true, Lord.”

“Enough Devadatta. Do not try to create a schism and a breach of concord in the Sangha. He who breaks the Sangha’s concord reaps misery lasting the rest of the age; he ripens out in hell for the rest of the age. But he who reunites the Sangha already split reaps the highest reward of merit and enjoys heaven for the rest of the age. Enough, Devadatta, do not try to create a schism in the Sangha: a schism in the Sangha is a grave thing.” (Ibid, pp. 266-267)

In this case, the creation of a schism was not a matter of an honest disagreement over precepts or even doctrine. In fact, in this case, it was not even a matter of two factions with different ideas about how best to follow the Buddha’s practice and teaching. Rather, Devadatta was actively trying to turn people away from the Buddha’s teaching and practice on the grounds that his own teaching and practice were superior.  It was this type of schism, founded on presumption and hypocrisy, the Buddha was warning Devadatta against. The Buddha even declared that such an act would bring about a hellish state of existence, whereas healing such a schism could bring about a heavenly state of existence. Nothing, however, could dissuade Devadatta and he carried through on his plan and persuaded 500 monks to join him in establishing a rival Sangha under his direction at Mount Gayashirsha.

Devadatta had now passed a karmic point of no return by initiating a schism, one of the five grave offences. The five grave offenses consist of killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an arhat, causing the Buddha to bleed, and causing a schism in the Sangha. According to Buddhism, anyone who commits one of the five grave offenses will be immediately reborn in the Avichi Hell (the Hell of Incessant Suffering) after death without any chance of reprieve. These crimes are not just acts of violence, but a rejection of the very basis of morality and liberation from suffering. Those who would commit such grave offences were considered to be one of the icchantika, people of incorrigible disbelief who are wholly unrestrained and given over to the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance. In some Mahayana teachings, this was considered to be a class of beings who were incapable of attaining enlightenment, perhaps even altogether devoid of buddha-nature.