Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.8

Numbered Discourses 8.8

1. Mettāvagga

1. Love

Uttaravipattisutta

Uttara on Failure

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā uttaro mahisavatthusmiṁ viharati saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ. Tatra kho āyasmā uttaro bhikkhū āmantesi: “sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī”ti.

At one time Venerable Uttara was staying on the Saṅkheyyaka Mountain in the Mahisa region near Dhavajālikā. There Uttara addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, it’s good for a bhikkhu to check their own failings from time to time. It’s good for a bhikkhu to check the failings of others from time to time. It’s good for a bhikkhu to check their own successes from time to time. It’s good for a bhikkhu to check the successes of others from time to time.”

Tena kho pana samayena vessavaṇo mahārājā uttarāya disāya dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ gacchati kenacideva karaṇīyena. Assosi kho vessavaṇo mahārājā āyasmato uttarassa mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desentassa: “sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī”ti.

Now at that time the great king Vessavaṇa was on his way from the north to the south on some business. He heard Venerable Uttara teaching this to the bhikkhus on Saṅkheyyaka Mountain.

Atha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ¹ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ antarahito devesu tāvatiṁsesu pāturahosi. Atha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā yena sakko devānamindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:

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. Then he went up to Sakka, lord of gods, and said to him:

“yagghe, mārisa, jāneyyāsi. Eso āyasmā uttaro mahisavatthusmiṁ saṅkheyyake pabbate vaṭajālikāyaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ …pe… attasampattiṁ … parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī’”ti.

“Please sir, you should know this. Venerable Uttara is teaching the bhikkhus on Saṅkheyyaka Mountain in this way: ‘It’s good for a bhikkhu from time to time to check their own failings. … the failings of others … their own successes … the successes of others.’”

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. Atha kho sakko devānamindo yenāyasmā uttaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ uttaraṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ uttaraṁ etadavoca:

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. Then Sakka went up to Venerable Uttara, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

“Saccaṁ kira, bhante, āyasmā uttaro bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desesi: ‘sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti, sādhāvuso, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ …pe… attasampattiṁ … parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hotī’”ti?

“Is it really true, sir, that you teach the bhikkhus in this way: ‘It’s good for a bhikkhu from time to time to check their own failings … the failings of others … their own successes … the successes of others’?”

“Evaṁ, devānamindā”ti.

“Indeed, lord of gods.”

“Kiṁ panidaṁ, bhante, āyasmato uttarassa sakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, udāhu tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā”ti?

“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?”

“Tena hi, devānaminda, upamaṁ te karissāmi. Upamāya m’idhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānanti.

“Well then, lord of gods, I shall give you a simile. For by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said.

Seyyathāpi, devānaminda, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahādhaññarāsi. Tato mahājanakāyo dhaññaṁ āhareyya—kājehipi piṭakehipi ucchaṅgehipi añjalīhipi. Yo nu kho, devānaminda, taṁ mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ puccheyya: ‘kuto imaṁ dhaññaṁ āharathā’ti, kathaṁ byākaramāno nu kho, devānaminda, so mahājanakāyo sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā”ti?

Suppose there was a large heap of grain not far from a town or village. And a large crowd were to take away grain with carrying poles, baskets, hip sacks, or their cupped hands. If someone were to go to that crowd and ask them where they got the grain from, how should that crowd rightly reply?”

“‘Amumhā mahādhaññarāsimhā āharāmā’ti kho, bhante, so mahājanakāyo sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā”ti.

“Sir, they should reply that they took it from the large heap of grain.”

“Evamevaṁ kho, devānaminda, yaṁ kiñci subhāsitaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Tato upādāyupādāya mayaṁ caññe ca bhaṇāmā”ti.

“In the same way, lord of gods, whatever is well spoken is spoken by the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. Both myself and others rely completely on that when we speak.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ bhante. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ āyasmatā uttarena: ‘yaṁ kiñci subhāsitaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Tato upādāyupādāya mayañcaññe ca bhaṇāmā’ti. Ekamidaṁ, bhante uttara, samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte. Tatra kho bhagavā devadattaṁ ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi:

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! How well this was said by Venerable Uttara! ‘Whatever is well spoken is spoken by the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. Both myself and others rely completely on that when we speak.’ At one time, Honorable Uttara, the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain, not long after Devadatta had left. There the Buddha spoke to the bhikkhus about Devadatta:

‘Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ attavipattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ paravipattiṁ …pe… attasampattiṁ … parasampattiṁ paccavekkhitā hoti. Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, asaddhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho. Katamehi aṭṭhahi? Lābhena hi, bhikkhave, abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho; alābhena, bhikkhave …pe… yasena, bhikkhave … ayasena, bhikkhave … sakkārena, bhikkhave … asakkārena, bhikkhave … pāpicchatāya, bhikkhave … pāpamittatāya, bhikkhave, abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahi asaddhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto devadatto āpāyiko nerayiko kappaṭṭho atekiccho.

‘Bhikkhus, it’s good for a bhikkhu from time to time to check their own failings … the failings of others … their own successes … the successes of others. Overcome 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. What eight? Overcome and overwhelmed by gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … corrupt wishes … bad friendship, Devadatta is going to a place of loss, to hell, there to remain for an eon, irredeemable. Overcome 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.

Sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya; uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya.

It’s good for a bhikkhu, whenever they encounter it, to overcome gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … corrupt wishes … bad friendship.

Kiñca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu atthavasaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya; uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya?

What advantage does a bhikkhu gain by overcoming these eight things?

Yaṁ hissa, bhikkhave, uppannaṁ lābhaṁ anabhibhuyya viharato uppajjeyyuṁ āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya viharato evaṁsa te āsavā vighātapariḷāhā na honti. Yaṁ hissa, bhikkhave, uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ anabhibhuyya viharato uppajjeyyuṁ āsavā vighātapariḷāhā, uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya viharato evaṁsa te āsavā vighātapariḷāhā na honti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu atthavasaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya; uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyya.

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. This is the advantage that a bhikkhu gains by overcoming these eight things.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So you should train like this:

“uppannaṁ lābhaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharissāma, uppannaṁ alābhaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ yasaṁ … uppannaṁ ayasaṁ … uppannaṁ sakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ asakkāraṁ … uppannaṁ pāpicchataṁ … uppannaṁ pāpamittataṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya viharissāmā”ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban’ti.

“Whenever we encounter it, we will overcome gain … loss … fame … disgrace … honor … dishonor … corrupt wishes … bad friendship.” That’s how you should train.’

Ettāvatā, bhante uttara, manussesu catasso parisā—bhikkhū, bhikkhuniyo, upāsakā, upāsikāyo. Nāyaṁ dhammapariyāyo kismiñci upaṭṭhito. Uggaṇhatu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ. Pariyāpuṇātu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ. Dhāretu, bhante, āyasmā uttaro imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ. Atthasaṁhito ayaṁ, bhante, dhammapariyāyo ādibrahmacariyako”ti.

Honorable Uttara, this exposition of the teaching is not established anywhere in the four assemblies—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Sir, learn this exposition of the teaching! Memorize this exposition of the teaching! Remember this exposition of the teaching! Sir, this exposition of the teaching is beneficial and relates to the fundamentals of the spiritual life.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.