English
It should be considered that (negative karma) is declining and (positive karma) is increasing, it is said. Thus, the Teacher placed Ajatasatru in rootless faith, requested him to come for lunch the next day, and then left. There, the Teacher said to the monks: If Ajatasatru had not committed the five heinous crimes, he would have seen the truth while sitting on this cushion. Thus, because of karmic obscurations, you should not even generate ill will towards a burning tree stump, let alone towards sentient beings? and so on. The next day, Ajatasatru satisfied the Teacher and the Sangha with lunch. He also listened to the Dharma. The Teacher rejoiced in the generosity and then departed. From the time King Ajatasatru was placed in rootless faith, whenever he saw the Teacher, whether he was on the roof of a house or on the back of an elephant, he would immediately jump down without hesitation. The Teacher would also use his miraculous powers to catch him from the sky and then place him on the ground. There, Ajatasatru instructed the people who lived on milk porridge and his family members, saying: Wise people, from now on I take refuge in the Buddha and the Sangha. The door will always be open to the Teacher and the fourfold assembly. But the door should be closed to Devadatta and his disciples. After saying this, they did so. The second story is about the prophecy of Devadatta: In this period, there is the story of Devadatta killing the nun Utpalavarna. At that time, Devadatta could not enter the palace, and he thought: I have committed the three heinous crimes of causing dissension in the Sangha, drawing blood from the Tathagata with evil intentions, and killing an Arhat, but I have not achieved any purpose at all. Now I am going to fall into hell. His heart was filled with regret. At that time, Purana Kashyapa, the non-Buddhist teacher, came and asked: Why are you sitting like this? Devadatta said as before, and the other said: If you think that you are the only wise one among the Shakyas, then you are also a fool. Where is there any afterlife? It is like breaking a lump of clay, which can never be put back together. There is neither a creator nor one who causes creation. Do not worry in vain. Go and rule the kingdom of the Serkyas, and I will be the best minister. He said this. At that time, Devadatta developed wrong views, and the roots of virtue