Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain, not long after Devadatta had left.
Tatra kho bhagavā devadattaṁ ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha spoke to the mendicants about Devadatta:
“attavadhāya, bhikkhave, devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
“Possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall.
Parābhavāya, bhikkhave, devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kadalī attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti;
It’s like a banana plant,
evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, veḷu attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti;
or a bamboo,
evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, naḷo attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti;
or a reed, all of which bear fruit to their own ruin and downfall …
evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, assatarī attavadhāya gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti, parābhavāya gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti;
It’s like a mule, which becomes pregnant to its own ruin and downfall.
evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādīti.
In the same way, possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall.
Phalaṁ ve kadaliṁ hanti,
The banana plant is destroyed by its own fruit,
phalaṁ veḷuṁ phalaṁ naḷaṁ;
as are the bamboo and the reed.
Sakkāro kāpurisaṁ hanti,
Honor destroys a reprobate,
gabbho assatariṁ yathā”ti.
as pregnancy destroys a mule.”
Aṭṭhamaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
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:
“Possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall.
It’s like a banana plant,
or a bamboo,
or a reed, all of which bear fruit to their own ruin and downfall …
It’s like a mule, which becomes pregnant to its own ruin and downfall.
In the same way, possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall.
The banana plant is destroyed by its own fruit,
as are the bamboo and the reed.
Honor destroys a reprobate,
as pregnancy destroys a mule.”
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte.
Tatra kho bhagavā devadattaṁ ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:
“attavadhāya, bhikkhave, devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Parābhavāya, bhikkhave, devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kadalī attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti;
evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, veḷu attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti;
evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, naḷo attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti;
evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, assatarī attavadhāya gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti, parābhavāya gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti;
evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādīti.
Phalaṁ ve kadaliṁ hanti,
phalaṁ veḷuṁ phalaṁ naḷaṁ;
Sakkāro kāpurisaṁ hanti,
gabbho assatariṁ yathā”ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.