1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.1.3Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando tadahuposathe pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.Now at that time Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms.

2.1Addasā kho devadatto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ rājagahe piṇḍāya carantaṁ.Devadatta saw him wandering for alms,2.2Disvāna yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:so he went up to him and said,2.3“ajjatagge dānāhaṁ, āvuso ānanda, aññatreva bhagavatā aññatra bhikkhusaṅghā uposathaṁ karissāmi saṅghakammāni cā”ti.“From this day forth, Reverend Ānanda, I shall perform the sabbath and legal proceedings of the Saṅgha apart from the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants.”

3.1Atha kho āyasmā ānando rājagahe piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Then Ānanda wandered for alms in Rājagaha. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,3.2Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:and told him what had just happened, adding:

4.1“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ.4.2Addasā kho maṁ, bhante, devadatto rājagahe piṇḍāya carantaṁ.4.3Disvāna yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ etadavoca:4.4‘ajjatagge dānāhaṁ, āvuso ānanda, aññatreva bhagavatā aññatra bhikkhusaṅghā uposathaṁ karissāmi saṅghakammāni cā’ti.4.5Ajja, bhante, devadatto saṅghaṁ bhindissati, uposathañca karissati saṅghakammāni cā”ti.“Today, sir, Devadatta will split the Saṅgha. He will perform the sabbath and legal proceedings of the Saṅgha.”

5.1Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

6.1“Sukaraṁ sādhunā sādhu,∥“It’s easy for the good to do good,6.2Sādhu pāpena dukkaraṁ;but for the bad, doing good is hard.6.3Pāpaṁ pāpena sukaraṁ,For the bad, it’s easy to do bad,6.4Pāpamariyehi dukkaran”ti.but for the noble ones, doing bad is hard.”

6.5Aṭṭhamaṁ.