Vassakāra
A brahmin, chief minister of Ajātasattu. He and Sunidha were in charge of the fortifications of Pāṭaligāma, built against the Vajjī.¹
At Ajātasattu’s suggestion, Vassakāra visited the Buddha to discover, indirectly, whether, in the Buddha’s view, there were any chances of Ajātasattu conquering the Vajjī in battle. The Buddha said that as long as the Vajjī practised the seven conditions of prosperity that he had taught them at Sārandada cetiya, they would prosper rather than decline, and this gave Vassakāra the idea that the downfall of the Vajjī could be brought about by diplomacy (upalāpana) or disunion (mithubheda). He thereupon conspired with the king ² and, by agreement, the latter expelled him on the charge of showing favour to the Vajjī during discussions in the assembly. Vassakāra then went to the Vajjī country, and the Licchavī, all unsuspecting, welcomed him and appointed him as the teacher of their children. By means of cunning and questioning the children in secret, he made them quarrel with each other, and these quarrels soon spread to the elders. In three years the Licchavī were completely disunited, and when the assembly drum was beaten, they failed to appear. Vassakāra then sent a message to Ajātasattu, who was able to capture Vesāli without meeting any resistance.
In the Gopaka Moggallāna Sutta,³ Vassakāra is represented as arriving in the middle of a conversation that Gopaka Moggallāna was holding with Ānanda, having been sent to inspect the works at Rājagaha, which were in the charge of Moggallāna. Having asked the subject of conversation, he inquired whether the Buddha himself or the Order had chosen a leader for the Saṅgha after the Buddha’s death. Ānanda explains that the Buddha did not do so, that no special leader has been appointed, but that there were monks to whom they showed honour and reverence because of their virtue and insight. Vassakāra admits this as good, as does also Upananda, the general (senāpati), who is present. Vassakāra asks Ānanda where he lives, and is told, in Veḷuvana. Vassakāra thinks this a good place for the practice of jhāna, and tells Ānanda of a conversation he once had with the Buddha regarding jhāna. Ānanda, remarks that all absorptions (jhāna) are not equally praiseworthy, and Vassakāra takes his leave.
Buddhaghosa says ⁴ that Vassakāra knew well of Ānanda’s residence at Veḷuvana, but that as the place was under his special protection, he wished to hear his work praised. Then follows a curious tale. Vassakāra once saw Mahā-
Three conversations between the Buddha and Vassakāra are recorded in the Aṅguttaranikāya, all three taking place at Veḷuvana. See Vassakāra Sutta, the third of which repeats the conversation recorded in the Dīghanikāya regarding the possibility of Ajātasattu defeating the Vajjī.
Vassakāra had a daughter whom he wished to give in marriage to Uttara (q.v.), but the latter refused the proposal as he wished to join the Order. Vassakāra was angry, and contrived to take his revenge even after Uttara had become a monk.⁵
Buddhaghosa says ⁶ that Vassakāra was envious by nature, and, on discovering that a certain forest official had given tribute to Dhaniya (2) without the king’s special leave, he reported the man to the king and had him punished.⁷ In this context we find that Vassakāra was Mahāmatta (? prime minister) to Bimbisāra as well.
¹ Vin.i.228; Ud.viii.6; the Dīghanikāya account, D.ii.72 ff, omits Sunidha. The Vinaya account omits Vassakāra’s questions to the Buddha; cf. AA.ii.705 ff.
² D.A.ii.522 ff. ³ M.iii.8 ff. ⁴ MA.ii.854. ⁵ ThagA.i.240.
⁶ Sp.ii.295. ⁷ The incident is repeated at Vin.iii.42 ff.