Buddha never forgot the promise he had made to King Bimbisara to return and give him teachings. So when the time was right, he journeyed to Rajagriha. Outside this royal city was a hill called Vultures Peak, and Buddha and his disciples went and stayed there.
King Bimbisara often went to Vultures Peak to hear the words of Buddha. The people of the city went also, and soon the number of Buddha’s followers grew very large. After some time, the King and several other rich people gave Buddha and his followers parks where everyone could stay and listen to his teachings in comfort.
Buddha’s cousin, Devadatta, became very jealous. “He has so many people following him,” he thought, “and everyone shows him so much respect. I am as great as he is, but they all ignore me. I must destroy him!”
He knew that he would need help in killing the Buddha, so he went to King Bimbisara’s son. “Don’t you want to be king?” he asked. “Why should your father have all the wealth and power? Come, if you help me kill the Buddha, I shall help you kill your father. Then you can become king in his place.”
The King’s son listened to these wicked words and agreed. Then the two of them tried many ways to murder the Buddha. One day, while Buddha was sitting in meditation near Vultures Peak, they rolled a very large boulder down the hill toward him. But just before it was going to crush him, the rock split in half, leaving Buddha unharmed.
Another time, Buddha was walking through the city with several of his closest disciples. The two men knew he was coming and were ready. They had bought an elephant and had given it lots of liquor to drink. When it was quite drunk, they beat it with sticks until it was crazed with anger. Then they released it in the direction of the Buddha, hoping the elephant would trample him to death.
When the disciples saw the enraged elephant charging toward them, they ran away in fear. All except Ananda, Buddha’s closest companion, who stayed by his teacher’s side, holding on to Buddha’s robe.
Buddha saw the elephant coming and, instead of being frightened or angry, felt great love and pity for the poor beast. Even though the elephant was drunk and crazed, it felt the power of Buddha’s love. It stopped charging, walked over to the Buddha meekly, and bowed its large head at the Awakened One’s feet.
Buddha patted the elephant gently and turned and said to Ananda, “The only way to destroy hatred is with love. Hatred cannot be defeated with more hatred. This is a very important lesson to learn.”
