old-path-white-clouds-thich-nhat-hanh

Chapter Seventy-Four
Cry of the Elephant Queen
Venerables Sariputta and Moggallana returned to Bamboo Forest after spending a little over a month at Gayasisa. The bhikkhus
joyously welcomed them back. They asked the two venerables about the situation at Gayasisa, but Sariputta and Moggallana only smiled.
A few days later, more than three hundred bhikkhus from Devadatta’s sangha returned to Bamboo Forest. The bhikkhus at Bamboo
Forest were overjoyed and they greeted their Gayasisa brothers warmly. Four days later Venerable Sariputta took an exact count of the
brothers who had returned from Gayasisa and learned there were three hundred eighty in all. He led them together with Venerable
Moggallana to Vulture Peak to have an audience with the Buddha.
As he stood outside his hut, the Buddha watched the bhikkhus being led up the mountain by his two senior disciples. Other bhikkhus
who lived on Vulture Peak came out of their huts to greet the returning monks. Sariputta and Moggallana left the monks for a moment in
order to speak privately with the Buddha. They bowed to the Buddha, who invited them to sit down. Venerable Sariputta smiled and said,
“Lord Buddha, we have brought back nearly four hundred bhikkhus.”
The Buddha said, “You have done well. But tell me, how were you able to open their eyes?”
Venerable Moggallana explained, “Lord, when we first arrived, Brother Devadatta had just finished eating and was preparing to give a
Dharma talk. He looked very much as though he were trying to imitate you. When he looked up and saw us approaching, he appeared
enormously pleased. He invited Sariputta to sit next to him on the Dharma platform. But Sariputta refused and chose to sit by one side
instead. I sat on the other side. Devadatta then addressed the other bhikkhus. He said, ‘Today Venerable Sariputta and Venerable
Moggallana have joined us. They were my close friends in the past. Let me take this chance to invite Venerable Sariputta to give the
Dharma talk today.’
“Devadatta turned to Sariputta and joined his palms. My brother accepted the invitation to speak. He spoke about the Four Noble
Truths in a most beautiful way. All the bhikkhus listened as if spellbound. But I noticed Devadatta’s eyes growing heavy as if he wanted to
fall asleep. No doubt he was tired from all his recent activities. Halfway through the Dharma talk, he was fast asleep.
“We stayed at Gayasisa for more than a month and participated in all the activities there. Every three days, Brother Sariputta gave a
Dharma talk. He instructed the bhikkhus with all his heart. Once I noticed Bhikkhu Kokalita, Devadatta’s chief advisor, whisper something
to Devadatta, but Devadatta seemed to pay him little attention. I suspect Kokalita was warning him not to trust us. Devadatta, however,
was glad to have someone assume responsibility for teaching the Dharma, especially when it was someone as capable as my brother
Sariputta.
“One day, after delivering a discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, Sariputta said, ‘This afternoon, my brother and I will
be leaving you to return to the Buddha and the sangha he leads. Dear brothers, there is only one fully enlightened Master and that is the
Teacher Gautama. The Buddha founded the sangha of bhikkhus. He is the source for all of us. I know that you would be warmly welcomed
back by the Buddha if you returned. Dear brothers, there is nothing more painful than seeing a community divided. I have met only one true
Master in my life and that is the Buddha. We will depart from you today, but should any of you decide to return to the Buddha, please
come to Bamboo Forest. We will meet you there and take you to meet with the Buddha on Vulture Peak.’
“That day, Devadatta was in the capital on business, but Venerable Kokalita, who had been hostile to us since our arrival, stood up to
protest. He even hurled curses at us, but we simply stood up and pretended not to hear. We silently took our bowls and extra robes and
left Gayasisa to return to Venuvana. We stayed in Venuvana for five days. Three hundred and eighty bhikkhus from Gayasisa followed
shortly.”
Venerable Sariputta asked, “Lord, do these bhikkhus need to be re-ordained? If necessary, I will organize an ordination ceremony for
them before they meet with you.”
The Buddha said, “That is not necessary, Sariputta. It will be adequate for them to make a confession before the community.”
The two senior disciples bowed and rejoined the waiting bhikkhus.
Over the next few days, thirty-five more bhikkhus left Gayasisa. Venerable Sariputta arranged a confession ceremony for them and then
presented them to the Buddha. Venerable Ananda spoke to the thirty-five newest arrivals and asked them about the situation at Gayasisa.
They told him that after Venerable Devadatta had returned from Rajagaha and learned that nearly four hundred bhikkhus had abandoned
him to return to the Buddha, his face turned scarlet in anger. He refused to speak to anyone for several days.
Ananda asked, “What did Brothers Sariputta and Moggallana say to you that made you want to leave Brother Devadatta and return to