AN 8.7

Devadattavipattisutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte. Tatra bhagavā devadattaṁ ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi: “sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, asaddhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho.

Devadatta’s Failure

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain, not long after Devadatta had left. There the Buddha spoke to the mendicants about Devadatta: “Mendicants, it’s good for a mendicant to check their own failings from time to time. It’s good for a mendicant to check the failings of others from time to time. It’s good for a mendicant to check their own successes from time to time. It’s good for a mendicant to check the successes of others from time to time. Overcome and overwhelmed by eight things that oppose the true teaching, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable.

Katamehi aṭṭhahi? Lābhena hi, bhikkhave, abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho. Alābhena, bhikkhave …pe… yasena, bhikkhave … ayasena, bhikkhave … sakkārena, bhikkhave … asakkārena, bhikkhave … pāpicchatāya, bhikkhave … pāpamittatāya, bhikkhave, abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi asaddhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho.

What eight? Overcome and overwhelmed by gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … corrupt wishes … bad friendship, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable. Overcome and overwhelmed by these eight things that oppose the true teaching, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable.

Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya, uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya.

It’s good for a mendicant, whenever they encounter it, to overcome gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … corrupt wishes … bad friendship.

Kiñca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu atthavasaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya, uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya?

What advantage does a mendicant gain by overcoming these eight things?

Yaṁ hissa, bhikkhave, uppannaṁ lābhaṁ anabhibhuyya viharato uppajjeyyuṁ āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya viharato evaṁsa te āsavā vighātapariḷāhā na honti. Yaṁ hissa, bhikkhave, uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ anabhibhuyya viharato uppajjeyyuṁ āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya viharato evaṁsa te āsavā vighātapariḷāhā na honti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu atthavasaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya, uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya.

The distressing and feverish defilements that might arise in someone who lives without overcoming these eight things do not arise when they have overcome them. This is the advantage that a mendicant gains by overcoming these eight things.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharissāma, uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

So, mendicants, you should train like this: ‘Whenever we encounter it, we will overcome gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … corrupt wishes … bad friendship.’ That’s how you should train.”