8: The Book of the Eights
8. Uttarā on Failing
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1On one occasion the Venerable Uttarā was dwelling at Mahisavatthu, in Dhavajālikā on Mount Sankheyya. There the Venerable Uttarā addressed the bhikkhus ….
"Friends, it is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to review his own failings. It is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to review the failings of others. It is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to review his own achievements. It is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to review the achievements of others."
2Now on that occasion the great deva king Vessavaṇa was traveling from north to south on some business. He heard the Venerable Uttarā at Mahisavatthu, in Dhavajālikā on Mount Sankheyya, teaching the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: ‘Friends, it is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to review his own failings … the failings of others … his own achievements … the achievements of others.’
3Then, just as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, Vessavaṇa disappeared from Mount Sankheyya and reappeared among the Tāvatiṁsa devas.
He approached Sakka, ruler of the devas, and said to him: "Respected sir, you should know that the Venerable Uttarā, at Mahisavatthu, in Dhavajālikā on Mount Sankheyya, has been teaching the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: ‘Friends, it is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to review his own failings … the failings of others … his own achievements … the achievements of others.’"
4Then, just as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, Sakka disappeared from among the Tāvatiṁsa devas and reappeared at Mahisavatthu, in Dhavajālikā on Mount Sankheyya, in front of the Venerable Uttarā. He approached the Venerable Uttarā, paid homage to him, stood to one side, and said to him:
5"Is it true, Bhante, as is said, that you have been teaching the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: ‘Friends, it is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to review his own failings … the failings of others … his own achievements … the achievements of others’?"
"Yes, ruler of the devas."
"But, Bhante, was this your own discernment, or was it the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One?"
"Well then, ruler of the devas, I will give you a simile; even by means of a simile, some intelligent people understand the meaning of what has been said.
6Suppose not far from a village or town there was a great heap of grain, and a large crowd of people were to take away grain with carrying-poles, baskets, hip-sacks, and their cupped hands. If someone were to approach that large crowd of people and ask them: ‘Where did you get this grain?’ what should they say?"
"Bhante, those people should say: ‘We got it from that great heap of grain.’"
"So too, ruler of the devas, whatever is well spoken is all the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. I myself and others derive our good words from him." [n.1627] Yaṁ kiñci subhāsitaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Tato upādāy’upādāya mayañ c’aññe ca bhaṇāma. This could not be translated, "Whatever is the word of the Blessed One … is well spoken." As stated, it expresses the idea that whatever good teachings the disciples speak, even when they themselves have originated them, can be regarded as buddhavacana because they are based on the Buddha’s own teachings.
7"It's astounding and amazing, Bhante, how well you stated this: ‘Whatever is well spoken is all the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. I myself and others derive our good words from him.’
"On one occasion, Bhante Uttarā, the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, on Mount Vulture Peak, not long after Devadatta had left. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus with reference to Devadatta:
8‘Bhikkhus, it is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to review his own failings. It is good for him from time to time to review the failings of others. It is good for him from time to time to review his own achievements. It is good for him from time to time to review the achievements of others. Because he was over come and obsessed by eight bad conditions, Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, bound for hell, and he will remain there for an eon, unredeemable. What eight?
"(1) Because he was overcome and obsessed by gain, Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, bound for hell, and he will remain there for an eon, unredeemable. (2) Because he was overcome and obsessed by loss … (3) … by fame … (4) … by disrepute … (5) … by honor … (6) … by lack of honor … (7) … by evil desires … (8) … by bad friendship, Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, bound for hell, and he will remain there for an eon, unredeemable. Because he was overcome and obsessed by these eight bad conditions, Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, bound for hell, and he will remain there for an eon, unredeemable.
9"It is good for a bhikkhu to overcome gain whenever it arises. It is good for him to overcome loss whenever it arises … to overcome fame … disrepute … honor … lack of honor … evil desires … bad friendship whenever it arises.
10"And for what reason should a bhikkhu overcome gain whenever it arises? For what reason should he overcome loss … fame … disrepute … honor … lack of honor … evil desires … bad friendship whenever it arises?
11Those taints, distressful and feverish, that might arise in one who has not overcome arisen gain do not occur in one who has overcome it. Those taints, distressful and feverish, that might arise in one who has not overcome arisen loss … arisen fame … arisen disrepute … arisen honor … arisen lack of honor … arisen evil desires … arisen bad friendship do not occur in one who has overcome it. For this reason a bhikkhu should overcome gain whenever it arises. He should overcome loss … fame … disrepute … honor … lack of honor … evil desires … bad friendship whenever it arises.
12"Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will overcome gain whenever it arises. We will overcome loss … fame … disrepute … honor … lack of honor … evil desires … bad friendship whenever it arises.’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves." [n.1628] It is probable that this sutta was put in the Eights because of the eight bad conditions mentioned in the discourse about Devadatta.
13"Bhante Uttarā, this exposition of the Dhamma has not been promulgated anywhere among the four human assemblies: that is, among bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay followers, and female lay followers. [n.1629] It is hard to see on what basis Sakka says that this exposition of the Dhamma had not been established anywhere among the four assemblies (n’āyaṁ dhammapariyāyo kismiñci patiṭṭhito). The discourse on knowing one's own failings and achievements had already been taught to the bhikkhus, who are likely to have taught it to the other three assemblies. Bhante, learn this exposition of the Dhamma, master this exposition of the Dhamma, and retain this exposition of the Dhamma in mind. This exposition of the Dhamma is beneficial; it pertains to the fundamentals of the spiritual life."
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā uttaro mahisavatthusmiṁ viharati saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ. Tatra kho āyasmā uttaro bhikkhū āmantesi:
"Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī"ti.
2Tena kho pana samayena vessavaṇo mahārājā uttarāya disāya dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ gacchati kenacideva karaṇīyena. Assosi kho vessavaṇo mahārājā āyasmato uttarassa mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desentassa: "sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī"ti.
3Atha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā – seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ antarahito devesu tāvatiṁsesu pāturahosi.
Atha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā yena sakko devānamindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca: "yagghe, mārisa, jāneyyāsi. Eso āyasmā uttaro mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ … pe … attasampattiṁ … parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī’"ti.
4Atha kho sakko devānamindo seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ devesu tāvatiṁsesu antarahito mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ āyasmato uttarassa sammukhe pāturahosi. Atha kho sakko devānamindo yenāyasmā uttaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ uttaraṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ uttaraṁ etadavoca:
5"Saccaṁ kira, bhante, āyasmā uttaro bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desesi: ‘sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti, sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ … pe … attasampattiṁ … parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī’"ti?
"Evaṁ, devānamindā"ti.
"Kiṁ panidaṁ, bhante, āyasmato uttarassa sakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, udāhu tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā"ti?
"Tena hi, devānaminda, upamaṁ te karissāmi. Upamāya midhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānanti.
6Seyyathāpi, devānaminda, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahādhaññarāsi. Tato mahājanakāyo dhaññaṁ āhareyya – kājehipi piṭakehipi ucchaṅgehipi añjalīhipi. Yo nu kho, devānaminda, taṁ mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ puccheyya: ‘kuto imaṁ dhaññaṁ āharathā’ti, kathaṁ byākaramāno nu kho, devānaminda, so mahājanakāyo sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā"ti?
"‘Amumhā mahādhaññarāsimhā āharāmā’ti kho, bhante, so mahājanakāyo sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā"ti.
"Evamevaṁ kho, devānaminda, yaṁ kiñci subhāsitaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Tato upādāyupādāya mayaṁ caññe ca bhaṇāmā"ti.
7"Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ bhante. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ āyasmatā uttarena: ‘Yaṁ kiñci subhāsitaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Tato upādāyupādāya mayañcaññe ca bhaṇāmā’ti.
Ekamidaṁ, bhante uttara, samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte. Tatra kho bhagavā devadattaṁ ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:
8‘Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ … pe … attasampattiṁ … parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, asaddhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho. Katamehi aṭṭhahi?
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.
9Sādhu, 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.
10Kiñca, 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?
11Yaṁ 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.
12Tasmātiha, 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.
13Ettāvatā, bhante uttara, manussesu catasso parisā – bhikkhū, bhikkhuniyo, upāsakā, upāsikāyo. Nāyaṁ dhammapariyāyo kismiñci upaṭṭhito. Uggaṇhatu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ. Pariyāpuṇātu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ. Dhāretu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ. Atthasaṁhito ayaṁ, bhante, dhammapariyāyo ādibrahmacariyako"ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.