AN 5.103 A Master Thief – Mahācorasutta

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta >

AN 5.103 A Master Thief – Mahācorasutta

Numbered Discourses 5.103 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.103

11. Living Comfortably – 11. Phāsuvihāravagga

AN 5.103 A Master Thief – Mahācorasutta

 

1.1

Bhikkhū, a master thief with five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati.

1.2

What five?

Katamehi pañcahi?

1.3

A master thief relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on powerful individuals; they pay bribes, and they act alone.

Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca.

2.1

And how does a master thief rely on rough ground?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti?

2.2

It’s when a master thief relies on inaccessible riverlands or rugged mountains.

Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro nadīviduggaṁ vā nissito hoti pabbatavisamaṁ vā.

2.3

That’s how a master thief relies on rough ground.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti.

3.1

And how does a master thief rely on thick cover?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro gahananissito hoti?

3.2

It’s when a master thief relies on thick grass, thick trees, a blind spot, or a large dense wood.

Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro tiṇagahanaṁ vā nissito hoti rukkhagahanaṁ vā rodhaṁ vā mahāvanasaṇḍaṁ vā.

3.3

That’s how a master thief relies on thick cover.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro gahananissito hoti.

4.1

And how does a master thief rely on powerful individuals?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro balavanissito hoti?

4.2

It’s when a master thief relies on rulers or their ministers.

Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattānaṁ vā nissito hoti.

4.3

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

4.4

‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’

‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ime me rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇissantī’ti.

4.5

And that’s exactly what happens.

Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tyassa rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇanti.

4.6

That’s how a master thief relies on powerful individuals.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro balavanissito hoti.

5.1

And how does a master thief pay bribes?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro bhogacāgī hoti?

5.2

It’s when a master thief is rich, affluent, and wealthy.

Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro aḍḍho hoti mahaddhano mahābhogo.

5.3

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

5.4

‘If anyone accuses me of anything, I’ll settle it with a bribe.’

‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ito bhogena paṭisantharissāmī’ti.

5.5

And that’s exactly what happens.

Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tato bhogena paṭisantharati.

5.6

That’s how a master thief pays bribes.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro bhogacāgī hoti.

6.1

And how does a master thief act alone?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro ekacārī hoti?

6.2

It’s when a master thief carries out robbery all alone.

Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro ekakova gahaṇāni kattā hoti.

6.3

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

6.4

So that their secret plans are not leaked to others.

‘Mā me guyhamantā bahiddhā sambhedaṁ agamaṁsū’ti.

6.5

That’s how a master thief acts alone.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro ekacārī hoti.

7.1

A master thief with these five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahaṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati nillopampi harati ekāgārikampi karoti paripanthepi tiṭṭhati.

8.1

In the same way, when a bad bhikkhu has five qualities, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they make much bad karma.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

8.2

What five?

Katamehi pañcahi?

8.3

A bad bhikkhu relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on powerful individuals; they pay bribes, and they act alone.

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca.

9.1

And how does a bad bhikkhu rely on rough ground?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti?

9.2

It’s when a bad bhikkhu has unethical conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamena kāyakammena samannāgato hoti, visamena vacīkammena samannāgato hoti, visamena manokammena samannāgato hoti.

9.3

That’s how a bad bhikkhu relies on rough ground.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti.

10.1

And how does a bad bhikkhu rely on thick cover?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti?

10.2

It’s when a bad bhikkhu has wrong view, he’s attached to an extremist view.

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu micchādiṭṭhiko hoti antaggāhikāya diṭṭhiyā samannāgato.

10.3

That’s how a bad bhikkhu relies on thick cover.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti.

11.1

And how does a bad bhikkhu rely on powerful individuals?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu balavanissito hoti?

11.2

It’s when a bad bhikkhu relies on rulers or their ministers.

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattānaṁ vā nissito hoti.

11.3

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

11.4

‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’

‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ime me rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇissantī’ti.

11.5

And that’s exactly what happens.

Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tyassa rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇanti.

11.6

That’s how a bad bhikkhu relies on powerful individuals.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu balavanissito hoti.

12.1

And how does a bad bhikkhu pay bribes?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu bhogacāgī hoti?

12.2

It’s when a bad bhikkhu receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu lābhī hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.

12.3

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

12.4

‘If anyone accuses me of anything, I’ll settle it with a bribe.’

‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ito lābhena paṭisantharissāmī’ti.

12.5

And that’s exactly what happens.

Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tato lābhena paṭisantharati.

12.6

That’s how a bad bhikkhu pays bribes.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu bhogacāgī hoti.

13.1

And how does a bad bhikkhu act alone?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu ekacārī hoti?

13.2

It’s when a bad bhikkhu dwells alone in the borderlands.

Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu ekakova paccantimesu janapadesu nivāsaṁ kappeti.

13.3

They visit families there to get material possessions.

So tattha kulāni upasaṅkamanto lābhaṁ labhati.

13.4

That’s how a bad bhikkhu acts alone.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu ekacārī hoti.

14.1

When a bad bhikkhu has these five qualities, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they make much bad karma.”

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavatī”ti.

14.2

Tatiyaṁ.