[124] 8. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Veḷuvana, at the Kalandakanivāpa (the Squirrels' Feeding Ground). Now on that occasion, on that Uposatha day, the Venerable Ānanda, having dressed in the morning and taken his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms. Devadatta saw the Venerable Ānanda walking for alms in Rājagaha; on seeing him, he approached the Venerable Ānanda and, having approached, said this to the Venerable Ānanda: "From this day forth, friend Ānanda, I shall now perform the Uposatha and the formal acts of the Saṅgha apart from the Blessed One, apart from the Saṅgha of bhikkhus."
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having walked for alms in Rājagaha, after his meal, when he had returned from the almsround, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, having dressed in the morning and taken my bowl and robe, I entered Rājagaha for alms. Devadatta saw me, venerable sir, walking for alms in Rājagaha; on seeing me, he approached me and, having approached, said this to me: 'From this day forth, friend Ānanda, I shall now perform the Uposatha and the formal acts of the Saṅgha apart from the Blessed One, apart from the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.' Today, venerable sir, Devadatta will divide the Saṅgha, and he will perform the Uposatha and the formal acts of the Saṅgha."
Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
"Good is easy for the good to do;
good is hard for the evil to do;
evil is easy for the evil to do;
evil is hard for the noble ones to do."
The eighth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.