SN 12-21 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With Causation – Nidānavaggasaṁyutta > SN 17 Connected Discourses on Gains and Honor – Lābhasakkārasaṁyutta > SN 17.36 Five Hundred Carts

Linked Discourses 17.36 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 17.36

Chapter Four – 4. Catutthavagga

SN 17.36 Five Hundred Carts – Pañcarathasatasutta

Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Now at that time Prince Ajātasattu was going with five hundred carts in the morning and the evening to attend on Devadatta, presenting him with an offering of five hundred servings of food.

Tena kho pana samayena devadattassa ajātasattukumāro pañcahi rathasatehi sāyaṁ pātaṁ upaṭṭhānaṁ gacchati, pañca ca thālipākasatāni bhattābhihāro abhiharīyati.

Then several bhikkhū went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Sir, Prince Ajātasattu is going with five hundred carts in the morning and the evening to attend on Devadatta, presenting him with an offering of five hundred servings of food.”

“devadattassa, bhante, ajātasattukumāro pañcahi rathasatehi sāyaṁ pātaṁ upaṭṭhānaṁ gacchati, pañca ca thālipākasatāni bhattābhihāro abhiharīyatī”ti.

“Bhikkhū, don’t envy Devadatta’s possessions, honor, and popularity.

“Mā, bhikkhave, devadattassa lābhasakkārasilokaṁ pihayittha.

As long as Prince Ajātasattu goes with five hundred carts in the morning and the evening to attend on Devadatta, presenting him with an offering of five hundred servings of food, Devadatta can expect decline, not growth, in skillful qualities.

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

If bile were to burst from a wild dog’s nose, it would become even wilder.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, caṇḍassa kukkurassa nāsāya pittaṁ bhindeyyuṁ, evañhi so, bhikkhave, kukkuro bhiyyoso mattāya caṇḍataro assa;

In the same way, as long as Prince Ajātasattu goes with five hundred carts in the morning and the evening to attend on Devadatta, presenting him with an offering of five hundred servings of food, Devadatta can expect decline, not growth, in skillful qualities.

evameva, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca devadattassa ajātasattukumāro pañcahi rathasatehi sāyaṁ pātaṁ upaṭṭhānaṁ gamissati, pañca ca thālipākasatāni bhattābhihāro āharīyissati, hāniyeva, bhikkhave, devadattassa pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no vuddhi.

So brutal are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”

Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe…

evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.