The Senapati said: “It is difficult to
accept your suggestion. For even if you voluntarily agreed to undergo
the sentence of death or exile, the matter is sure to become known to
the king of the Kosalas and he is sure to
conclude that it is the Sangh which has inflicted this punishment and
take action against the
Sangh." “If this is the difficulty I can
easily suggest a way out," said Siddhartha
Gautama. " I can become a
Parivrajaka and leave this country. It is
a kind of an exile." The Senapati thought this was a good solution. But
he had still some doubt about Siddhartha being able to give effect to
it. So the Senapati asked Siddhartha: “How can you become a Parivrajaka
unless you obtain the consent of your parents and your wife?” Siddhartha
assured him that he would do his best to
obtain their permission. “I promise," he
said, " to leave this country immediately
whether I obtain their consent or not."
The Sangh felt that the proposal made by
Siddhartha was the best way out and they agreed to it. After finishing
the business before the meeting, the Sangh was about to rise when a
young Sakya got up in his place and said:
“Give me a hearing, I have something important to say."
Being granted permission to speak, he said:
“I have no doubt that Siddhartha Gautama will keep his promise and
leave the country immediately. There is, however, one question over
which I do not feel very happy. "Now that
Siddhartha will soon be out of sight, does the Sangh propose to give
immediate effect to its declaration of war against the Koliyas? “I want
the Sangh to give further consideration to this question. In any event,
the king of the Kosalas is bound to come
to know of the exile of Siddhartha Gautama. If the
Sakyas declare a war against the Koliyas
immediately, the king of Kosalas will understand that Siddhartha left
only because he was opposed to war against the Koliyas. This will not go
well with us. "I, therefore, propose that we should also allow an
interval to pass between the exile of
Siddhartha Gautama and the actual commencement of hostilities so as not
to allow the King of Kosala to establish
any connection between the two." The Sangh realised that this was a very
important proposal. And as a matter of expediency, the Sangh agreed to
accept it. Thus ended the tragic session of the Sakya Sangh and the
minority which was opposed to the war but who had not the courage to say
so, heaved a sigh of relief that it was able to overcome a situation
full of calamitous consequences. |