Page:Gospel of Buddha.djvu/139

 it a vessel of truth and not of evil. It is not good to indulge in the pleasures, of the body, but neither is it good to neglect our bodily needs and to heap filth upon impurities. The lamp that is not cleansed and not filled with oil will be extinguished, and a body that is unkempt, unwashed, and weakened by penance will not be a fit receptacle for the light of truth. Attend to your body and its needs as you would treat a wound which you care for without loving it. Severe rules will not lead the disciples on the middle path which I have taught. Certainly, no one can be prevented from keeping more stringent rules, if he sees fit to do so, but they should not be imposed upon any one, for they are unnecessary." Thus the Tathāgata refused Devadatta's proposal} and Devadatta left the Buddha and went into the vihāra speaking evil of the Lord's path of salvation as too lenient and altogether insufficient,

When the Blessed One' heard of Devadatta's intrigues, he said: "Among men there is no one -who is not blamed. People blame him who sits silent and him who speaks, they also blame the man who preaches the middle path." Devadatta instigated Ajātasattu to plot against his father Bimbisāra, the king, so that the prince would no longer be subject to him? Bimbisāra was imprisoned by his son in a tower where he died leaving the kingdom of Magadha to his son Ajātasattu.

The new king listened to the evil advice of Devadatta, and he gave orders to take the life of the Tathāgata. However, the murderers sent out to kill the Lord could not perform their wicked deed, and became converted as soon as they saw him and listened to his preaching. The rock hurled down from a precipice upon the great Master split in twain, and the two pieces passed by on either side without doing any harm. Nalagiri, the wild elephant let loose to destroy the Lord, became gentle in his presences and Ajātasattu, 111