Tripiṭaka 11. Phāsuvihāravagga
11. Living Comfortably
Tip — double-click any Pāli word to look it up in the dictionary.
“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati.
“Mendicants, a master thief with five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.
Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca.
A master thief relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful; they pay bribes, and they act alone.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti?
And how does a master thief rely on rough ground?
Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro nadīviduggaṁ vā nissito hoti pabbatavisamaṁ vā.
It’s when a master thief relies on inaccessible riverlands or rugged mountains.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti.
That’s how a master thief relies on rough ground.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro gahananissito hoti?
And how does a master thief rely on thick cover?
Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro tiṇagahanaṁ vā nissito hoti rukkhagahanaṁ vā rodhaṁ vā mahāvanasaṇḍaṁ vā.
It’s when a master thief relies on thick grass, thick trees, a blind spot, or a large forest grove.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro gahananissito hoti.
That’s how a master thief relies on thick cover.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro balavanissito hoti?
And how does a master thief rely on the powerful?
Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattānaṁ vā nissito hoti.
It’s when a master thief relies on rulers or their chief ministers.
‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ime me rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇissantī’ti.
‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’
Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tyassa rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇanti.
And that’s exactly what happens.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro balavanissito hoti.
That’s how a master thief relies on the powerful.
Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro aḍḍho hoti mahaddhano mahābhogo.
It’s when a master thief is rich, affluent, and wealthy.
‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ito bhogena paṭisantharissāmī’ti.
‘If anyone accuses me of anything, I’ll settle it with a bribe.’
Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro ekakova gahaṇāni kattā hoti.
It’s when a master thief carries out robbery all alone.
‘Mā me guyhamantā bahiddhā sambhedaṁ agamaṁsū’ti.
So that their secret plans are not leaked to others.
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahaṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati nillopampi harati ekāgārikampi karoti paripanthepi tiṭṭhati.
A master thief with these five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.
In the same way, when a bad mendicant has five qualities, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness.
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca.
A bad mendicant relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful; they pay bribes, and they act alone.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti?
And how does a bad mendicant rely on rough ground?
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamena kāyakammena samannāgato hoti, visamena vacīkammena samannāgato hoti, visamena manokammena samannāgato hoti.
It’s when a bad mendicant has unethical conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti.
That’s how a bad mendicant relies on rough ground.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti?
And how does a bad mendicant rely on thick cover?
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu micchādiṭṭhiko hoti antaggāhikāya diṭṭhiyā samannāgato.
It’s when a bad mendicant has wrong view, he’s attached to an extremist view.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti.
That’s how a bad mendicant relies on thick cover.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu balavanissito hoti?
And how does a bad mendicant rely on the powerful?
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattānaṁ vā nissito hoti.
It’s when a bad mendicant relies on rulers or their chief ministers.
‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ime me rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇissantī’ti.
‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’
Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tyassa rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇanti.
And that’s exactly what happens.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu balavanissito hoti.
That’s how a bad mendicant relies on the powerful.
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu lābhī hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ.
It’s when a bad mendicant receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ito lābhena paṭisantharissāmī’ti.
‘If anyone accuses me of anything, I’ll settle it with a bribe.’
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu ekakova paccantimesu janapadesu nivāsaṁ kappeti.
It’s when a bad mendicant dwells alone in the borderlands.
So tattha kulāni upasaṅkamanto lābhaṁ labhati.
They visit families there to acquire material things.
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavatī”ti.
When a bad mendicant possesses these five qualities, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they create much wickedness.”
Tatiyaṁ.