1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak soon after Devadatta had left. [n.761] The sutta, including the verse, is also at SN 17:35, II 241, with an added homily on the danger of gain, honor, and praise. See too Vin II 187–88. There the Blessed One, with reference to Devadatta, addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise led to his own ruin and destruction.

2(1) Just as a plantain tree yields fruit to its own ruin and destruction, so Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise led to his own ruin and destruction.

3(2) Just as a bamboo yields fruit to its own ruin and destruction, so Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise led to his own ruin and destruction.

4(3) Just as a reed yields fruit to its own ruin and destruction, so Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise led to his own ruin and destruction.

5(4) Just as a mule becomes pregnant to its own ruin and destruction, so Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise led to his own ruin and destruction."

6As its own fruit destroys the plantain,
as its fruit destroys the bamboo and reed,
as its embryo destroys the mule,
so does honor destroy the vile man.

1Ekaṁ 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.

2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kadalī attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

3Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, veḷu attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, naḷo attavadhāya phalaṁ deti, parābhavāya phalaṁ deti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi.

5Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, assatarī attavadhāya gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti, parābhavāya gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attavadhāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādi, parābhavāya devadattassa lābhasakkārasiloko udapādīti.

6Phalaṁ ve kadaliṁ hanti,
phalaṁ veḷuṁ phalaṁ naḷaṁ;
Sakkāro kāpurisaṁ hanti,
gabbho assatariṁ yathā"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.