Mahadeva (Buddhism)

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Mahadeva (Sanskrit: महादेव), a native of Mathura, is said to have been the founder of the Mahasamghika schism around 320 BCE.

He was ordained at Kukkutarama in Pataliputra, before taking the head of the sangha. The story of his transformation from a sinner of the worst kind to a learned monk was among the collection of tales relating to buddhhism, taken back to China by Xuan-Zang. The story of his transformation is titled as "The sins of Mahadeva".

His father was a wealthy and ambitious trader who had married at a very young age. He often went away to foreign lands to trade and amass wealth. It is said that Mahadeva had a very pleasant and radiant face. But he was unfortunate not to get the love of his father during his childhood. In his teens he committed his first sin, by indulging in an incestuous relationship with his mother. Mahadeva was frightened of his father coming to know about this relationship and hence murdered him, thereby committing his second cardinal sin. He then, in order to escape from the guilt ran away with his mother to a distant land and started life fresh. But there, one day he ran into an old neighbour who was on a tour to the land that Mahadeva had made his new home. The man was treated as a guest and was given refuge for a few days in Mahadeva's house. After a few days the guest started asking questions about Mahadeva's sudden disappearance from his native land. Mahadeva felt threatened and poisoned the guest, thereby committing his third cardinal sin. Some years later he began to doubt his mother, for whom he had committed all the murders. When he found that his mother was involved in a relationship with another man, Mahadeva felt emotionally wrecked and out of his frustration he murdered his mother thereby committing the fourth cardinal sin of his life. After this incident Mahadeva found his life meaningless and tethered on the brink of insanity. He, in fact was about to take his own life when he came to know that a Buddhist monk with a panacea for sinners had arrived in the town. Mahadeva decided to give his wretched life one more chance and approached the monk who was camping near Pataliputra. It was at this place that Mahadeva was ordained as member of the buddhist sangha.