King Ajātaśatru was a rival of the Buddha, Devadatta—approached the king with a sinister plan. Devadatta sought to harm the Buddha and undermine his growing influence.
He said to the king:
“Great King, there is an elephant of yours that is fierce and untamed, mighty enough to crush enemies with ease. If you make this elephant drink strong wine, it will become wild with intoxication. Then, early in the morning, when the Śramaṇa Gautama enters the city for alms as he always does, release this drunk elephant onto the road. In its frenzied state, it will surely trample and kill him.”
Devadatta hoped that through this act, he could eliminate the Buddha and assume leadership over the saṅgha. He played upon the king’s authority and desire for power, proposing violence as a means to remove a rival.
“Early tomorrow morning, the fierce elephant will be released into the city. All citizens must remain indoors. No one is to walk the streets or alleys.”
But Devadatta added one final challenge when speaking to King Ajātaśatru. He wanted not only to harm the Buddha, but to publicly cast doubt on his divine powers.
“If that Śramaṇa Gautama truly possesses omniscience, if he really knows all things and sees future events, then surely—knowing what awaits him—he will not enter the city tomorrow morning for alms. If he does come, it proves he is no omniscient sage.”
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