Buddhism's Satanic Verses

Upaka, a man belonging to the Ajivika sect of naked ascetics met the Blessed One travelling on the road between Gaya and the Bodhi tree. When he saw him, he said to the Blessed One: "Friend, your countenance is serene and your complexion is pure and bright. In whose name have you retired from the world? Who is your teacher? Whose doctrine do you profess?"

The Blessed One replied: "I have overcome all foes. I am all-wise. I am free from all stain. I have abandoned everything and obtained emancipation by the destruction of desire. Having gained this knowledge myself, who should I call my master? I have no teacher. No one is equal to me. In the world of men and of gods no being is like me. I am the holy One in this world. I am the highest teacher, I alone am the Absolute Sambuddha; I have gained calm by the extinction of all passion and I have obtained Nirvana. To found the Kingdom of Truth I go to the city of Kashi (Benares), where I will beat the drum of the Immortal in the darkness of this world.'"

Upaka the Ajivika then asked: "You profess then, friend, to be the holy, absolute Jina?"

Buddha replied: "All Jinas have like me reached extinction of the Asavas. I have overcome all states of sinfulness and therefore, Upaka, I am the Jina.'

Upaka the Ajivika replied: "It may be so, friend, it may be so." as he shook his head and went his way on another road.

- Mahavagga (Khandaka) I, 7-9 of the Vinaya Pitaka of the Pali Canon

Definitions:

Jina = "the victorious One", commonly attributed to both the historical Buddha and Mahavira, the ultimate Jaina thirtankara.

Asava = sensuality, individuality, delusion and ignorance.

Ajivika = an ascetic tradition reputedly founded by Gosala Maskariputra (a.k.a. Ekadanda - he who carries a single staff) just before the time of the historical Buddha. Gosala rejected prevailing beliefs based upon the role of devotion (e.g. Brahminism), individual effort (e.g. yoga) or spiritual heroes (e.g. Jainism, Buddhism) in facilitating the release of the incorruptible, immortal aspect of living beings from attachment to the material universe (e.g. karma). Gosala taught that this detachment happened of its own accord under the influence of blind, impersonal destiny (niyati). Other ajivika teachers proposed that what appear to us to be attachments and developments are merely illusions of our limited human conceptions of time and space: each atom is the universe, each moment is eternity. Needless to say, the Ajivikas were attacked by followers of all other traditions who clung to heroes and divine intercessors in the search for a way around the blind blundering of destiny.

Grahasatya, Ekadanda!