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Sutta Nipāta 1.6

Parābhavasutta

Downfalls for a Lay Follower · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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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:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. 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. Standing to one side, that deity addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Parābhavantaṁ purisaṁ,
mayaṁ pucchāma gotama;
Bhavantaṁ puṭṭhumāgamma,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We ask Gotama about a man’s downfall. We have come to ask you, sir: what leads to downfall?”

“Suvijāno bhavaṁ hoti,
suvijāno parābhavo;
Dhammakāmo bhavaṁ hoti,
dhammadessī parābhavo”.

“It’s easy to understand success, understanding downfall is just as easy. One who loves the teaching succeeds, but a hater of the teaching meets their downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
paṭhamo so parābhavo;
Dutiyaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the first downfall. Tell us the second, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Asantassa piyā honti,
sante na kurute piyaṁ;
Asataṁ dhammaṁ roceti,
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“The bad are dear to him, he has no love for the good. He believes the teaching of the bad; and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
dutiyo so parābhavo;
Tatiyaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the second downfall. Tell us the third, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Niddāsīlī sabhāsīlī,
anuṭṭhātā ca yo naro;
Alaso kodhapaññāṇo,
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Fond of sleep, fond of company, a man who does no work; he’s lazy, marked by anger, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
tatiyo so parābhavo;
Catutthaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the third downfall. Tell us the fourth, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,
jiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ;
Pahu santo na bharati,
taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Though able, he does not look after his mother and father when elderly, past their prime, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
catuttho so parābhavo;
Pañcamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the fourth downfall. Tell us the fifth, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,
Aññaṁ vāpi vanibbakaṁ;
Musāvādena vañceti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“He deceives with lies ascetics and brahmins and other supplicants, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Pañcamo so parābhavo;
Chaṭṭhamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the fifth downfall. Tell us the sixth, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Pahūtavitto puriso,
Sahirañño sabhojano;
Eko bhuñjati sādūni,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“A man with plenty of wealth, including gold coin and food, eats delicacies alone, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Chaṭṭhamo so parābhavo;
Sattamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the sixth downfall. Tell us the seventh, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Jātitthaddho dhanatthaddho,
Gottatthaddho ca yo naro;
Saññātiṁ atimaññeti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Vain of birth, wealth, and clan, a man looks down on his own family, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Sattamo so parābhavo;
Aṭṭhamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the seventh downfall. Tell us the eighth, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Itthidhutto surādhutto,
Akkhadhutto ca yo naro;
Laddhaṁ laddhaṁ vināseti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“In womanizing, drinking, and gambling, a man wastes all that he has earned, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Aṭṭhamo so parābhavo;
Navamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the eighth downfall. Tell us the ninth, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Sehi dārehi asantuṭṭho,
Vesiyāsu padussati;
Dussati paradāresu,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“Not content with his own partners, he debauches himself with prostitutes, and with others’ partners, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Navamo so parābhavo;
Dasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the ninth downfall. Tell us the tenth, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Atītayobbano poso,
Āneti timbarutthaniṁ;
Tassā issā na supati,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“A man well past his prime marries a girl with budding breasts; he cannot sleep for jealousy, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Dasamo so parābhavo;
Ekādasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the tenth downfall. Tell us the eleventh, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Itthiṁ soṇḍiṁ vikiraṇiṁ,
Purisaṁ vāpi tādisaṁ;
Issariyasmiṁ ṭhapeti,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“He places in authority a woman or a man who’s a drunkard and a wastrel, and that leads to his downfall.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma,
Ekādasamo so parābhavo;
Dvādasamaṁ bhagavā brūhi,
Kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ”.

“We understand what you’re saying, this is the eleventh downfall. Tell us the twelfth, Blessed One: what leads to downfall?”

“Appabhogo mahātaṇho,
Khattiye jāyate kule;
So ca rajjaṁ patthayati,
Taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.

“A man of little wealth and strong craving, born into an aristocratic family, sets his sights on kingship, and that leads to his downfall.

Ete parābhave loke,
Paṇḍito samavekkhiya;
Ariyo dassanasampanno,
Sa lokaṁ bhajate sivan”ti.
Parābhavasuttaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.

Seeing these downfalls in the world, an astute and noble person, accomplished in vision, will enjoy a world of grace.”

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