Discover SN SN 1–11 SN 6SN 6.12

After awakening, the Buddha reflects that the Dhamma is too deep to teach and inclines to passivity; the divinity Sahampati appears to plead that beings with little dust in their eyes will understand, and the Buddha surveys the world with compassion and agrees to teach.

SN 6.12 About Devadatta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ pabbataṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho brahmā sahampati devadattaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

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

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

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.

Then, late at night, the glorious divinity Sahampati, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho brahmā sahampati devadattaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

and spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“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.”