Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
I: Mettā Vagga

VIII. The Book of the Eights

I. On Amity

Sutta 7

Devadatta-Vipatti Suttaṃ

Devadatta

[160] [109]

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 purpose⁴ 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.