AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.70 Unprincipled

Numbered Discourses 4.70 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.70

7. Deeds of Substance – 7. Pattakammavagga

AN 4.70 Unprincipled – Adhammikasutta

1.1

“At a time when kings are unprincipled, royal officials become unprincipled.

“Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye rājāno adhammikā honti, rājāyuttāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti.

1.2

When royal officials are unprincipled, brahmins and householders become unprincipled.

Rājāyuttesu adhammikesu brāhmaṇagahapatikāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti.

1.3

When brahmins and householders are unprincipled, the people of town and country become unprincipled.

Brāhmaṇagahapatikesu adhammikesu negamajānapadāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti.

1.4

When the people of town and country are unprincipled, the courses of the moon and sun become erratic.

Negamajānapadesu adhammikesu visamaṁ candimasūriyā parivattanti.

1.5

… the courses of the stars and constellations …

Visamaṁ candimasūriyesu parivattantesu visamaṁ nakkhattāni tārakarūpāni parivattanti.

1.6

the days and nights …

Visamaṁ nakkhattesu tārakarūpesu parivattantesu visamaṁ rattindivā parivattanti.

1.7

the months and fortnights …

Visamaṁ rattindivesu parivattantesu visamaṁ māsaddhamāsā parivattanti.

1.8

the seasons and years become erratic.

Visamaṁ māsaddhamāsesu parivattantesu visamaṁ utusaṁvaccharā parivattanti.

1.9

… the blowing of the winds becomes erratic and chaotic.

Visamaṁ utusaṁvaccharesu parivattantesu visamaṁ vātā vāyanti visamā apañjasā.

1.10

… the deities are angered.

Visamaṁ vātesu vāyantesu visamesu apañjasesu devatā parikupitā bhavanti.

1.11

… the heavens don’t provide enough rain.

Devatāsu parikupitāsu devo na sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchati.

1.12

… the crops ripen erratically.

Deve na sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchante visamapākāni sassāni bhavanti.

1.13

When people eat crops that have ripened erratically, they become short-lived, ugly, weak, and sickly.

Visamapākāni, bhikkhave, sassāni manussā paribhuñjantā appāyukā honti dubbaṇṇā ca bavhābādhā ca.

2.1

At a time when kings are principled, royal officials become principled.

Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye rājāno dhammikā honti, rājāyuttāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti.

2.2

… brahmins and householders …

Rājāyuttesu dhammikesu brāhmaṇagahapatikāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti.

2.3

people of town and country become principled.

Brāhmaṇagahapatikesu dhammikesu negamajānapadāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti.

2.4

When the people of town and country are principled, the courses of the sun and moon become regular.

Negamajānapadesu dhammikesu samaṁ candimasūriyā parivattanti.

2.5

… the stars and constellations …

Samaṁ candimasūriyesu parivattantesu samaṁ nakkhattāni tārakarūpāni parivattanti.

2.6

the days and nights …

Samaṁ nakkhattesu tārakarūpesu parivattantesu samaṁ rattindivā parivattanti.

2.7

the months and fortnights …

Samaṁ rattindivesu parivattantesu samaṁ māsaddhamāsā parivattanti.

2.8

the seasons and years become regular.

Samaṁ māsaddhamāsesu parivattantesu samaṁ utusaṁvaccharā parivattanti.

2.9

… the blowing of the winds becomes regular and orderly.

Samaṁ utusaṁvaccharesu parivattantesu samaṁ vātā vāyanti samā pañjasā.

2.10

… the deities are not angered …

Samaṁ vātesu vāyantesu samesu pañjasesu devatā aparikupitā bhavanti.

2.11

… the heavens provide plenty of rain.

Devatāsu aparikupitāsu devo sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchati.

2.12

When the heavens provide plenty of rain, the crops ripen well.

Deve sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchante samapākāni sassāni bhavanti.

2.13

When people eat crops that have ripened well, they become long-lived, beautiful, strong, and healthy.

Samapākāni, bhikkhave, sassāni manussā paribhuñjantā dīghāyukā ca honti vaṇṇavanto ca balavanto ca appābādhā cāti.

3.1

When cattle ford a river,

Gunnañce taramānānaṁ,

3.2

if the bull goes off course,

jimhaṁ gacchati puṅgavo;

3.3

they all go off course,

Sabbā tā jimhaṁ gacchanti,

3.4

because their leader is off course.

nette jimhaṁ gate sati.

4.1

So it is for humans:

Evamevaṁ manussesu,

4.2

when the one agreed on as chief

yo hoti seṭṭhasammato;

4.3

behaves badly,

So ce adhammaṁ carati,

4.4

what do you expect the rest to do?

pageva itarā pajā;

4.5

The whole country sleeps badly,

Sabbaṁ raṭṭhaṁ dukkhaṁ seti,

4.6

when the king is unprincipled.

rājā ce hoti adhammiko.

5.1

When cattle ford a river,

Gunnañce taramānānaṁ,

5.2

if the bull goes straight,

ujuṁ gacchati puṅgavo;

5.3

they all go straight,

Sabbā tā ujuṁ gacchanti,

5.4

because their leader is straight.

nette ujuṁ gate sati.

6.1

So it is for humans:

Evamevaṁ manussesu,

6.2

when the one agreed on as chief

yo hoti seṭṭhasammato;

6.3

does the right thing,

So sace dhammaṁ carati,

6.4

what do you expect the rest to do?

pageva itarā pajā;

6.5

The whole country sleeps at ease,

Sabbaṁ raṭṭhaṁ sukhaṁ seti,

6.6

when the king is just.”

rājā ce hoti dhammiko”ti.

6.7

Dasamaṁ.

6.8

Pattakammavaggo dutiyo.

7.0

Tassuddānaṁ

7.1

Pattakammaṁ ānaṇyako,

7.2

Sabrahmanirayā rūpena pañcamaṁ;

7.3

Sarāgaahirājā devadatto,

7.4

Padhānaṁ adhammikena cāti.