8: The Book of the Eights
I. Love — AN 8.7: Devadatta’s Failure
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1At 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.
2What eight?
Overcome and overwhelmed by gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … wicked desires … 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.
3It’s good for a mendicant, whenever they encounter it, to overcome gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … wicked desires … bad friendship.
4What advantage does a mendicant gain by overcoming these eight things?
5The 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.
6So, mendicants, you should train like this: ‘Whenever we encounter it, we will overcome gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … wicked desires … bad friendship.’ That’s how you should train.”
1Ekaṁ 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.
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.
3Sādhu, 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.
4Kiñca, 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?
5Yaṁ 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.
6Tasmātiha, 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.
Sattamaṁ.