Sutta Nipata Chapter 1: The Serpent Chapter - Uragavagga
1.6 Downfalls for a Lay Follower
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato.(More copyright information)
1.6 Downfalls for a Lay Follower
So I have heard:
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, that deity addressed the Buddha in verse:
Deva
91“We ask Gotama
about a man’s downfall.
We have come to ask you sir:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
92
“It’s easy to know success,
and downfall is just as easy.
One who loves the teaching succeeds,
but a hater of the teaching meets their downfall.”
Deva
93
“We get what you’re saying,
this is the first downfall.
Tell us the second, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
94
“The bad are dear to him,
he has no love for the good.
He believes the teaching of the bad;
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
95
“We get what you’re saying,
this is the second downfall.
Tell us the third, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
96
“Fond of sleep, fond of company,
a man who does no work;
he’s lazy, marked by anger,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
97
“We get what you’re saying,
this is the third downfall.
Tell us the fourth, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
98
“Though able, he does not look after
his mother and father
when elderly, past their prime,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
99
“We get what you’re saying,
this is the fourth downfall.
Tell us the fifth, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
100
“He deceives with lies
ascetics and brahmins
and other renunciates,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
101
“We get what you’re saying,
this is the fifth downfall.
Tell us the sixth, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
102
“A man with plenty of wealth—
gold and food—
eats delicacies alone,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
103“We get what you’re saying,
this is the sixth downfall.
Tell us the seventh, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
104“Vain of caste, wealth,
and clan, a man
looks down on his own family,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
105“We get what you’re saying,
this is the seventh downfall.
Tell us the eighth, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
106“In womanizing, drinking,
and gambling, a man
wastes all that he has earned,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
107“We get what you’re saying,
this is the eighth downfall.
Tell us the ninth, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
108“Not content with his own partners,
he debauches himself with prostitutes,
and with others’ partners,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
109“We get what you’re saying,
this is the ninth downfall.
Tell us the tenth, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
110“A man well past his prime
marries a girl with budding breasts;
he cannot sleep for jealousy,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
111“We get what you’re saying,
this is the tenth downfall.
Tell us the eleventh, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
112“He places in authority
a woman or a man
who’s a drunkard and a wastrel,
and that leads to his downfall.”
Deva
113“We get what you’re saying,
this is the eleventh downfall.
Tell us the twelfth, Blessed One:
what leads to downfall?”
Buddha
114“A man of little wealth and strong craving,
born into an aristocratic family,
sets his sights on kingship,
and that leads to his downfall.
115Seeing these downfalls in the world,
an astute and noble person,
accomplished in vision,
will enjoy a world of grace.”
Parābhavasutta
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
91"Parābhavantaṁ purisaṁ,
mayaṁ pucchāma gotama;
Bhavantaṁ puṭṭhumāgamma,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".
104
"Jātitthaddho dhanatthaddho,
Gottatthaddho ca yo naro;
Saññātiṁ atimaññeti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".
106
"Itthidhutto surādhutto,
Akkhadhutto ca yo naro;
Laddhaṁ laddhaṁ vināseti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".
114
"Appabhogo mahātaṇho,
Khattiye jāyate kule;
So ca rajjaṁ patthayati,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.
115
Ete parābhave loke,
Paṇḍito samavekkhiya;
Ariyo dassanasampanno,
Sa lokaṁ bhajate sivan"ti.
Parābhavasuttaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.