{"id":"an8.8","title":"Uttara on Failure","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"an8.8","title":"Uttara on Failure","units":[{"id":"an8.8:0","sourceIds":["an8.8:0.1","an8.8:0.2","an8.8:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.8\n1. Mettāvagga\nUttaravipattisutta","en":"Numbered Discourses 8.8\n1. Love\nUttara on Failure"}},{"id":"an8.8:1","sourceIds":["an8.8:1.1","an8.8:1.2","an8.8:1.3","an8.8:1.4","an8.8:1.5","an8.8:1.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā uttaro mahisavatthusmiṁ viharati saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ.\nTatra kho āyasmā uttaro bhikkhū āmantesi:\n“sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nSādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nSādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nSādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī”ti.","en":"At one time Venerable Uttara was staying on the Saṅkheyyaka Mountain in the Mahisa region near Dhavajālikā.\nThere Uttara addressed the mendicants:\n“Mendicants, it’s good for a mendicant to check their own failings from time to time.\nIt’s good for a mendicant to check the failings of others from time to time.\nIt’s good for a mendicant to check their own successes from time to time.\nIt’s good for a mendicant to check the successes of others from time to time.”"}},{"id":"an8.8:2","sourceIds":["an8.8:2.1","an8.8:2.2","an8.8:2.3","an8.8:2.4","an8.8:2.5","an8.8:2.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tena kho pana samayena vessavaṇo mahārājā uttarāya disāya dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ gacchati kenacideva karaṇīyena.\nAssosi kho vessavaṇo mahārājā āyasmato uttarassa mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desentassa:\n“sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nSādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nSādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nSādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī”ti.","en":"Now at that time the great king Vessavaṇa was on his way from the north to the south on some business.\nHe heard Venerable Uttara teaching this to the mendicants on Saṅkheyyaka Mountain."}},{"id":"an8.8:3","sourceIds":["an8.8:3.1","an8.8:3.2","an8.8:3.3","an8.8:3.4","an8.8:3.5","an8.8:3.6","an8.8:3.7","an8.8:3.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ antarahito devesu tāvatiṁsesu pāturahosi.\nAtha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā yena sakko devānamindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:\n“yagghe, mārisa, jāneyyāsi.\nEso āyasmā uttaro mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti:\n‘sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nSādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ …pe…\nattasampattiṁ …\nparasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī’”ti.","en":"Then Vessavaṇa vanished from Saṅkheyyaka Mountain and appeared among the gods of the thirty-three, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm.\nThen he went up to Sakka, lord of gods, and said to him:\n“Please good fellow, you should know this.\nVenerable Uttara is teaching the mendicants on Saṅkheyyaka Mountain in this way:\n‘It’s good for a mendicant from time to time to check their own failings. …\nthe failings of others …\ntheir own successes …\nthe successes of others.’”"}},{"id":"an8.8:4","sourceIds":["an8.8:4.1","an8.8:4.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha 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.\nAtha kho sakko devānamindo yenāyasmā uttaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ uttaraṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ uttaraṁ etadavoca:","en":"Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, Sakka vanished from the gods of the thirty-three and reappeared on Saṅkheyyaka Mountain in front of Venerable Uttara.\nThen Sakka went up to Venerable Uttara, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:"}},{"id":"an8.8:5","sourceIds":["an8.8:5.1","an8.8:5.2","an8.8:5.3","an8.8:5.4","an8.8:5.5","an8.8:5.6","an8.8:5.7","an8.8:5.8","an8.8:5.9"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Saccaṁ kira, bhante, āyasmā uttaro bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desesi:\n‘sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti,\nsādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ …pe…\nattasampattiṁ …\nparasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī’”ti?\n“Evaṁ, devānamindā”ti.\n“Kiṁ panidaṁ, bhante, āyasmato uttarassa sakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, udāhu tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā”ti?\n“Tena hi, devānaminda, upamaṁ te karissāmi.\nUpamāya m’idhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānanti.","en":"“Is it really true, sir, that you teach the mendicants in this way:\n‘It’s good for a mendicant from time to time to check their own failings …\nthe failings of others …\ntheir own successes …\nthe successes of others’?”\n“Indeed, lord of gods.”\n“Sir, did this teaching come to you from your own inspiration, or was it spoken by the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha?”\n“Well then, lord of gods, I shall give you a simile.\nFor by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said."}},{"id":"an8.8:6","sourceIds":["an8.8:6.1","an8.8:6.2","an8.8:6.3","an8.8:6.4","an8.8:6.5","an8.8:6.6","an8.8:6.7","an8.8:6.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Seyyathāpi, devānaminda, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahādhaññarāsi.\nTato mahājanakāyo dhaññaṁ āhareyya—\nkājehipi piṭakehipi ucchaṅgehipi añjalīhipi.\nYo nu kho, devānaminda, taṁ mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ puccheyya:\n‘kuto imaṁ dhaññaṁ āharathā’ti, kathaṁ byākaramāno nu kho, devānaminda, so mahājanakāyo sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā”ti?\n“‘Amumhā mahādhaññarāsimhā āharāmā’ti kho, bhante, so mahājanakāyo sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā”ti.\n“Evamevaṁ kho, devānaminda, yaṁ kiñci subhāsitaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.\nTato upādāyupādāya mayaṁ caññe ca bhaṇāmā”ti.","en":"Suppose there was a large heap of grain not far from a town or village.\nAnd a large crowd were to take away grain\nwith carrying poles, baskets, hip sacks, or their cupped hands.\nIf someone were to go to that crowd and ask them\nwhere they got the grain from, how should that crowd rightly reply?”\n“Sir, they should reply that they took it from the large heap of grain.”\n“In the same way, lord of gods, whatever is well spoken is spoken by the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.\nBoth myself and others rely completely on that when we speak.”"}},{"id":"an8.8:7","sourceIds":["an8.8:7.1","an8.8:7.2","an8.8:7.3","an8.8:7.4","an8.8:7.5","an8.8:7.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ bhante.\nYāva subhāsitañcidaṁ āyasmatā uttarena:\n‘yaṁ kiñci subhāsitaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.\nTato upādāyupādāya mayañcaññe ca bhaṇāmā’ti.\nEkamidaṁ, bhante uttara, samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte.\nTatra kho bhagavā devadattaṁ ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:","en":"“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!\nHow well this was said by Venerable Uttara!\n‘Whatever is well spoken is spoken by the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.\nBoth myself and others rely completely on that when we speak.’\nAt one time, Honorable Uttara, the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain, not long after Devadatta had left.\nThere the Buddha spoke to the mendicants about Devadatta:"}},{"id":"an8.8:8","sourceIds":["an8.8:8.1","an8.8:8.2","an8.8:8.3","an8.8:8.4","an8.8:8.5","an8.8:8.6","an8.8:8.7","an8.8:8.8","an8.8:8.9","an8.8:8.10","an8.8:8.11","an8.8:8.12","an8.8:8.13","an8.8:8.14","an8.8:8.15"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"‘Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nSādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ …pe…\nattasampattiṁ …\nparasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti.\nAṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, asaddhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho.\nKatamehi aṭṭhahi?\nLābhena hi, bhikkhave, abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho;\nalābhena, bhikkhave …pe…\nyasena, bhikkhave …\nayasena, bhikkhave …\nsakkārena, bhikkhave …\nasakkārena, bhikkhave …\npāpicchatāya, bhikkhave …\npāpamittatāya, bhikkhave, abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho.\nImehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi asaddhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho.","en":"‘Mendicants, it’s good for a mendicant from time to time to check their own failings …\nthe failings of others …\ntheir own successes …\nthe successes of others.\nOvercome and overwhelmed by eight things that oppose the true teaching, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable.\nWhat eight?\nOvercome and overwhelmed by gain …\nloss …\nfame …\ndisgrace …\nhonor …\ndishonor …\ncorrupt wishes …\nbad friendship, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable.\nOvercome and overwhelmed by these eight things that oppose the true teaching, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable."}},{"id":"an8.8:9","sourceIds":["an8.8:9.1","an8.8:9.2","an8.8:9.3","an8.8:9.4","an8.8:9.5","an8.8:9.6","an8.8:9.7","an8.8:9.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya;\nuppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe…\nuppannaṁ yasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ ayasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ sakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ asakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya.","en":"It’s good for a mendicant, whenever they encounter it, to overcome gain …\nloss …\nfame …\ndisgrace …\nhonor …\ndishonor …\ncorrupt wishes …\nbad friendship."}},{"id":"an8.8:10","sourceIds":["an8.8:10.1","an8.8:10.2","an8.8:10.3","an8.8:10.4","an8.8:10.5","an8.8:10.6","an8.8:10.7","an8.8:10.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kiñca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu atthavasaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya;\nuppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe…\nuppannaṁ yasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ ayasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ sakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ asakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya?","en":"What advantage does a mendicant gain by overcoming these eight things?"}},{"id":"an8.8:11","sourceIds":["an8.8:11.1","an8.8:11.2","an8.8:11.3","an8.8:11.4","an8.8:11.5","an8.8:11.6","an8.8:11.7","an8.8:11.8","an8.8:11.9","an8.8:11.10","an8.8:11.11","an8.8:11.12","an8.8:11.13","an8.8:11.14","an8.8:11.15","an8.8:11.16"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Yaṁ hissa, bhikkhave, uppannaṁ lābhaṁ anabhibhuyya viharato uppajjeyyuṁ āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya viharato evaṁsa te āsavā vighātapariḷāhā na honti.\nYaṁ hissa, bhikkhave, uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe…\nuppannaṁ yasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ ayasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ sakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ asakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ anabhibhuyya viharato uppajjeyyuṁ āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya viharato evaṁsa te āsavā vighātapariḷāhā na honti.\nIdaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu atthavasaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya;\nuppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe…\nuppannaṁ yasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ ayasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ sakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ asakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya.","en":"The distressing and feverish defilements that might arise in someone who lives without overcoming these eight things do not arise when they have overcome them.\nThis is the advantage that a mendicant gains by overcoming these eight things."}},{"id":"an8.8:12","sourceIds":["an8.8:12.1","an8.8:12.2","an8.8:12.3","an8.8:12.4","an8.8:12.5","an8.8:12.6","an8.8:12.7","an8.8:12.8","an8.8:12.9","an8.8:12.10"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:\n“uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharissāma,\nuppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe…\nuppannaṁ yasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ ayasaṁ …\nuppannaṁ sakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ asakkāraṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ …\nuppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharissāmā”ti.\nEvañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban’ti.","en":"So you should train like this:\n“Whenever we encounter it, we will overcome gain …\nloss …\nfame …\ndisgrace …\nhonor …\ndishonor …\ncorrupt wishes …\nbad friendship.”\nThat’s how you should train.’"}},{"id":"an8.8:13","sourceIds":["an8.8:13.1","an8.8:13.2","an8.8:13.3","an8.8:13.4","an8.8:13.5","an8.8:13.6","an8.8:13.7","an8.8:13.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ettāvatā, bhante uttara, manussesu catasso parisā—\nbhikkhū, bhikkhuniyo, upāsakā, upāsikāyo.\nNāyaṁ dhammapariyāyo kismiñci upaṭṭhito.\nUggaṇhatu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ.\nPariyāpuṇātu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ.\nDhāretu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ.\nAtthasaṁhito ayaṁ, bhante, dhammapariyāyo ādibrahmacariyako”ti.\nAṭṭhamaṁ.","en":"Honorable Uttara, this exposition of the teaching is not established anywhere in the four assemblies—\nmonks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.\nSir, learn this exposition of the teaching!\nMemorize this exposition of the teaching!\nRemember this exposition of the teaching!\nSir, this exposition of the teaching is beneficial and relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/an8.8/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}