Not long after Devadatta's departure, the Buddha teaches that possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall, using similes of banana plants, bamboo, reeds, and a mule that bear fruit to their destruction.

SN 17.35 Shortly After He Left

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte. Tatra kho bhagavā devadattaṁ ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:

“attavadhāya, bhikkhave, devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kadalī attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, veḷu attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, naḷo attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, assatarī attavadhāya gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti, parābhavāya gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“Phalaṁ ve kadaliṁ hanti,
phalaṁ veḷuṁ phalaṁ naḷaṁ;
Sakkāro kāpurisaṁ hanti,
gabbho assatariṁ yathā”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

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, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

“Possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kadalī attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti;

It’s like a banana plant …

evameva kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, veḷu attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti;

or a bamboo …

evameva 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 …

evameva 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.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

In the same way, possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall.

Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko.

So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity.

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“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.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Qualities:

Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026