Catubhāṇavārapāḷi | 26. Parābhavasuttaṁ

ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati
at one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī

Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
at Anāthapiṇḍika's grounds in Jeta's Wood.

Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā,
Then a certain god, towards the end of the night,

abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ Jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā,
having lit up the whole of Jeta's Wood with his surpassing beauty,

yena Bhagavā tenupasaṅkami,
approached the Gracious One,

upasaṅkamitvā Bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekam-antaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
and after approaching and worshipping the Gracious One, he stood on one side.

Ekam-antaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā Bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
While standing on one side that god recited a verse to the Gracious One:

“Parābhavantaṁ purisaṁ mayaṁ pucchāma Gotamaṁ -
“We ask (reverend) Gotama regarding the man going to ruin -

Bhagavantaṁ puṭṭham-āgamma, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [01]
we have come to ask the Gracious One, what is the cause of ruination?” 

“Suvijāno bhavaṁ hoti, suvijāno parābhavo,
“The thriving man is easy to know, the ruining man is easy to know,

Dhammakāmo bhavaṁ hoti, Dhammadessī parābhavo. ” [02]
the thriving man loves the Dhamma, the ruining man hates the Dhamma.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, paṭhamo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the first ruin (of man).

Dutiyaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [03]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the second cause of ruin?”

“Asantassa piyā honti, sante na kurute piyaṁ,
“The bad are dear to him, he does not endear the good,

asataṁ Dhammaṁ roceti, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [04]
he is pleased with the Dhamma of the bad, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, dutiyo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the second ruin (of man).

Tatiyaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [05]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the third cause of ruin?”

“Niddāsīlī sabhāsīlī, anuṭṭhātā ca yo naro,
“That man who is fond of sleep, fond of society, unaroused,

alaso kodhapaññāṇo, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [06]
lazy, and marked by anger, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, tatiyo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the third ruin (of man).

Catutthaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [07]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the fourth cause of ruin?”

“Yo mātaraṁ vā pitaraṁ vā jiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ,
“He who, when his mother or father has grown old, with their youth gone,

pahusanto na bharati, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [08]
though having much, does not support them, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, catuttho so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the fourth ruin (of man).

Pañcamaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [09]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the fifth cause of ruin?”

“Yo brāhmaṇaṁ vā samaṇaṁ vā, aññaṁ vā pi vaṇibbakaṁ
“He who deceives a brahmin, or an ascetic, or another mendicant

musāvādena vañceti, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [10]
with words that are false, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, pañcamo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the fifth ruin (of man).

Chaṭṭhamaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [11]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the sixth cause of ruin?”

“Pahūtavitto puriso, sahirañño sabhojano,
“That man who has abundant wealth, who has gold, who has food,

eko bhuñjati sādūni, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [12]
but who eats his sweetmeats alone, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, chaṭṭhamo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the sixth ruin (of man).

Sattamaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [13]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the seventh cause of ruin?”

Jātitthaddho dhanatthaddho, gottatthaddho ca yo naro,
“That man who is proud of his birth, his wealth, and his ancestry,

sañ-ñātiṁ atimaññeti, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [14]
and who despises his kinsfolk, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, sattamo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the seventh ruin (of man).

Aṭṭhamaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [15]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the eighth cause of ruin?”

“Itthidhutto, surādhutto, akkhadhutto ca yo naro,
“That man who is a womanizer, a drunkard, and a gambler,

laddhaṁ laddhaṁ vināseti, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [16]
who destroys whatever is gained, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, aṭṭhamo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the eighth ruin (of man).

Navamaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [17]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the ninth cause of ruin?”

“Sehi dārehi 'santuṭṭho, vesiyāsu padissati,
“(He who is) not satisfied with his own wives, and is seen with prostitutes,

dissati paradāresu, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [18]
and is seen with other mens' wives, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, navamo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the ninth ruin (of man).

Dasamaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [19]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the tenth cause of ruin?”

“Atītayobbano poso, āneti timbarutthaniṁ,
“A man who, being past his youth, brings home a young girl (for his wife),

tassā issā na supati, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [20]
and cannot sleep through jealousy, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, dasamo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the tenth ruin (of man).

Ekādasamaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [21]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the eleventh cause of ruin?”

“Itthisoṇḍiṁ vikiraṇiṁ, purisaṁ vā pi tādisaṁ,
“A woman given to drink, a spendthrift, or a man of similar sort,

issariyasmiṁ ṭhāpāpeti, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ.” [22]
appointing (such a one) as overlord, that is a cause of ruination.”

“Iti hetaṁ vijānāma, ekādasamo so parābhavo.
“Indeed it is so, this we know, this is the eleventh ruin (of man).

Dvādasamaṁ Bhagavā brūhi, kiṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ?” [23]
Please tell us, Gracious One, what is the twelfth cause of ruin?”

“Appabhogo mahātaṇho, khattiye jāyate kule,
“One who is poor, but has great craving, who is born in a family of nobles,

so ca rajjaṁ patthayati, taṁ parābhavato mukhaṁ. [24]
and who wants to be king, that is a cause of ruination.