1While dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Now on that occasion Prince Ajatasattu was going to attend upon Devadatta morning and evening with five hundred carts, and an offering of food was conveyed to him in five hundred pots. Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and reported this matter to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said:"Bhikkhus, do not be envious of Devadatta's gain, honour, and praise. As long as Prince Ajatasattu goes to attend upon Devadatta morning and evening with five hundred carts, and an offering of food is conveyed to him in five hundred pots, only decline can be expected of Devadatta in regard to wholesome states, not growth.

2"Just as a wild dog becomes even wilder when they sprinkle bile over its nose, [n.335] Pittaṁ bhindeyyuṁ. PED, s.v. pittaṁ, says the passage is unclear and refers to an alternative interpretation proposed by Morris, JPTS 1893, 4. My rendering accords with Spk's comment: "They throw (pakhippeyyuṁ) bear bile or fish bile over its nostrils." Spk-pṭ glosses pakhippeyyuṁ here with osiñceyyuṁ, "they sprinkle." Horner renders "as if they were to throw a bladder at a fierce dog's nose" (BD 5:263). so too, bhikkhus, so long as Prince Ajatasattu goes to attend upon Devadatta … only decline can be expected of Devadatta in regard to wholesome states, not growth. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise … . Thus should you train yourselves."

1Rājagahe vihārati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena devadattassa ajātasattukumāro pañcahi rathasatehi sāyaṁ pātaṁ upaṭṭhānaṁ gacchati, pañca ca thālipākasatāni bhattābhihāro abhiharīyati. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "Devadattassa, bhante, ajātasattukumāro pañcahi rathasatehi sāyaṁ pātaṁ upaṭṭhānaṁ gacchati, pañca ca thālipākasatāni bhattābhihāro abhiharīyatī"ti.

"Mā, bhikkhave, devadattassa lābhasakkārasilokaṁ pihayittha. Yāvakīvañca, bhikkhave, devadattassa ajātasattukumāro pañcahi rathasatehi sāyaṁ pātaṁ upaṭṭhānaṁ gamissati, pañca ca thālipākasatāni bhattābhihāro āharīyissati, hāniyeva, bhikkhave, devadattassa pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no vuddhi.

2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, caṇḍassa kukkurassa nāsāya pittaṁ bhindeyyuṁ, evañhi so, bhikkhave, kukkuro bhiyyoso mattāya caṇḍataro assa; evameva, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca devadattassa ajātasattukumāro pañcahi rathasatehi sāyaṁ pātaṁ upaṭṭhānaṁ gamissati, pañca ca thālipākasatāni bhattābhihāro āharīyissati, hāniyeva, bhikkhave, devadattassa pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no vuddhi. Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko … pe … evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.