SN 17.32PTS SN 2.2401 min read

Skillful Root

Kusalamūlasutta

Devadatta’s wholesome root was cut off due to material possessions, honor, and praise.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 17.32Linked Discourses 17.32
0.24. CatutthavaggaChapter Four

0.3KusalamūlasuttaSkillful Root

1.1Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko.“Possessions, honor, and popularity are grim …

1.3Lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtassa pariyādiṇṇacittassa, bhikkhave, devadattassa kusalamūlaṁ samucchedamagamā.Devadatta cut off his skillful root because his mind was overcome and overwhelmed by possessions, honor, and popularity.¹

1.4Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe…So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”1.5sikkhitabban”ti.

1.6Dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

Contentment, love, and understanding. Note, “skillful root” may be expressed in the singular even though it is threefold (MN 9:7.1).
↩ sn17.32:1.3