Hi Robert,

>
> Then the monarch asked the thera whether or not he himself shared
> the guilt of the murder of the bhikkhus by the minister. The Thera
> taught the king: 'There is no resulting guilt without evil

intent,'

> and he recited the Tittira-jataka.""
>
>
> Thus King Asoka was blameless in the killing of the Bhikkhus.
>

That's a relief.

The case of Asoka is interesting, because we can compare what was
said about him with what he himself said. The Theravada chronicles
depict him as a devoted Theravadin adherent. Surprisingly enough,
the Sarvastivadin scriptures depict him as a devoted Sarvastivadin
adherent! And while the Theravadins say he listened to the wise
council of their patriarch, Moggaliputtatissa, the Sarvastivadins
say he listened to their patriarch, Upagupta.

But Asokas own edicts say nothing of these people or their schools.
In fact, one could question, from the evidence of the inscriptions,
whether Asoka had even heard of the Theravadin school. Certainly he
displayed no interest in sectarianism, and strongly, and movingly,
implored the Sangha to remain harmonious and undivided. To this end
he encouraged the Sangha to study, not their sectarian literature,
but the authentic teachings found in the early canon of all schools.
Asoks was a generous patron of even other religions, so how could he
have been so belligerently antagonistic towards Buddhists?

In fact the schisms were already under way, and even Asoka could not
stop the tide. But it seems extremely likely that he continued to
support all the schools, and to listen to wise teachers as long as
they speak Dhamma.

So to make this clear to a

> curious public they invited TV and media to watch while they

ripped

> off their Theravada robes. stomped on them and, if I remember
> correctly, performed other indignities including burning them.

They

> then put their original grey robes back on and that was that.
>
> I can imagine someone 500 years from now digging up a remnant of
> this story and then claming that all monks in Korea are actually
> Theravadan.
> And it shows how very, very careful Bhikhus should be before
> ordaining anyone. To ordain such unsuitable candiates causes

strife

> in the Sangha.

Absolutely! What a farcical story. Both parties, the Theravadins as
well as the Koreans, should have known better.

in Dhamma

bhante Sujato