It later transpired that Devdutta had not really changed. He carried on his childhood grudge against Siddhartha who was now Buddha.
He lived in Sangha monastery as a monk but continued to hatch plots to harm Buddha. His core of heart was filled with hatred.
He secretly met Ajatshatru, the emperor of Magadha, the son of late Bimbisar. He poured venom against Buddhism into the ears of the emperor. In its wake Ajatshatru banned Buddhist monasteries in Magadha. The teaching of Buddha were declared illegal.
Lord Buddha sought a meeting with Ajatshatru. Ajatshatru heard the pious words of Buddha and saw the spiritual wisdom is his teachings. He was so impressed that he became an ardent follower of Buddhism. Later, Ajatshatru became staunch Buddhist and he pooled all his energies and resources into the spread of Buddhism in the foreign lands.
Needless to say that he kicked Devdutta out or his kingdom.
Rogue Jumbo
Licking his wounds Devdutta joined Brahmins who intensely heated Buddha. They conspired to eliminate Buddha physically.
The plot hatched was to get Buddha trampled upon by a rogue elephant when he was to pass through a jungle on his preaching mission. The hired goons let the rogue elephant loose when they saw Buddha coming along with some monks.
Buddha saw the elephant coming at him with angry eyes and in hostile posture. He was trumpeting menancingly. The other monks were worried about Buddha’s safety. Buddha remained calm and stood his ground with his palm raised in the gesture of peace.
To the surprise of all the monk and the goons the rogue jumbo slowed down as it approached Buddha. Then, it stopped in it tracks and crouched on its forelegs like a pet. It slowly raised its trunk to pay obeisance to Buddha in elephant style. Buddha went to it and patted jumbo head patronisingly.
The goons who had let the elephant loose rushed to Buddha and fell at his feet seeking pardon. The goons gave up their bad ways and become Buddhist monks.
When Devdutta learnt about the incident he finally realised his mistake and sought forgiveness of Buddha who readily forgave him. Then on the evil Devdutta became a true monk.
The final journey to nirvana
45 years had gone by since Buddha attained the enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. He had spent most of those years in preaching Buddhism and bringing light to millions upon millions of hearts and minds. Buddhism had become a great spiritual revolution that had swept Tibet, China, Korea, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Java, Sumatra, Philippines, Ceylon (Srilanka) and Japan.
Buddha had made India, the only country in the world to have conquered so many lands without sending a soldier. During the following 2000 years India was ravaged by foreign invaders, it suffered defeat after defeat and remained slave of the aliens for most of the time. Nothing went right for India. The people remained defeated and demoralised. During these dark twenty hundred years only thing that India could draw succour from was the Buddhism which kept shining and winning people the world over relentlessly. It carried the Indian flag on and on regardless of what was happening otherwise.
So, after all those years Buddha had grown old. The time for Nirvana was coming closer, the moment of union with the Creator after which there will be eternal peace.
Many of Buddha’s earlier colleagues and the disciples had already achieved Nirvana.
Inspite of old age, Buddha was still on the move. He and Ananda had reached Khushinagar where Buddha felt sickness while taking his meals. Suddenly he realised that it was no ordinary illness. The call from the creator had come.
He asked Ananda to go ahead to a place where he would find two trees. Ananda was to make a bed between those trees with dry leaves.
Ananda obeyed. After preparing bed he came back and helped Buddha to it. The strange thing was that Ananda found those trees as Buddha had said.
Buddha lied down and closed his eyes. He breathing became fainter and fainter. Eventually Ananda could detect no movement. Buddha didn’t open his eyes again. He had gone to the eternal sleep. Lord Buddha was born under a tree, he attained spiritual enlightenment under a tree and he finally died under trees. The tree ‘Bodhi’ is his memorial. And his spiritual message enshrined in Buddhism is also an evergreen tree.
The time of his death is not unanimous. Some historians put in at 447 B.C. while others say it was the year of 483 B.C.
His ashes were divided in ten parts to be treasured at ten different places. Later, shrines were built at those places in the forms of Stoopas and Pagodas.
The flame of Buddhism still burns and is glowing brighter and brighter.
