[347] Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, on the mountain Gijjhakūṭa. Not long after Devadatta had departed, there the Blessed One, with reference to Devadatta, addressed the bhikkhus:
"Bhikkhus, here a certain clansman (kulaputta), out of faith, goes forth from the home life into homelessness, thinking: 'I am beset by birth, aging, death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am beset by suffering (dukkha), overwhelmed by suffering. Surely a making of an end of this entire mass of suffering might be discerned.' Having thus gone forth, he generates gain, honor, and fame (lābhasakkārasiloka). He is pleased with that gain, honor, and fame, and his intention is fulfilled. On account of that gain, honor, and fame he exalts himself and disparages others: 'I am one who has gain, honor, and fame; but these other bhikkhus are unknown and of little influence.' On account of that gain, honor, and fame he becomes intoxicated, grows negligent, and falls into negligence; and being negligent, he dwells in suffering.
"Bhikkhus, suppose a man in need of heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, came upon a great tree standing possessed of heartwood; and passing over the very heartwood, passing over the sapwood, passing over the bark, passing over the outer bark, he were to cut off the branches and leaves and depart, taking them, thinking: 'This is heartwood.' A man with eyes, seeing him, would say thus: 'Indeed, this good man did not know the heartwood, did not know the sapwood, did not know the bark, did not know the outer bark, did not know the branches and leaves. Thus this good man, in need of heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, when a great tree stood possessed of heartwood, passing over the very heartwood, passing over the sapwood, passing over the bark, passing over the outer bark, cut off the branches and leaves and departed, taking them, thinking: "This is heartwood." Whatever purpose of his was to be served by heartwood, that purpose he will not achieve.'
"Even so, bhikkhus, here a certain clansman, out of faith, goes forth from the home life into homelessness, thinking: 'I am beset by birth, aging, death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am beset by suffering, overwhelmed by suffering. Surely a making of an end of this entire mass of suffering might be discerned.' Having thus gone forth, he generates gain, honor, and fame. He is pleased with that gain, honor, and fame, and his intention is fulfilled. On account of that gain, honor, and fame he exalts himself and disparages others: 'I am one who has gain, honor, and fame; but these other bhikkhus are unknown and of little influence.' On account of that gain, honor, and fame he becomes intoxicated, grows negligent, and falls into negligence; and being negligent, he dwells in suffering. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who has taken hold of the branches and leaves of the holy life (brahmacariya), and with that has stopped short.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.