The Related Suttas Collection 17.36

Chapter Four

Five Hundred Carts

Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Now at that time Prince Ajātasattu was going with five hundred carts in the morning and the evening to attend on Devadatta, presenting him with an offering of five hundred servings of food.

Then several bhikkhus went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, Prince Ajātasattu is going with five hundred carts in the morning and the evening to attend on Devadatta, presenting him with an offering of five hundred servings of food.”

“Bhikkhus, don’t envy Devadatta’s possessions, honor, and popularity. As long as Prince Ajātasattu goes with five hundred carts in the morning and the evening to attend on Devadatta, presenting him with an offering of five hundred servings of food, Devadatta can expect decline, not growth, in skillful qualities.

If bile were to burst from a wild dog’s nose, it would become even wilder. In the same way, as long as Prince Ajātasattu goes with five hundred carts in the morning and the evening to attend on Devadatta, presenting him with an offering of five hundred servings of food, Devadatta can expect decline, not growth, in skillful qualities.

So brutal are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”