About Uttara Uttara Sutta (AN 8:8)
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('â', Friends, itâs good for a monk periodically to have reflected on his own failings⦠on the failings of others⦠on his own attainments⦠on the attainments of others.â" So Sakka the deva-king—just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm—disappeared from the Devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-three and reappeared in Mahisavatthu on Saṃkheyyaka Mountain in Vaṭṭajṅlika in Ven. Uttaraâs presence. Then he went to Ven. Uttara and, on arrival, bowed down to him and stood to one side. As he was standing there, he said to Ven. Uttara, "Is it true, venerable sir, that Ven. Uttara is teaching the monks the Dhamma in this way: ),
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('â', Friends, itâs good for a monk periodically to have reflected on his own failings⦠on the failings of others⦠on his own attainments⦠on the attainments of othersâ?" "Yes, deva-king." "But is this Ven. Uttaraâs own extemporaneous invention, or is it the saying of the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One?" "Very well, then, deva-king, I will give you an analogy, for there are cases where itâs through an analogy that observant people can understand the meaning of what is being said. Suppose that not far from a village or town there was a great pile of grain, from which a great crowd of people were carrying away grain on their bodies, on their heads, in their laps [the laps of their robes], or in their cupped hands. If someone were to approach that great crowd of people and ask them, ),
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('â', From where are you carrying away grain?â answering in what way would that great crowd of people answer so as to be answering rightly?" "Venerable sir, they would answer, ),
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('â', We are carrying it from that great pile of grain,â so as to be answering rightly." "In the same way, deva-king, whatever is well said is all a saying of the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One. Adopting it again & again from there do we & others speak." "Amazing, venerable sir. Astounding, venerable sir—how well that has been said by Ven. Uttara: ),
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('â', Whatever is well said is all a saying of the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One. Adopting it again & again from there do we & others speak.â On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rṅjagaha on Vulture Peak Mountain, not long after Devadattaâs departure. There, referring to Devadatta, he addressed the monks: ),
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('â', Monks, itâs good for a monk periodically to have reflected on his own failings. Itâs good for a monk periodically to have reflected on the failings of others. Itâs good for a monk periodically to have reflected on his own attainments. Itâs good for a monk periodically to have reflected on the attainments of others. "),
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('â', Conquered by eight untrue dhammas, his mind overcome, Devadatta is headed for a state of deprivation, headed for hell, there to stay for an eon, incurable. Which eight? "),
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('â', Conquered by material gain, his mind overcome, Devadatta is headed for a state of deprivation, headed for hell, there to stay for an eon, incurable. "),
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('â', Conquered by lack of material gain.⦠"),
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('â', Conquered by status.⦠"),
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('â', Conquered by lack of status.⦠"),
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('â', Conquered by offerings.⦠"),
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('â', Conquered by lack of offerings.⦠"),
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('â', Conquered by evil ambition.⦠"),
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('â', Conquered by evil friendship, his mind overcome, Devadatta is headed for a state of deprivation, headed for hell, there to stay for an eon, incurable. "),
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('â', Monks, itâs good for a monk to keep conquering again & again any arisen material gain. Itâs good for a monk to keep conquering again & again any arisen lack of material gain⦠any arisen status⦠any arisen lack of status⦠any arisen offerings⦠any arisen lack of offerings⦠any arisen evil ambition⦠any arisen evil friendship. "),
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('â', And for what compelling reason should a monk keep conquering again & again any arisen material gain⦠any arisen evil friendship? Because when one dwells not having conquered any arisen material gain, effluents arise, along with vexations & fevers. But when one dwells having conquered any arisen material gain, those effluents, vexations, & fevers are not. [Similarly with any arisen lack of material gain, any arisen status, any arisen lack of status, any arisen offerings, any arisen lack of offerings, any arisen evil ambition, & any arisen evil friendship.] "),
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('â', Itâs for this compelling reason that a monk should keep conquering again & again any arisen material gain⦠any arisen evil friendship. "),
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('â', Therefore, monks, you should train yourselves: "We will keep conquering again & again any arisen material gain⦠any arisen lack of material gain⦠any arisen status⦠any arisen lack of status⦠any arisen offerings⦠any arisen lack of offerings⦠any arisen evil ambition⦠any arisen evil friendship." Thatâs how you should train yourselves.â "Up to now, Ven. Uttara, the four companies—monks, nuns, lay men, & lay women—have not established this Dhamma-discourse among human beings. Take up this Dhamma-discourse, Ven. Uttara! Master this Dhamma-discourse, Ven. Uttara! Remember this Dhamma-discourse, Ven. Uttara! Connected with the goal is this Dhamma-discourse, and basic to the holy life!" See also: MN 58 - --> - - - -