Sivathikasutta — Reader

A Charnel Ground

Sivathikasutta

“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks to a charnel ground. What five? It’s filthy, stinking, frightening, a gathering place for savage monsters, and a weeping place for many people. These are the five drawbacks of a charnel ground.

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā sivathikāya. Katame pañca? Asuci, duggandhā, sappaṭibhayā, vāḷānaṁ amanussānaṁ āvāso, bahuno janassa ārodanā— ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā sivathikāya.

In the same way there are five drawbacks of an individual like a charnel ground. What five? To start with, an individual has filthy conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcime ādīnavā sivathikūpame puggale. Katame pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo asucinā kāyakammena samannāgato hoti; asucinā vacīkammena samannāgato hoti;

This is how they’re filthy, I say. That individual is just as filthy as a charnel ground.

asucinā manokammena samannāgato hoti. Idamassa asucitāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā asuci; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Because of their filthy conduct, they get a bad reputation. This is how they’re stinky, I say. That individual is just as stinky as a charnel ground.

Tassa asucinā kāyakammena samannāgatassa, asucinā vacīkammena samannāgatassa, asucinā manokammena samannāgatassa pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati. Idamassa duggandhatāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā duggandhā; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Because of their filthy conduct, good-hearted spiritual companions avoid them from afar. That’s how they’re frightening, I say. That individual is just as frightening as a charnel ground.

Tamenaṁ asucinā kāyakammena samannāgataṁ, asucinā vacīkammena samannāgataṁ, asucinā manokammena samannāgataṁ pesalā sabrahmacārī ārakā parivajjanti. Idamassa sappaṭibhayasmiṁ vadāmi. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā sappaṭibhayā; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Because of their filthy conduct, they live together with individuals of a similar character. This is how they gather with savage monsters, I say. That individual is just as much a gathering place of savage monsters as a charnel ground.

So asucinā kāyakammena samannāgato, asucinā vacīkammena samannāgato, asucinā manokammena samannāgato sabhāgehi puggalehi saddhiṁ saṁvasati. Idamassa vāḷāvāsasmiṁ vadāmi. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā vāḷānaṁ amanussānaṁ āvāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Because of their filthy conduct, when good-hearted spiritual companions see them they complain: ‘Oh, it’s so painful for us to have to live together with such as these.’ This is how there’s weeping, I say. This person is just as much a weeping place for many people as a charnel ground.

Tamenaṁ asucinā kāyakammena samannāgataṁ, asucinā vacīkammena samannāgataṁ, asucinā manokammena samannāgataṁ pesalā sabrahmacārī disvā khīyadhammaṁ āpajjanti: ‘aho vata no dukkhaṁ ye mayaṁ evarūpehi puggalehi saddhiṁ saṁvasāmā’ti. Idamassa ārodanāya vadāmi. Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā bahuno janassa ārodanā;

These are the five drawbacks of an individual like a charnel ground.”

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā sivathikūpame puggale”ti. Navamaṁ.