Mr. Ji’s book was purchased for a long time, but was discontinued because it was “difficult to read”. I picked it up again recently and decided to read it.

When I first read it, I was attracted by Devadatta's questions. I had always only known about Sakyamuni. When I saw Devadatta in the book, I was full of curiosity.

Mr. Ji mentioned in the book:

Devadatta is the cousin of Sakyamuni. In Buddhist scriptures, he is described as a heinous and evil person. In fact, he is a very talented and prestigious person. He has his own precepts, his own teachings, and his own people. The conflict between him and Sakyamuni was by no means a personal grudge, but a struggle between "two lines", which was a major event in the history of Buddhism. His followers were seen by Faxian in the Jin Dynasty in India, and by Xuanzang and Yijing in the Tang Dynasty. It proves that his influence is far-reaching and lasts for thousands of years.

Devadatta was the loser in the struggle, and there is no true record of him. Since it is untrue, it must be self-contradictory.

Faxian in the early 5th century AD, and Xuanzang and Yijing in the 7th century AD, both saw Devadatta monks in India. In the 7th century AD, it was already 1200 to 300 years since Devadatta lived. In the history of the development of Buddhism, these 1200 to 300 years were a critical period. Buddhism went from prosperity to decline, and then to decline. After two or three hundred years, it finally became extinct in India. … Devadatta’s sect must have great appeal. Is there any need to doubt this?

Judging from the Buddhist scriptures, the main targets of the Sakyamuni Sect are the six heretical masters, and the attacks can be seen everywhere. Buddhism is simply a thorn in the side of the Six Masters. From a psychological point of view, the mystery is not difficult to explain. It is not Brahmins who compete with Buddhism for the masses, religious interests and economic interests. It was the Sixth Master and his ilk who were lying beside him.

The conflict and struggle between the two of them is by no means a personal grudge or a problem between them, but a struggle between two lines within the Sangha during the founding period of Buddhism. Broadly speaking, it can also be said to be a struggle between two lines within the Samana ideological system. The contradictions within the Samana's ideological system are more prominently reflected in the support for asceticism and the denial of asceticism, the support for reincarnation and the denial of the theory of reincarnation.

We don’t know the relationship between the two routes because one side lacks information. Hope to get more information in the future. In any case, if we write the history of Buddhism in the future, we must change the previous writing method, correct and remember the distorted and forgotten practices.

————A distorted and forgotten “line struggle” in the founding period of Buddhism——The Devadatta issue

I bought this book at that time just because I admired Ji The name of the gentleman is that he has no interest in Buddhism. After reading it, he was really surprised. Knowledgeable, courageous, attitude and grace.

As the loser of this struggle, Devadatta was demonized and even artificially excluded from history. I believe there are many Devadattas in human history, but how many Ji Xianlins are there?

Character for a literati means adhering to the truth, adhering to the truth, and setting an example by one's own example.

Let’s talk about the impact of Devadatta’s problem on mortals like me.

Sakyamuni is indeed great, but what kind of opponent deserves his careful consideration and painstaking criticism? This alone is enough to prove that Devadatta is a great person. The fact that his followers have continued for more than a thousand years also confirms this.

How to be a calm bystander instead of a blind follower. Mr. Ji used the example of Devadatta to teach a lesson.