SN 17.35 Attavadha/Pakkanta Sutta. The Discourse on the Departure.

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SN 17.35 Attavadha/Pakkanta Sutta. The Discourse on the Departure.

Post by mikenz66 »

SN 17.35 Attavadha/Pakkanta Sutta. The Discourse on the Departure.
Tranlated by Piya Tan.


http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... 5-piya.pdf

1 At one time, the Blessed One was residing on Mount Vulture’s Peak near Rājagaha, not long
after Devadatta had left.

Devadatta’s gains and the dangers
2 Then, the Blessed One addressed the monks with regards to Devadatta:

3 “Bhikshus, Deva,datta’s gain, honour and praise [13] have arisen for his own destruction. Devadatta’s gain, honour and praise have arisen for his own downfall.

4 PARABLE OF THE PLANTAIN TREE.
Bhikshus, even as the fruit of a plantain tree brings its
destruction, just as its fruit brings its downfall, even so, bhikshus, Devadatta’s gain, honour and praise
have arisen for his own destruction.

5 PARABLE OF THE BAMBOO PLANT.
Bhikshus, even as the fruit of bamboo brings its destruction,
just as its fruit brings its downfall, even so, bhikshus, Devadatta’s gain, honour and praise have arisen for
his own destruction.

6 PARABLE OF THE REED.
Bhikshus, even as the fruit of reed brings its destruction, just as its fruit
brings its downfall, even so, bhikshus, Deva,datta’s gain, honour and praise have arisen for his own
destruction.

7 PARABLE OF THE SHE-MULE.
Bhikshus, even as the foetus of she-mule brings its destruction, just
as its fruit brings its downfall, even so, bhikshus, Devadatta’s gain, honour and praise have arisen for his
own destruction.

The dangers of gains
8 Thus dreadful, bhikshus, are gain, honour and praise—bitter, vile, and obstructive to the attaining
of the supreme security from bondage. [14]

9 Thus, bhikshus, you should train yourselves.

10 The Blessed One said this. Having said this, the Sugata [well-gone], the teacher, further said this:
Truly, the plantain’s fruit destroys the plantain;
its fruit, the bamboo; its fruit, the reed—
honour destroys the inferior person,
just as the she-mule is destroyed by her foetus.

Notes

[13] “Gain, honour and praise,” lābha,sakkāra,silokaṁ.
Comy explains “gain” (lābha) as that of the four requisites;
“honour” (sakkāra) as such gains that are well-made and crafted;
and “praise” (siloka) as vocal acclamation (vaṇṇaghosa) (SA 2:205).

[14] Dāruṇo bhikkhave lābha,sakkāra,siloko kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yoga-k,khemassa adhigamāya.
This stock is listed only in the first sutta of the chapter (S 17), and is here represented by a peyyāla.

See also the following Sutta: http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... 6-piya.pdf

And see Piya Tans extensive analysis in both PDFs.
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Re: SN 17.35 Attavadha/Pakkanta Sutta. The Discourse on the Departure.

Post by mikenz66 »

Summary of Devadatta's life:
http://aimwell.org/DPPN/devadatta.html
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Re: SN 17.35 Attavadha/Pakkanta Sutta. The Discourse on the Departure.

Post by mikenz66 »

This sutta seems to be a warning to monastics to not become attached to outward signs of success
Bhikshus, Devadatta’s gain, honour and praise have arisen for his own destruction. Devadatta’s gain, honour and praise have arisen for his own downfall.
This theme occurs in other suttas, e.g. MN 29
“Bhikkhus, here some clansman goes forth out of faith from the home life into homelessness, considering: ‘I am a victim of birth, ageing, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am a victim of suffering, a prey to suffering. Surely an ending of this whole mass of suffering can be known.’ When he has gone forth thus, he acquires gain, honour, and renown. He is pleased with that gain, honour, and renown, and his intention is fulfilled. On account of it he lauds himself and disparages others thus: ‘I am one who gets gain and renown, but these other bhikkhus are unknown, of no account.’ He becomes intoxicated with that gain, honour, and renown, grows negligent, falls into negligence, and being negligent, he lives in suffering.

“Suppose a man needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, came to a great tree standing possessed of heartwood. Passing over its heartwood, its sapwood, its inner bark, and its outer bark, he would cut off its twigs and leaves and take them away thinking they were heartwood. Then a man with good sight, seeing him, might say: ‘This good man did not know the heartwood, the sapwood, the inner bark, the outer bark, or the twigs and leaves. Thus, while needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, he came to a great tree standing possessed of heartwood, and passing over its heartwood, its sapwood, its inner bark, and its outer bark, he cut off its twigs and leaves and took them away thinking they were heartwood. Whatever it was this good man had to make with heartwood, his purpose will not be served.’ So too, bhikkhus, here some clansman goes forth out of faith……he lives in suffering. This bhikkhu is called one who has taken the twigs and leaves of the holy life and stopped short with that.

https://suttacentral.net/mn29
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TamHanhHi
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Re: SN 17.35 Attavadha/Pakkanta Sutta. The Discourse on the Departure.

Post by TamHanhHi »

Reminds me of Iti 35:
“Bhikkhus, this holy life is not lived for the sake of deceiving people, for the sake of cajoling people, for the sake of profiting in gain, honour, and fame, nor with the idea, ‘Let people know me thus.’ This holy life, bhikkhus, is lived for the sake of restraint and abandoning.”
Even though it's addressed to monks, it's food for thought for me as well... for looking at my motivations for doing certain things, especially taking on positions of power.
"Just as a large banyan tree, on level ground where four roads meet, is a haven for the birds all around, even so a lay person of conviction is a haven for many people: monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers."AN 5.38
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Re: SN 17.35 Attavadha/Pakkanta Sutta. The Discourse on the Departure.

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi TamHanhHi,

Thank you for that link. Indeed, any position of power or fame comes with these dangers, and it is worth reflecting on that in our everyday lives (even when the fame is not so great!).

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Mike
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