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AN 8.7 
 
Devadatta Vipatti Sutta  
“Devadatta’s Failure” 
 
Translated by Bhikkhu Candana 
 
Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana 2023 
 
While The Blessed One was living among the Gijja Peaks, in Rājagaha, Devadatta left the Lord’s 
Dispensation, and soon after, The Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus by discussing Devadatta, 
and said the following:  
“Bhikkhus, it is appropriate and wise for the Bhikkhu to reflect on his failures from time to time, 
and from time to time, to also reflect on the failures of others.  
“Similarly, Bhikkhus, it is appropriate and wise for the Bhikkhu to reflect on his own 
accomplishments from time to time, and from time to time, to also reflect on the 
accomplishments of others. 
“Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by eight things, Devadatta 
is now lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will be reborn in the 
realms of absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world cycle, without 
getting any relief nor a chance for redemption. Now, what are these eight things?    
A. 1. “Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by gain, Devadatta is 
lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will be reborn in the realms of 
absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world cycle, during which he will get 
no relief nor a chance for redemption. 
2. “Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by loss & the fear of 
missing out, Devadatta is lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will 
be reborn in the realms of absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world 
cycle, during which he will get no relief nor a chance for redemption. 
3. “Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by fame, Devadatta is 
lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will be reborn in the realms of 
absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world cycle, during which he will get 
no relief nor a chance for redemption.  
4. “Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by disgrace, Devadatta 
is lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will be reborn in the realms

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of absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world cycle, during which he will 
get no relief nor a chance for redemption. 
5. “Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by honor, Devadatta is 
lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will be reborn in the realms of 
absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world cycle, during which he will get 
no relief nor a chance for redemption. 
6. “Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by dishonor, Devadatta 
is lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will be reborn in the realms 
of absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world cycle, during which he will 
get no relief nor a chance for redemption. 
7. “Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by evil thoughts and 
desires, Devadatta is lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will be 
reborn in the realms of absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world cycle, 
during which he will get no relief nor a chance for redemption. 
8. “Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by evil companionships 
and friendships, Devadatta is lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he 
will be reborn in the realms of absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world 
cycle, during which he will get no relief nor a chance for redemption. 
“In this way, Bhikkhus, while possessing a heart that is consumed and dominated by these eight 
things, Devadatta is now lost, headed straight to hell and nowhere else. After his death, he will 
be reborn in the realms of absolute misery, where he will stay and suffer for an entire world 
cycle, without getting any relief nor a chance for redemption.  
B. “For this reason, Bhikkhus, it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any 
sense of gain, as soon as it is encountered, and fully overcome it. 
“Also, Bhikkhus, it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of loss, as 
soon as it is encountered, and fully overcome it. 
“Also, Bhikkhus, it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of fame, 
as soon as it is encountered, and fully overcome it. 
“Also, Bhikkhus, it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of 
disgrace, as soon as it is encountered, and fully overcome it. 
“Also, Bhikkhus, it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of honor, 
as soon as it is encountered, and fully overcome it. 
“Also, Bhikkhus, it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of 
dishonor, as soon as it is encountered, and fully overcome it.

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“Also, Bhikkhus, it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any evil thoughts 
and desires, as soon as they are encountered, and fully overcome them. 
 “And, Bhikkhus, it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address evil 
companionships or friendships, as soon as they are encountered, and fully overcome them. 
C. “And why, Bhikkhus, is it necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of 
gain, as soon as it is encountered, and fully overcome it?  
“Why is it necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of loss, as soon as it 
is encountered, and fully overcome it?  
“Why is it necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of fame, as soon as 
it is encountered, and fully overcome it?  
“Why is it necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of disgrace, as soon 
as it is encountered, and fully overcome it?  
“Why is it necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of honor, as soon as 
it is encountered, and fully overcome it?  
“Why is it necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of dishonor, as soon 
as it is encountered, and fully overcome it?  
“Why is it necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any sense of evil thoughts and 
desires, as soon as they are encountered, and fully overcome them?  
“And why is it necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address any evil companionships 
or friendships, as soon as they are encountered, and fully overcome them? 
D. “Because, Bhikkhus, the contaminants that would have otherwise arisen, inevitably plaguing 
the heart of someone else who hasn’t yet overcome the sense of gain, burning in his mind with 
feverish distress, simply would not occur for the Bhikkhu, who does indeed quickly address the 
sense of gain, whenever he encounters it. 
“Similarly, Bhikkhus, the contaminants that would have otherwise arisen, inevitably plaguing the 
heart of someone else who hasn’t yet overcome the sense of loss, burning in his mind with 
feverish distress, simply would not occur for the Bhikkhu, who does indeed quickly address the 
sense of loss, whenever he encounters it. 
“Also, Bhikkhus, the contaminants that would have otherwise arisen, inevitably plaguing the 
heart of someone else who hasn’t yet overcome the sense of fame, burning in his mind with 
feverish distress, simply would not occur for the Bhikkhu, who does indeed quickly address the 
sense of fame, whenever he encounters it.

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“And, Bhikkhus, the contaminants that would have otherwise arisen, inevitably plaguing the 
heart of someone else who hasn’t yet overcome the sense of disgrace, burning in his mind with 
feverish distress, simply would not occur for the Bhikkhu, who does indeed quickly address the 
sense of disgrace, whenever he encounters it. 
“Further, Bhikkhus, the contaminants that would have otherwise arisen, inevitably plaguing the 
heart of someone else who hasn’t yet overcome the sense of honor, burning in his mind with 
feverish distress, simply would not occur for the Bhikkhu, who does indeed quickly address the 
sense of honor, whenever he encounters it. 
“And, Bhikkhus, the contaminants that would have otherwise arisen, inevitably plaguing the 
heart of someone else who hasn’t yet overcome the sense of dishonor, burning in his mind with 
feverish distress, simply would not occur for the Bhikkhu, who does indeed quickly address the 
sense of dishonor, whenever he encounters it. 
“Also, Bhikkhus, the contaminants that would have otherwise arisen, inevitably plaguing the 
heart of someone else who hasn’t yet overcome evil thoughts and desires, burning in his mind 
with feverish distress, simply would not occur for the Bhikkhu, who does indeed quickly address 
them whenever he encounters them. 
“And, Bhikkhus, the contaminants that would have otherwise arisen, inevitably plaguing the 
heart of someone else who hasn’t yet overcome the presence of evil companionships or 
friendships, burning in his mind with feverish distress, simply would not occur for the Bhikkhu, 
who does indeed quickly address them, whenever he encounters them. 
“Thus, it is for this reason that it is necessary and wise for the Bhikkhu to quickly address these 
eight things, whenever he encounters them. 
“Therefore, Bhikkhus, you should train yourselves in this manner: 
‘We will live by quickly addressing any sense of gain, as soon as it is encountered, and fully 
overcome it. We will quickly address any sense of loss, as soon as it is encountered, and fully 
overcome it. We will quickly address any sense of fame, as soon as it is encountered, and fully 
overcome it. We will quickly address any sense of disgrace, as soon as it is encountered, and 
fully overcome it. We will quickly address any sense of honor, as soon as it is encountered, and 
fully overcome it. We will quickly address any sense of dishonor, as soon as it is encountered, 
and fully overcome it. We will quickly address any evil thoughts and desires, as soon as they are 
encountered, and fully overcome them. We will quickly address evil companionships and 
friendships, as soon as they are encountered, and fully overcome them.’ 
“It is in this manner, Bhikkhus, that you must train yourselves.”  
 
 
Sādhu 
 
Sādhu 
 
Sādhu