Devadatta & Prior Buddhas

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Buddhist texts mention several teachers (tirthikas), Purana Kassapa,

Makkhali Gosaala, Ajita, Kesakambali, Pakudha Kaccayana, Sanjaya

Belatthiputta and Nigantha Nataputta who were contemporary to

Siddharhta Gotama (Buddha Sakyamuni). Of these Nigantha Nataputta

was Lord Mahavira, the last Jain Tirthankara. Purana Kassapa and

Makkhali Gosaala belonged to the Ajivika tradition that survived for

many centuries, specially in Tamilnadu.

 

Among the major religious personalies of that time, not included in

the list, was Devadatta, the cousin of the Buddha. Buddhist texts

suggest that he was quite influential and charismatic. At one time

there was split in the Buddhist Sangha because Devadatta demanded

that monks should live by harsher rules:

 

1. they should Wear only rags

2. they should eat only once a day

3. they should eat only vegetarian food

4. they should only eat food they had begged

5. they should Stay in forests

 

King Ajatashatru seems to have been a good supporter of Devadatta.

He built his 500 followers a monestary in Gaya. Buddha sent

Sariputta and Moggallana to persuade them to come back, but

Devadatta did not go back. What happend to Devadatta and his

followers?

 

Surprizingly when Fa Hien was in India in 5th cent CE, there was

still a group of monks who were followers of Devadatta, and not

Siddhartha!

 

Now, Buddhist literature mentions that there were Buddhas prior to

Sakyamuni (Siddhartha Gotam). The three Buddhas prior to him were

 

Kakusandha (Krakucchanda)

Konagamana (Kanakamuni)

Kassap (Kasyapa)

 

Fa Hien reports that stupas commemorating visits by these 3 prior

Buddhas existed, just as they did for Sakyamuni.

 

Indeed the Nigali Sager pillar inscription of of Ashoka mentions him

having gotten the stupa of Konagamana enlarged, 20 years after he

was crowned.

 

Thus monuments to Konagamana etc. existed prior to Ashoka's period.

How much prior?

 

Here is the intersting part. Fa Hien reports that followers of

Devadutta worshipped at the memorials to prior Buddhas, but not at

monuments of Buddha Sakyamuni!

 

That suggests that the belief in prior Buddhas must be old.

 

There is an intersting Sikh analogy.

 

Today Sikhs believe in 10 specific Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru

Gobind Singh. However on many occasions, there were rival claimants

to the title of Guru from the Sodhi clan. Significant number of

followers of several of the rival Gurus (Dhirmal, Ramrai etc)

existed well until the beginning of 20th century, when the Singh

Sabha movement began. The last Guru of the Dhirmalia sect died in

1998, they recognized Dhirmal as the succesor of Guru Hargobind, and

thus did not recognize Guru Tegh Bahadur or Guru GobindSingh.

Ramraiyas survive in the Doon valley.

 

Yashwant