Editing Devadatta (section)

== Mahāyāna portrayals of Devadatta ==
===''Lotus Sūtra''===
In the [[Lotus Sūtra]], chapter 12, found in the [[Mahayana|Mahāyāna]] Buddhist tradition, the Buddha teaches that in a past life, Devadatta was his holy teacher who set him on the path,<ref>Tokiwa, Gishin (1997). [https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ibk1952/46/1/46_1_491/_article/-char/ja/ "The Dharma-Lotus Truth Expounded by Devadatta"], ''Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies'' 46 (1), 491–490</ref> and makes a noteworthy statement about how even Devadatta will in time become a Buddha:<ref>Watson, Burton (tr.). ''The Lotus Sutra.'' Columbia University Press, New York 1993, Chapter Twelve: Devadatta</ref>

{{quote|The Buddha said to his monks: "The king at that time was I myself, and this seer was the man who is now Devadatta. All because Devadatta was a good friend to me, I was able to become fully endowed with this six paramitas, pity, compassion, joy, and indifference, with the thirty-two features, the eighty characteristics, the purple-tinged golden color, the ten powers, the four kinds of fearlessness, the four methods of winning people, the eighteen unshared properties, and the transcendental powers and the power of the way. The fact that I have attained impartial and correct enlightenment and can save living beings on a broad scale is all due to Devadatta who was a good friend."}}
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Reliëf Devadatta doodt de olifant, Borobudur TMnr 60042573.jpg|thumbnail|Devadatta kills the elephant.]]
The Lotus Sutra may be interpreted as relaying the idea that Devadatta is not saved by the Buddha himself, but by his own merit, leading to his awakening.<ref name=Faure/>

According to [[Jacqueline Stone]] and [[Stephen F. Teiser]], Devadatta was "well known to the sutra's early devotees as the Buddhist archetype of an evildoer." In the context of the "promise of buddhahood for everyone, this chapter became widely understood as illustrating the potential for enlightenment even in evil persons."<ref>[[Teiser, Stephen F.]], [[Stone, Jacqueline I.]] (2009). "Interpreting the Lotus Sutra". In: Teiser, Stephen, F., Stone, Jacqueline I. (editors), ''Readings of the Lotus Sūtra,'' New York, Columbia University Press, p.21</ref>

===''Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra''===
In the Mahayana Buddhist text, the ''[[Contemplation Sutra|Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra]]'', Devadatta is said to have convinced Prince [[Ajatashatru|Ajātasattu]] to murder his father King [[Bimbisara|Bimbisāra]] and ascend the throne. Ajātasattu follows the advice, and this action (another ''[[anantarika-kamma]]'' for killing one's own father) prevents him from attaining [[Stream-enterer|stream-entry]] at a later time, when listening to some teaching of the Buddha. This is confirmed by the [[Samaññaphala Sutta]] of the Dīgha Nikāya (DN 2).{{citation needed|date=June 2016}}

=== Others ===
In the ''[[Mahāmegha Sūtra|Mahāmeghasūtra]]'' Devadatta is called a mahāpuruṣa (great being).<ref>Radich, Michael (2015). "Tathāgatagarbha Scriptures." In Jonathan Silk, Oskar von Hinüber, Vincent Eltschinger (eds.): ''Brill's Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Volume 1: Literature and Languages.'' Leiden: Brill, p. 266</ref>

In [[Faxian]]'s account, after meeting failure his attempts to murder Gautama Buddha through arrows, a rock and an elephant, Devadatta pretends to prostrate to his feet and claws at him with poisoned fingernails, but the Buddha turns his legs into rock crystal, causing Devadatta to break his nails and get poisoned himself. Gautama offers Devadatta forgiveness in exchange for Devadatta's faith, warning that whoever professes his faith falsely will go to hell. Being in great pain, Devadatta does this and is immediately swallowed by hell.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rockhill|first=William|title=The Life of the Buddha -- And the Early History of His Order|publisher=Trubner and Company|year=1884|page=107|isbn=978-0824893545|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=59FAAAAAYAAJ}}</ref>