Saturday, 04/04/2026
Sakyamuni Buddha and Non-violent demonstration
Update: 12/07/2018
The first story is recorded in Khuddaka Nikāya, unit 465, Sāla story, (A happy old tree), the content is summariz
King Pasenadi, Mr. Anathapindika and Mrs. Visākha often offered food to monks. Though the inner palace was always supported with all sorts of delicacy, most monks had their meals at Mr. Anathapindika and Mrs. Visākha’s house. This happened so often that one day the King asked the Buddha:
- Oh Buddha, which kind of food is the finest?
The Buddha answered:
- Your Majesty, only the friends’ food is the finest.
The King then asked:
- So Oh Buddha, in what people do monks find friendship?
The Buddha retorted:
- Your Majesty, in their relatives or the Sākya.
‘I should make friends with the Sākya, so the monks will be my relatives’, thought the King afterwards. He sent his people to the Sākya for proposal. However, it was the Sākya’s custom that only marriages between those within the Sākya were allowed. King Pasenadi reigned wealthy Kosala, so the Sākya might get in trouble if the King could not marry the Sākya’s daughter. After discussion, they decided to marry off King Mahānāma’s daughter to King Pasenadi. Nonetheless, this girl was actually daughter of a maidservant who used to live with King Mahānāma. The Sākyacleverly arranged the marriage between the maidservant’s daughter and King Mahānāma.
Getting the news that the Sākya agreed to give their daughter in marriage, King Mahānāma felt blissfully happy and held a solemn ceremony welcoming the princess. After that, the princess was crowned as the first Queen. The King adored the Queen very ardently. Later, the Queen was pregnant and gave birth to a boy named Vidudabha. As he grew up, the prince constantly wondered why other royal sons were given presents from their mothers’ side while he was not. Be afraid that her son would soon realize the truth, the Queen said,
- Your grandfather is now far away, so he cannot send you gifts.
At the age of 16, the prince asked for a visit to his mother’s village. The Queen tried to stop him, and yet he insisted on his will. Finally, she had to let her son go. Before his departure, she wrote a letter to Kapilavastu rampart in the hope that the Sākya elder would treat the prince well as well as implore them to keep her secret. However, the Sākya people were not amiable enough as the prince arrived. Only when the prince wondered about how badly he was being treated did they give him a better treat.
As a few days’ stay at his mother’s village, the prince and the entourage set off back to Sāvatthī. Hardly had they left the house when a maidservant washed the chair with milk, on which he had sat, cursing and showing his contempt. Unluckily, a servant who forgot his pike and came back to fetch it unintentionally heard those insulting curses. He studied and recognized that Prince Vidudabha was grandson of maidservant, who used to have an affair with King Mahānāma. Kosala’s Queen, Vidudabha’s mother was this servant’s daughter. The news got to the prince’s ears, infuriating him, and he thought, ‘You guys washed the chair I sat on with milk, so I will wash that seat with blood shed from the Sākya.’
Since the prince and the entourage arrived in Sāvatthī, these involved told King Pasenadi the whole story. He got very enraged because the Sākya had tried to deceive him by marrying off a servant’s daughter to him. He then uncrowned the Queen and the Prince. A couple of days later, the Buddha arrived at the palace and was told the incidents. Here is his advice:
- The Sākya had made a lot of mistakes, but as long as the Queen was King Mahānāma’s daughter, of noble descent of Kshastriya. Prince Vidudabha was the King’s son, so he was also of noble birth of Kshastriya. The mother’s lineage is not as important as the father’s.
Seeing that what the Buddha shared was absolutely reasonable, the King became so elated that he restored the positions of the Queen and Prince.
One day while the King was visiting the Buddha, Vidudabha along with a general’s nephew conspired to usurp the King’s throne. Having known this, King Pasenadi immediately rode a horse back to Rājagaha, getting his nephew King Ajatashatru to capture Vidudabha alive. It was very late at night as the King arrived in the rampart, thus he had little alternative but stay overnight in a tent outside the rampart. Due to his old age, feebleness and the severely cold weather, the King passed away that very night.
When King Vidudabha ascended the throne, he recalled the old animosity and decided to lead his troop to massacre the Sākya. Knowing this intention, Sakyamuni Buddha came to the border between the two countries, waiting under an almost leaf-out tree within Kapilavastu. Near there is a giant banian tree with large shades on Kosala territory. On the way towards Kapilavastu, the King saw the Buddha sitting under the tree. He asked:
- Oh Buddha, why are you sitting under such an almost leaf-out tree in such sultry weather?
The Buddha replied:
- Your Majesty, please leave me alone. The shade from relatives is cooling me down. ‘You Guru must have come here in order to protect your relatives’, thought King Vidudabha. The King right away bowed to the Buddha, then withdrew the troop back to Savatthi. The Buddha got back to Theraveda. One time after another, the King kept seeing the Buddha sitting under the tree for three consecutive times he had had his army troop massacre the Sākya. Out of respect for the Buddha, the King had to withdraw the troop. Finally, the Buddha realized it was an evil karma of the Sākya, so nobody could possibly change their karma. Therefore, He no longer waited at the border. The fourth time King Vidudabha handled the troop to Kapilavastu, he succeeded.
After the bloody massacre, Vidudabha’s troop on the way home erected tents to rest by the bank of Aciravatī River. In the middle of the night, suddenly dark clouds started to move towards the sky above the tents, provoking a ferocious storm, causing flood to poor down from the source, which wiped out all the tents, King Vidudabha along with officers, soldiers and arms down to the lower section of the river. Only a few soldiers who had moved up to some nearby sand dunes remained luckily alive. That was also a lesson on an evident of causes and effects that should never be forgotten.
Though the story took place 2500 years ago, its historic lesson remains priceless forever. Did the Buddha perform non-violent manifestation? If so, what is manifestation? That is simply expressing one’s emotions. Non-violent manifestation is expressing one’s emotions without any form of violence. Nowadays, people need to create a crowd or a community for communal power. As for the Buddha on the old days, his righteousness and generosity were so great that he by way of non-violent manifestation was able to convert others on his own, discouraging any of KingVidudabha’s intentions of massacring the Sākya.
There is one detail in the story that should be paid attention to. When the Buddha protested, He was not sitting under a big tree with large shade on King Vidudabha’s land, but under an almost leaf-out tree on the Sākya’s. It shows that the Buddha’s love for living creatures is not distinguishable. Besides, his love for the country, homeland and lineage is undeniably special. Since King Vidudabha asked, ‘Why was the Buddha sitting under a tree with little shade?’ (Instead of another bigger tree with larger shade nearby!) This is what we Buddhist followers ought to take into thorough consideration so we can fully understand him as well as his heart. The first story has ended.
The second one is recorded in Khuddaka Nikāya, Sutra unit 536, Lord Bird Kunāla story, content summarized as follows:
The Rohini River flew between two cities Kāpilavatthu and Koliyā, parted by one dike only, thanks to which the citizens by two banks of the river could enjoy irrigational benefits from the river water. From around May to June, the river became very rare while rice started to blossom, causing worry in all the citizens. If the citizens in the two cities bumped water into their fields, the Tohini River could not provide enough water for both. Accordingly, either side wanted to gain more water. They came into a fierce argument and because neither side could control themselves, they began to exchange blows. The news was broken to the leaders, resulting in an evitable army war over the river water between the two cities. Having known this,the Buddha directly reached the border to reconcile the two sides. Seeing the Buddha, the citizens all dropped the weapons. The Buddha asked:
- Among the river water, the land and human life, which one is the most precious?
The Kings replied:
- Oh Buddha, human life is the most precious.
- So why are you guys killing each other for such little water?
After that, the Buddha analysed human life was far more precious than any matter on earth. The Kings and people suddenly realized the truth and became elated. They then stopped the war.
Above are the two stories you all wish to listen more thoroughly. Also, some faithfully ‘diligent’ Buddhists sincerely contributed their ideas as listening to my speech on the theme ‘Should Buddhists manifest?’ ‘Master Chan Tinh had better focus on practicing Buddhism by himself instead of chatting about politics. There is no point in talking over earthly matters!’ said they.
I would like to thank you all for your kindness! However, I am not quite clear what should be considered to be talking about politics. You advised me not to give a speech on earthly matters. To be frank, I have to be accountable for discussing earthly matters. Why? Because I left my home to become a monk studying and practicing Buddhism on this planet. I eat what worldly people cook. I wear what worldly people sew. I use everything worldly people make. I live in Vietnam worldly people protect. Hence, I ought to take necessary responsibility for building Vietnam and helping Vietnamese for the better. Buddhism does not mean avoiding living one’s life, but living in order to see through the truth, to help people live for real and do what will not later strike their conscience, to make them fulfil their duties and obligations according to certain moral standards. I am a monk guiding Buddhist followers to Buddhism. Any of their concerns rising from life and self-cultivation process will be taken into consideration and answered properly based on Dharma. The Buddha taught that monks and nuns must not tell lies, distort the truth or slander anyone and so on. I also do not say what goes against the law. According to Constitution 2013 of Vietnam, Article 25, ‘People are entitled to free speech, journalism, information access, meeting, organization establishment, manifestation. To conduct these items is by law.’
“Mahayana Janaka of Heart Bottom Vipasyana” Sutra teaches Buddhists to be well aware of four main good deeds in life and to show gratitude for their parents, the three precious jewels, masters, living creatures and their country. Those who are aware of good deeds and try to repay are obliged to contribute to helping people to become better, live more peacefully, happily, to protect their own country. The Buddha did not only teach us to know the good deeds and return them, but He also highlighted this idea via his non-violent manifestation to stop KingVidudabha’s troop from massacring the Sākya so as to protect his relatives. He also came to the Rohini River to appease a conflict between two lineages Sākya and Koliyā. If every monk kept sitting still, waiting for the Buddha to come and take to the Pure Land, who would afford to help release worldly people’s sufferings? If the country were unfortunately invaded, could we sit still and practice Buddhism any longer? Just look at the images of Tibetan monks being ruthlessly beaten by Chinese army as their country had been lost to China, and draw an alerting lesson for yourselves. Look a little bit further at Muslim troop’s massacring monk and nuns as well as burning pagodas and temples in India hundreds of years ago, annihilating Buddhism for a long time right on the Buddha’s homeland. Many Buddhist followers who have not fully grasped Buddhism thought that monks and nuns should concentrate on Buddhist duties not worldly matters. They must have not heard of one of Dajian Huineng’s most well-known quotes recorded in Platform Sutra:
Buddhism is here,
Not far away from the earth,
Ignore the world, looking for the Bodhi,
Like looking for the horn of a hare.
The Buddha taught us many human issues such as family, society, economy, property, country, etc. not Samsara only. Specifically:
- Filial piety in Ullambana Sutra and Gratitude for Parents’ deeds
- Mutual responsibilities and duties between husbands and wives, parents and children, teachers and students, etc. in Unit 31, Singàlaka, Digha Nikaya.
- Ideal men are absolutely possible for women: Samyutta Nikaya IV.
- Seven types of wives: Anguttara Nikaya III.
- How to preserve possession: Anguttara Nikaya III.
- Six reasons for wasting property: Digha Nikaya II.
- How to choose a good company: Anguttara Nikaya III.
- How to patch up a quarrel: Unit 103, Digha Nikaya.
- Seven methods to resolve conflicts and six methods to make up: Unit 104, Digha Nikaya.
- Ten things a nation leader should avoid: Ket Cam Section, Chapter 10, Āgama I.
- How to build a powerful and wealthy country: Anguttara Nikaya II.
There are more and more sutras the Buddha taught human beings, societies, nations in various circumstances.
Sri Lanka nowadays is a country of over 70% of the population who follow Buddhism, so its people must be quite considerably knowledgeable of Buddhism. Every country has gone through ups and downs in history. The fact that dynasties were established and declined is definitely natural, and Sri Lanka is not an exception. So in case of mutiny, how did Buddhist followers in this country react to such an incident? In Sri Lanka’s Buddhism Book, page 108, author Tran Quang Thuan wrote as follows:
Theraputta – Abhaya, a former monk (Sri Lanka) took off his monk’s robe, join the liberation army. After the enemy’s being defeated and expelled from the country, the monk became a monk again and then an Arahat.
Page 138 of this book is also about a king who used to be a monk returning to the secular life in order to rebel against invadersTamil Army.
Six kings of Tamil continued to rule Anuràdhapura. The nation was afflicted, its economy stagnant and Sri Lanka’s culture dull. Many families ran to Rohana for refuge, others joined hands with Tamil people. Dhàtusena, a former monk, brought up by his uncle (also a profound monk) expelled the invaders from the country. Dhàtusena left the frock of monks, led a troop to defeat invaders, established independence for Sri Lanka, pacified the country, helped the world and assisted the three precious jewels.
Ly and Tran Dynasties in our country were considered the longest and most flourish in history. Buddhism was at that time a national religion. Tran Dynasty’s most resounding success was three times defeating Mongol army, one of the most powerful armies in the world’s contemporary history. There emerged a large number of distinguished heroes, but most notable of all were King Tran Thai Tong, King Tran Nhan Tong and Tue Trung Thuong Si. The two kings and one general were all zen masters. As the country was in danger of invaders, they were ready to go the battle. At peace, they retreated to focus on practicing Buddhism. Formerly, teachers of princes were spiritual leaders of the country. They never ignored the country’s fate. There were times when the king consulted zen monks for solutions to reign the country, for example King Le Dai Hanh visiting Zen Monk Phap Thuan to ask about the nation’s destiny. He replied:
Nation ia like twisted strings
Peace appears everywhere
Staying motionless in security
Wars explodes all places [2]
The gist of the poem is that the country’s fortune is like strings binding each other. We have to protect this country like the way the strings are being bound. Though supple, a string is very easy to break while many strings intertwined into a bunch are hardly breakable in spite of any attempts. All commoners respect the king, so he has to regard their will as his own will, their difficulties his own ones. From then on, the King ought to look for way to resolve conflicts within the country. People linked together would look like bunch-weaved yarn. For the sake of a country’s peace, the King ought to know how to apply a method called ‘peaceful heart, peaceful mind’ to resolving problems as well as moral cultivation principles in the court. If a person had no idea about politics, nor love and responsibility for the country and its people, would it be affordable for him or her to offer such profound advice?
We need to learn to give more to understand more. Once we understand and sympathize for others, our lovefor them goes natural, and then comes our pondering and trying to apply Buddha’s teachings. Don’t be the blind old man who touched one part of an elephant and claimed it to be the whole body. Also, don’t be the frog at the bottom of the well, looking up at the sky as small as the mouth of the well.
The proof above raises a question whether monks and nuns should discuss and join worldly matters. Now you guys must be knowledgeable enough to answer this question. So we are supposed to show solidarity, live in harmony and join hands to build a better, happier and more peaceful society, turning this world into a pure land right on earth and creating a wealthy lifelong Vietnam.
June 24th, 2018.
Ven. Thich Chan Tinh
Translated into English by Nguyen Minh Thuy Tien