1.6 Downfall

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, when the night had advanced, a certain deity of stunning beauty, having illuminated the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, stood to one side, and addressed the Blessed One in verse:

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91“We ask Gotama a question
about a person in a downfall.
We have come to ask the Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (1)

92“One who succeeds is easily known,
one who falls down is easily known.
One who loves the Dhamma is successful;
one who detests the Dhamma falls down.” (2)

93“Thus we understand this;
that is the first case of a downfall.
Tell us the second, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (3)

94“The bad are dear to him;
he does not treat the good as dear;
he approves of the teaching of the bad:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (4)

95“Thus we understand this;
that is the second case of a downfall.
Tell us the third, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (5) [19]

96“If a person is lethargic, gregarious,
and does not make an exertion,
indolent, one who displays anger:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (6)

97“Thus we understand this;
that is the third case of a downfall.
Tell us the fourth, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (7)

98“If one who is able does not support
his mother or his father
when they have grown old, their youth gone:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (8)

99“Thus we understand this;
that is the fourth case of a downfall.
Tell us the fifth, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (9)

100“If one deceives with false speech
a brahmin or an ascetic
or some other mendicant:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (10)

101“Thus we understand this;
that is the fifth case of a downfall.
Tell us the sixth, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (11)

102“If a person with abundant wealth,
endowed with bullion and food,
eats delicacies alone:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (12)

103“Thus we understand this;
that is the sixth case of a downfall.
Tell us the seventh, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (13)

104“A person proud because of social class,
proud because of wealth, proud because of clan,
looks down on his own relative:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (14)

105“Thus we understand this;
that is the seventh case of a downfall.
Tell us the eighth, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (15)

106“A womanizer, one fond of liquor,
addicted to gambling,
dissipates whatever he has gained:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (16) [20]

107“Thus we understand this;
that is the eighth case of a downfall.
Tell us the ninth, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (17)

108“One not content with his own wives
is seenI read here with Ce and Ee padissati, as against Be padussati, and in the next line dissati as against dussati. among prostitutes,
seen among the wives of others:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (18)

109“Thus we understand this;
that is the ninth case of a downfall.
Tell us the tenth, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (19)

110“When a man past his youth
marries a girl with timbaru breasts,Timbaru: a kind of fruit, probably the size of the breasts of a girl still in puberty.
he does not sleep from jealousy over her:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (20)

111“Thus we understand this;
that is the tenth case of a downfall.
Tell us the eleventh, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (21)

112“If one places in authority
a debauched woman, a spendthrift,
or a man of similar nature:
that is a cause of a downfall.” (22)

113“Thus we understand this;
that is the eleventh case of a downfall.
Tell us the twelfth, Blessed One:
What is the cause of a downfall?” (23)

114“If one of little wealth and strong craving
is born into a khattiya family,
he aspires to rulership here:I read ’dha (= idha) with Ce and Ee as against Be ca.
that is a cause of a downfall. (24)

115“Having examined these cases
of downfall in the world, a wise person,
noble, endowed with vision,
passes on to an auspicious world.” (25) [21]

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:

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91"Parābhavantaṁ purisaṁ,
mayaṁ pucchāma gotama;
Bhavantaṁ puṭṭhumāgamma,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

92 "Suvijāno bhavaṁ hoti,
suvijāno parābhavo;
Dhammakāmo bhavaṁ hoti,
dhammadessī parābhavo".

93 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
paṭhamo so parābhavo;
Dutiyaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

94 "Asantassa piyā honti,
sante na kurute piyaṁ;
Asataṁ dhammaṁ roceti,
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

95 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
dutiyo so parābhavo;
Tatiyaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

96 "Niddāsīlī sabhāsīlī,
anuṭṭhātā ca yo naro;
Alaso kodhapaññāṇo,
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

97 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
tatiyo so parābhavo;
Catutthaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

98 "Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,
jiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ;
Pahu santo na bharati,
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

99 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
catuttho so parābhavo;
Pañcamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

100 "Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,
Aññaṁ vāpi vanibbakaṁ;
Musāvādena vañceti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

101 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Pañcamo so parābhavo;
Chaṭṭhamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

102 "Pahūtavitto puriso,
Sahirañño sabhojano;
Eko bhuñjati sādūni,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

103 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Chaṭṭhamo so parābhavo;
Sattamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

104 "Jātitthaddho dhanatthaddho,
Gottatthaddho ca yo naro;
Saññātiṁ atimaññeti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

105 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Sattamo so parābhavo;
Aṭṭhamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

106 "Itthidhutto surādhutto,
Akkhadhutto ca yo naro;
Laddhaṁ laddhaṁ vināseti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

107 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Aṭṭhamo so parābhavo;
Navamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

108 "Sehi dārehi asantuṭṭho,
Vesiyāsu padussati;
Dussati paradāresu,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

109 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Navamo so parābhavo;
Dasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

110 "Atītayobbano poso,
Āneti timbarutthaniṁ;
Tassā issā na supati,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

111 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Dasamo so parābhavo;
Ekādasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

112 "Itthiṁ soṇḍiṁ vikiraṇiṁ,
Purisaṁ vāpi tādisaṁ;
Issariyasmiṁ ṭhapeti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ".

113 "Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Ekādasamo so parābhavo;
Dvādasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ 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.

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Parābhavasuttaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.