Maha Buddhavamsa - War Between the Sakya Tribe

Maha Buddhavamsa
The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw

War Between the Sakya Tribe of Kapilavatthu with Sakya
Tribe from Koliya Because of Fight Over Rohini River Water

There is a small stream named Rohini in between the two kingdoms,
Kapilavatthu and Koliya. Both countries are in harmony take turns
divide the water from the river to irrigate their fields with
method to control the flow of water from a dam.

The water level in the dam is at its lowest
in Jetthamsa month and plants usually become dry and
wilt. The farmers of the two kingdoms met to
discuss the distribution of water from the dam. On
meeting, the farmers Koliya said:
"My friends, if a little water left in the dam
should be shared to both our kingdom, none of
we are going to receive enough water to irrigate our fields.
Again flood water will be enough for the fields to future
harvest. We therefore ask that you permit
we use a little water. "
The Kapilavatthu farmers also expressed their desire:
"My friends, we can not go home to home
carrying baskets and bags of gold, silver and various valuable
jewels to bother to look for rice, while you
all sit down because your barn are full of
rice. Our rice plants, too, had almost entered the season
of harvesting and needs irrigation. "
Increasingly heated debate, one side says' we can not
harvest ', and others chanted the same words.
Exchange of these words eventually led to fights,
a farmer from one of the party began to attack the farmers of
other party, and farmers from other parties responded with
in the same way. A fight between two people from two sides
eventually evolved into a war (like small bush
burned and developing ferocious and eventually burn
a large palace). To denounce each other between the two tribes.


Koliya farmers begin with the words:
"You threaten us by relying on the royal family of
Kapilavatthu. Kapilavatthu family that you count on this
behave like a dog and a wolf who married his own
sister. What can elephants, horses and weapons they do
against us? "
Kapilavatthu farmers responded with words that do not
less fierce:
"You threaten us by relying on leprosy that
horrible. Koliya offspring that you rely too
in a sad state since they were banished from the city
and live like the beasts of the kola tree forest. What can
elephants, horses and weapons they have done to us? "
The farmers returned to their town and reported
this matter to the minister of agriculture, which passes it on to
each of these their superiors.
Finally, Kapilavatthu Sakya people get ready to fight
against Koliya and out of town, shouting war cries,
'The husband of her own sister would demonstrate expertise
their weapons. "The Koliya also prepare and exit,
their cry is, 'Those who take shelter in the forest for the trees
kola will demonstrate expertise in their weapons. '
At that time, the Tathagata was dwelling in Jetavana monastery in
Savatthi. On that day when the two groups Kapilavatthu and
Koliya ready for battle, Tathagata examine this world
 early in the morning and saw a bloody battle would
happen soon between the two warring parties on that night.
'Tathagata further found that he was able to prevent
that battle out by visiting the battle arena
and expound the three Jatakas, i.e. Phandana, Dudduba, and
Latukika. This will provide peace; then
He must teach two Jatakas, Rukkhadhamma, and Vattaka
followed by Attadanda Sutta to create unity


and harmony. After listening to sermons,
each of the Sakya and Koliya will provide two hundred and
fifty young men to be ordained, "I will ordain them
become monk who will reach its peak in the Great
Meetings Mahàsamaya. "
After seeing it, Tathagata decided to go to the
arena battle and save the tribes that still
war from each other annihilation. He set out early
to raise funds of regular meals and silence a day
in his kuti that fragrant. By evening, he abandon
room carrying his own robes and bowl and go to
witnessed the dispute alone, without telling anyone.
Once there, he sat cross-legged on the space in between
both parties, and causes the light of darkness blue
emanating from his hair so that darkness wrap up
though the sun had not set. It is intended to
led to feelings of guilt and regret in the hearts of the parties
factions.
While everyone is terrified by the miracle, Buddha,
 emitting six-color light from his body, showing
Himself to them.
Both families of the kingdom lay down their arms
When the Sakya family members see the Tathagata, they
contemplate, "Buddha is derived from the blood we've come,
He may understand our dispute. "They talk
and decided, "It is not good if we kill others
with the presence of Buddha; let the Koliya kill us or
our hostages, if they want. "With the agreement
thus they laid down their arms and bowing with full
respect to the Buddha.
The Koliya also make the same decision, they put down
arms and bowing to Tathagata who later fell from
space and sit in a seat that has been provided in


beautiful sandy plains with majesty and glory
of a Buddha.

Preaching to End Dispute

Tathagata with understanding ask, "Why do you
all gathered in this place? "King of each party
replied, "Blessed Bhagava, we are not come to see
river, or to do water sports; in fact we come
to fight on this sandy soil. "
Tathagata asked again, "Your Majesty ... What exactly is
the cause of your dispute? "They said," Water
of the Rohini River is the actual cause. "
Tathagata then asked, "Lord ... What is the value of water
of this Rohini river? "They said," Blessed Bhagava,
just small value. "Tathagata asked again," What is the value of this
earth? "They said,"Infinite."
Furthermore, the Tathagata asked "How do you assess the rate
Khattiya kingdom (knight) that noble, "they replied," Value
Of the tribe of the Khattiya royal family that noble is
infinity. "Tathagata then said:
"Your Majesty ... For the sake of a little water Rohini River just a small
value, why would you want to destroy the tribe's royal family
noble Khattiya  whose value is infinite with each other
war. Not a bit of happiness that can be obtained from
disputes that futile and worthless. O Majesty .... There is
a story that can be example in which the seeds of enmity
 planted by the tree god and remain valid throughout
this Bhadda kappa. "
Tathagata then goes on to expound Phandana
Jataka (from Terasa Nipata), here is the story in a nutshell:


Phandana Jataka
Your Majesty  ... in the past, in the reign pf
Brahmadatta king in Bàrànasi, there is a carpenter village
located outside the city, there is a Brahmin who also
worked as a carpenter. He took the timber from the forest and
to made cart as a livelihood.
At that time there was a kyo tree (Melicoca trijuna) in the Himalaya
area. A bear usually sleep under the tree after
eat. One day a piece of dry branches broken due to blast
strong winds and fell on the bear's back up
injured. The bear ran in fear, but soon returned again to
examine the cause of his injury. He did not see any enemy.
He thought, "No beast like a lion and tiger in
 around here that jeopardize me, and no one
except the god of this tree is probably jealous to see me fall asleep
under a tree, and then harm. I will reply to
his actions. "Then he scraped the ground up to produce
mound, and attacked the tree with its tusks,
scratched with his claws, and said, "I do not eat
your leaf, or break your branch, you do not seem
hate animals resting under your tree, but
you envy me. What is my fault. Wait two, three days
again: I will lift up your tree and cut it
to pieces. "
After threatening the god of the tree, the bear walk
around there, looking for someone who is capable of damaging the tree.
The Brahmin carpenter, with a few people, go to the forest
in a small cart to look for wood as a material
to make the cart. They left their cart at a
place and into the woods with a hatchet and a machete.
They drive around to find the right wood, and finally
arrived near the tree Melicoca trijuna.


When the bear saw the brahmana carpenter, he thought,
"Today I will take revenge on my enemies," and he
standing under a tree. When the carpenter walked across
tree, the bear said to him:
"Friend, you have come to this forest with an ax in
hand. Tell me honestly what tree will
you cut? "
When the carpenter heard the words of the bear, he replied:
in amazement, "Children, strangely there is a bear that
speaks in human language, an event that has not
I've seen or heard. "Then he thought, a
bear who speaks in human language must have been aware
the right wood to make a cart, and then he asked
to that bear:
"O king of the bears, you have wandered far, up to the top
the hills and down into the valleys. Please tell me
honestly, what is the best wood to make the cart? "
When the bear heard these words, he felt his desire
will be met, and then he replied in verse:
"Pidauk (Pterocarpus indicus) is not sturdy enough to be used
as a framework; cutch (Acacia catehu) as well as bad; Ingyin,
Sal trees (Shorea siamensis) are equal; and Myaukngo (Lythrum
fructicosum) does not count (as weak). There are types of
particular tree is known by the name Melicoca trijuna; wood
of this tree is the strongest to make the cart. "
The carpenter glad to hear it and he thought, "I came
into the woods on the right day, even a wild animal such as
this bear show right wood to make the cart.
Lucky for me. "Then he said to the bear:
"Buddy bear ... what about the twigs and
leaves, flowers as well? My friends, please tell me


everything so that I can recognize about this tree. "
The bear answered in two stanzas:
"My friend Brahmana, there is a certain tree that branches and
twigs bent down and keep it hanging. The wood
tough, strong, and durable. I am standing under it;
This tree is called Melicoca trijuna. The wood is a right
material to make a circle wheels, axles, frames, and all
other component of a cart.
After saying these two stanzas, the bear in mind that
calm and happy to go elsewhere to seek their prey.
Then the carpenter began to get ready for the chop
the tree. The tree god thinks, "Even though I
do not throw anything into his back, the bear was
grudge against me and planted seeds of hatred
for no reason. He has caused the destruction of habitation,
I definitely will be destroyed also, and I will reciprocate by
deception. "Then he transformed into a human
and close to the carpenter and said. "O lord, thou
get a beautiful tree; what would you do
after you cut the wood? "The carpenter replied,
"I'm going to make cart frame."
"Who told you that the wood of this tree is good for
make the cart? "asked the god of trees. "A bear who
told me "replied the carpenter. The god of the tree said,
"Very well; the bear has given good advice
you. The cart you will make, according to the bear counsel,
will be a beautiful cart; I will also give
counsel, to strengthen the your cart framework, use
binder made of bear skin taken from the
neck, it will make it a more powerful carts than if
tied using tin plates, and will increase
selling price of the cart. "
When asked by the carpenter, "O friend, where I could


get a bearskin? "the god of the tree said:
"O friend, are you a child who does not know
that the tree could not move; this tree will remain in
here and will not run anywhere. Please be sure you catch
bears that advises you about this tree and
respectfully say, "O my lord, what part of the tree
that you show had to be cut? "and persuade
him to come back to this tree. Then, without suspicion,
he would appoint to use a long nose, 'cut
here, cut here ', at the time, you can cut it
using a sharp ax and killed him. Then
you can skin him, ate meat, and continue
your work cut down this tree. "
Thus the seeds of hatred have been planted. Hearing the word-
said the god of trees, the Brahmin carpenter reveals
The good feelings by saying, "O what a wonderful day
This is my lucky day. "He came home after killing
bear and cut down the tree.
The Buddha end his sermon by spoke in verse
the following Abhisambuddha to advise the two groups
that conflict.
Iccevam phandano Issam
Isso ca pana phandanam annamannam vivàdena
annamannamaghàtayum
Your Majesty ... Thus, the tree deities warring
with the bear, and the bear is also hostile to the gods of trees.
Their hatred ultimately bring destruction to themself.
Evameva manussànam
Vivàdo yattha jàyati
mayuranaccam naccanti
yathà issaphandanà te.


Your Majesty ... when humans fight each other, they
do the same thing as the bear with the tree god
whose like a dancing peacock. Like
a peacock who can not dance without showing
private body parts, as well as people who are
war is not able to cover what should be covered ...
(A parable with respect to the origin of the Sakya clan
and Koliya that were raised by both groups).
Tam vo vadàmi bhaddam vo
yàvantettha samàgatà
ma sammodatha vivadatha
ma hotha issaphandanà
The Noble Lord, may you always be blessed with
majesty and glory, you who have gathered at the edge
of Rohini river, I advise you to mimic the two rivers,
Gangà and Yamuna, which is in harmony together in love.
Avoid war that could destroy both sides.
Do not imitate the example of the bear and tree gods.
Sàmaggimeva sikkhetha
Buddhe hetam pasamsitam sàmaggirato Dhammattho
yogakkhemà na dhamsati
Your Majesty, try to unite; all the Buddhas
praise unity. He is happy in life is harmonious,
implement the Ten Good Deeds (sucarita) will reach
happiness of Nibbana, the end of all attachments, yoga, which
entrap a person into a rebirth.
Both warring parties, Sakya and Koliya finally united
after listening to the sermon of the Buddha. At the end of the sermon
, the Tathagata reveals that he is the king of gods ruling
the whole forest knows the feud between the bear
the god of trees.