Downfalls

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:

“Parābhavantaṁ purisaṁ,

mayaṁ pucchāma gotama;

Bhavantaṁ puṭṭhumāgamma,

kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Suvijāno bhavaṁ hoti,

suvijāno parābhavo;

Dhammakāmo bhavaṁ hoti,

dhammadessī parābhavo”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

paṭhamo so parābhavo;

Dutiyaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Asantassa piyā honti,

sante na kurute piyaṁ;

Asataṁ dhammaṁ roceti,

taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

dutiyo so parābhavo;

Tatiyaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Niddāsīlī sabhāsīlī,

anuṭṭhātā ca yo naro;

Alaso kodhapaññāṇo,

taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

tatiyo so parābhavo;

Catutthaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,

jiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ;

Pahu santo na bharati,

taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

catuttho so parābhavo;

Pañcamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,

Aññaṁ vāpi vanibbakaṁ;

Musāvādena vañceti,

Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

Pañcamo so parābhavo;

Chaṭṭhamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Pahūtavitto puriso,

Sahirañño sabhojano;

Eko bhuñjati sādūni,

Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

Chaṭṭhamo so parābhavo;

Sattamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Jātitthaddho dhanatthaddho,

Gottatthaddho ca yo naro;

Saññātiṁ atimaññeti,

Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

Sattamo so parābhavo;

Aṭṭhamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Itthidhutto surādhutto,

Akkhadhutto ca yo naro;

Laddhaṁ laddhaṁ vināseti,

Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

Aṭṭhamo so parābhavo;

Navamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Sehi dārehi asantuṭṭho,

Vesiyāsu padussati;

Dussati paradāresu,

Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

Navamo so parābhavo;

Dasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Atītayobbano poso,

Āneti timbarutthaniṁ;

Tassā issā na supati,

Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

Dasamo so parābhavo;

Ekādasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Itthiṁ soṇḍiṁ vikiraṇiṁ,

Purisaṁ vāpi tādisaṁ;

Issariyasmiṁ ṭhapeti,

Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,

Ekādasamo so parābhavo;

Dvādasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,

Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Appabhogo mahātaṇho,

Khattiye jāyate kule;

So ca rajjaṁ patthayati,

Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.

Ete parābhave loke,

Paṇḍito samavekkhiya;

Ariyo dassanasampanno,

Sa lokaṁ bhajate sivan”ti.

Parābhavasuttaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.

SC 1Thus have I heard:

SC 2At one time the Radiant one was dwelling at Jeta’s Grove in the park of Anāthapiṇḍika near Sāvatthī. Then as the night was ending a deva of surpassing radiance, illuminating the whole of Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Radiant One and stood to one side after saluting him. Standing there that deva addressed the Radiant One with a verse:

SC 3SC Verse 91Deva
To ask the lord we come here,
from Gotama we wish to know;
That one who goes disaster way—
what’s the way to disaster’s woes?

SC 4SC Verse 92Buddha
The wise one does develop well,
the unwise to disaster bound;
the lover of Dharma develops well,
Dharma-hater to disaster’s round.

SC 5SC Verse 93Deva
We clearly understand this much,
that way’s first to disaster’s woe;
second, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 6SC Verse 94Buddha
The untrue, they are dear to me,
true persons, they’re not dear, so
the untrue teaching one prefers—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 7SC Verse 95Deva
We clearly understand this much,
second that way’s to disaster’s woe;
thirdly, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 8SC Verse 96Buddha
Lethargic and gregarious—
whoever is of effort low,
lazy and anger marked—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 9SC Verse 97Deva
We clearly understand this much,
third that way’s to disaster’s woe;
fourthly, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 10SC Verse 98Buddha
Though wealth’s enough one does not help,
mother and father who aged grow,
though long their youth is left behind—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 11SC Verse 99Deva
We clearly understand this much,
that way’s fourth to disaster’s woe;
fifthly, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 12SC Verse 100Buddha
Whether with priest or monk as well,
one likes to lie and cheat, also
deceiving other wanderers—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 13SC Verse 101Deva
We clearly understand this much,
that way’s fifth to disaster’s woe;
sixthly, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 14SC Verse 102Buddha
A person of great property,
with wealth and food they overflow,
and yet enjoy its sweets alone—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 15SC Verse 103Deva
We clearly understand this much,
that way’s sixth to disaster’s woe;
seventh, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 16SC Verse 104Buddha
Proud of birth and proud of wealth,
so of their families they crow,
but meeting, slight their relatives—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 17SC Verse 105Deva
We clearly understand this much,
seventh that way’s to disaster’s woe;
eighthly, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 18SC Verse 106Buddha
Debauched in drink, with women too,
by dice debauched; such a fellow,
little by little his assets waste—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 19SC Verse 107Deva
We clearly understand this much,
that way’s eighth to disaster’s woe;
ninthly, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 20SC Verse 108Buddha
Unsatisfied with his own wife,
with others’ wives he’s seen in tow,
corrupted too with prostitutes—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 21SC Verse 109Deva
We clearly understand this much,
that way’s ninth to disaster’s woe;
tenthly, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 22SC Verse 110Buddha
A man no longer young still weds
a girl with apple breasts—and lo!
for jealousy he cannot sleep—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 23SC Verse 111Deva
We clearly understand this much,
that way’s tenth to disaster’s woe;
may the Lord eleventh advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 24SC Verse 112Buddha
Whoever, whether woman or man,
drunken, dissolute, wealth does blow;
then in position of power is placed—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 25SC Verse 113Deva
We clearly understand this much,
eleventh that way’s to disaster’s woe;
twelfthly, may the Lord advise—
what’s the way to disaster’s woe?

SC 26SC Verse 114Buddha
When, from noble family sprung
with little wealth, great craving though,
and still one wants to rule the realm—
that’s the way to disaster’s woe.

SC 27SC Verse 115The one who’s wise well knows the way
within this world to disaster’s woe;
and then that Noble, insight pure,
to a blessed state one such does go.