Sutta Nipāta 1.6
Translators: sujato
Anthology of Discourses 1.6
Parābhavasutta
Downfalls
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Standing to one side, that deity addressed the Buddha in verse:
“Parābhavantaṁ purisaṁ,
“We ask Gotama
mayaṁ pucchāma gotama;
about a man’s downfall.
Bhavantaṁ puṭṭhumāgamma,
We have come to ask you sir:
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Suvijāno bhavaṁ hoti,
“It’s easy to know success,
suvijāno parābhavo;
and downfall is just as easy.
Dhammakāmo bhavaṁ hoti,
One who loves the teaching succeeds,
dhammadessī parābhavo”.
but a hater of the teaching meets their downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
paṭhamo so parābhavo;
this is the first downfall.
Dutiyaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the second, Blessed One:
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Asantassa piyā honti,
“The bad are dear to him,
sante na kurute piyaṁ;
he has no love for the good.
Asataṁ dhammaṁ roceti,
He believes the teaching of the bad;
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
dutiyo so parābhavo;
this is the second downfall.
Tatiyaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the third, Blessed One:
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Niddāsīlī sabhāsīlī,
“Fond of sleep, fond of company,
anuṭṭhātā ca yo naro;
a man who does no work;
Alaso kodhapaññāṇo,
he’s lazy, marked by anger,
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
tatiyo so parābhavo;
this is the third downfall.
Catutthaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the fourth, Blessed One:
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,
“Though able, he does not look after
jiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ;
his mother and father
Pahu santo na bharati,
when elderly, past their prime,
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
catuttho so parābhavo;
this is the fourth downfall.
Pañcamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the fifth, Blessed One:
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,
“He deceives with lies
Aññaṁ vāpi vanibbakaṁ;
ascetics and brahmins
Musāvādena vañceti,
and other renunciates,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
Pañcamo so parābhavo;
this is the fifth downfall.
Chaṭṭhamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the sixth, Blessed One:
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Pahūtavitto puriso,
“A man with plenty of wealth—
Sahirañño sabhojano;
gold and food—
Eko bhuñjati sādūni,
eats delicacies alone,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
Chaṭṭhamo so parābhavo;
this is the sixth downfall.
Sattamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the seventh, Blessed One:
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Jātitthaddho dhanatthaddho,
“Vain of birth, wealth,
Gottatthaddho ca yo naro;
and clan, a man
Saññātiṁ atimaññeti,
looks down on his own family,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
Sattamo so parābhavo;
this is the seventh downfall.
Aṭṭhamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the eighth, Blessed One:
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Itthidhutto surādhutto,
“In womanizing, drinking,
Akkhadhutto ca yo naro;
and gambling, a man
Laddhaṁ laddhaṁ vināseti,
wastes all that he has earned,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
Aṭṭhamo so parābhavo;
this is the eighth downfall.
Navamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the ninth, Blessed One:
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Sehi dārehi asantuṭṭho,
“Not content with his own partners,
Vesiyāsu padussati;
he debauches himself with prostitutes,
Dussati paradāresu,
and with others’ partners,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
Navamo so parābhavo;
this is the ninth downfall.
Dasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the tenth, Blessed One:
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Atītayobbano poso,
“A man well past his prime
Āneti timbarutthaniṁ;
marries a girl with budding breasts;
Tassā issā na supati,
he cannot sleep for jealousy,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
Dasamo so parābhavo;
this is the tenth downfall.
Ekādasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the eleventh, Blessed One:
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Itthiṁ soṇḍiṁ vikiraṇiṁ,
“He places in authority
Purisaṁ vāpi tādisaṁ;
a woman or a man
Issariyasmiṁ ṭhapeti,
who’s a drunkard and a wastrel,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
and that leads to his downfall.”
“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
“We get what you’re saying,
Ekādasamo so parābhavo;
this is the eleventh downfall.
Dvādasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Tell us the twelfth, Blessed One:
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.
what leads to downfall?”
“Appabhogo mahātaṇho,
“A man of little wealth and strong craving,
Khattiye jāyate kule;
born into an aristocratic family,
So ca rajjaṁ patthayati,
sets his sights on kingship,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.
and that leads to his downfall.
Ete parābhave loke,
Seeing these downfalls in the world,
Paṇḍito samavekkhiya;
an astute and noble person,
Ariyo dassanasampanno,
accomplished in vision,
Sa lokaṁ bhajate sivan”ti.
will enjoy a world of grace.”
Parābhavasuttaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.