iti.89 Itivuttaka
Devadatta
This was said by the Lord…
“Bhikkhus, overcome with his mind obsessed by three kinds of wickedness, Devadatta will inevitably go to a state of misery, to hell, for the duration of the aeon. What are the three? Overcome with his mind obsessed by evil desires …; overcome with his mind obsessed by evil friends …; and although there was more that should have been done, he stopped halfway through gaining a trifling attainment of distinction. These, bhikkhus, are the three.”
Surely no one of evil desires
Is born again into this world.
Know that he goes to the bourn of those
Who live in the grip of evil desires.
I heard how Devadatta was
Regarded as a wise man,
One developed in meditation
Who shone as it were with fame.
Having thought himself his equal,
He assaulted the Tathāgata
And went to the four-doored frightful place,
Avīci the Unremitting Hell.
When one plots against an innocent
Who has done no evil deed,
That evil merely affects the one
Corrupt of mind and disrespectful.
One who thinks he could pollute
The ocean with a pot of poison
Would not be able to pollute it—
Awesome is that mass of water.
It is similar in attacking with abuse
The Tathāgata who has reached perfection
And ever dwells with peaceful mind—
Abuse has no effect on him.
A wise man should befriend such a one
And constantly follow after him.
A bhikkhu who goes along his path
Can reach the end of suffering.
- Translator: John D. Ireland
- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato
About Devadatta
This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Mendicants, overcome and overwhelmed by three things that oppose the true teaching, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable.
What three?
Wicked desires …
Bad friendship …
When there is still more to be done, stopping half-way after achieving some insignificant distinction.
Overcome and overwhelmed by these three things that oppose the true teaching, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“Surely, none of wicked desire
are reborn into this world.
And by this too you should know
the place where those of wicked desires go.
He once was considered astute,
regarded as evolved,
his glory stood forth like a flame,
the renowned Devadatta.
Seduced by heedlessness,
he attacked the Realized One.
He has fallen to Avīci hell,
four-doored and terrifying.
When someone betrays the innocent,
who have done no wrong,
their bad deeds impact the one
with corrupt heart, lacking regard for others.
One might think to pollute
the ocean with a pot of poison,
but it wouldn’t work,
for the sea is terribly large.
So too when someone attacks
with words the Realized One—
consummate, of peaceful mind—
the words don’t take.
The astute would befriend one like this,
and follow them around.
A mendicant who walks the path
attains the ending of suffering.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.
