On that occasion five hundred Vajjian monks from Vesālī, newly ordained and ignorant, were present. Thinking, “This is the Teaching, this is the Monastic Law, this is the Teacher’s instruction,” they voted in favor. Then, after causing a schism in the Sangha, Devadatta left for Gayāsīsa together with the five hundred monks. Soon afterwards Sāriputta and Moggallāna went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down, and said, “Sir, Devadatta has split the Sangha and left for Gayāsīsa together with five hundred monks.” “You have compassion for those five hundred newly ordained monks, don’t you? Go then, Sāriputta and Moggallāna, before they’re afflicted with misfortune and disaster.” Saying, “Yes, sir,” they got up from their seats, bowed down, circumambulated the Buddha with their right sides toward him, and went to Gayāsīsa. Just then a certain monk who was standing near the Buddha was crying. The Buddha asked him why. He said, “Sir, even Sāriputta and Moggallāna, the Buddha’s chief disciples, are going to Devadatta because they approve of his teaching.” “It’s impossible for Sāriputta and Moggallāna to approve of Devadatta’s teaching. In fact, they’ve gone to win those monks over.”