Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
I: Mettā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
I. On Amity
Sutta 7
Devadatta-Vipatti Suttaṃ
Devadatta
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
Once, not long after the departure of Devadatta,[1] the Exalted One was dwelling on Vulture's Peak,
near Rājagaha.
Then the Exalted One spoke thus to the monks concerning Devadatta:
"Monks, well it is for a monk to review,
from time to time,
his own faults;
well it is for a monk to review,
from time to time,
another's faults;
well it is for a monk to review,
from time to time,
his own attainments;
well it is for a monk to review,
from time to time,
another's attainments.
§
Monks, mastered by eight wrong states,[2]
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.[3]
■
By what eight?
Mastered by gain,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
■
Mastered by loss,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
■
Mastered by fame,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
■
Mastered by obscurity,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
■
Mastered by honour,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
■
Mastered by lack of honour,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
■
Mastered by evil intentions,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
■
Mastered by evil friendship,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
■
Mastered by these eight,
Devadatta, with his mind out of control,
became one doomed to suffer in hell,
in perdition,
dwelling there a kalpa,
irreprievable.
§
Monks, well it is that a monk should live mastering gain,
[110] loss,
fame,
obscurity,
honour,
lack of honour,
evil intentions
and evil friendship,
which arise.
■
And why, and for what good purpose[4] should a monk live mastering gain,
loss,
fame,
obscurity,
honour,
lack of honour,
evil intentions
and evil friendship,
which arise?
■
Monks, when a monk lives with gain,
loss,
fame,
obscurity,
honour,
lack of honour,
evil intentions
and evil friendship,
which arise, unmastered,
there arise the cankers,
full of distress and anguish;[5]
but when those states are mastered,
those cankers,
full of distress and anguish,
are not.
■
For this good purpose, monks,
a monk should master gain,
loss,
fame,
obscurity,
honour,
lack of honour,
evil intentions
and evil friendship,
which arise
and so abide.
§
Wherefore, monks, train yourselves thus:
We will live mastering gain,
loss,
fame,
obscurity,
honour,
lack of honour,
evil intentions
and evil friendship,
which arises.
Train yourselves thus, monks!'
[1] The Comy. observes that this was not long after his departure, after having caused dissension within the Order; see Vin. Texts iii; S.B.E. xx, 238; Thomas' Life of B., 132.
[2] Asaddhammehi; this set recurs at Vin. ii, 202; cf. It. 85 for 3.
[3] Cf. G.S. iii, 212, 286 and Introd. xiv.
[4] Atthavasaṃ paṭicca.
[5] Āsavā vighātapariḷāhā; see A. ii, 197 f.; Mp. 587.
