“Mendicants, a master thief with five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery. What five? A master thief relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful; they pay bribes, and they act alone. And how does a master thief rely on rough ground?
PL
“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati. Katamehi pañcahi? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca. Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti?
EN
It’s when a master thief relies on inaccessible riverlands or rugged mountains. That’s how a master thief relies on rough ground. And how does a master thief rely on thick cover? It’s when a master thief relies on thick grass, thick trees, a blind spot, or a large forest grove.
That’s how a master thief relies on thick cover. And how does a master thief rely on the powerful? It’s when a master thief relies on rulers or their chief ministers. They think:
‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’ And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a master thief relies on the powerful. And how does a master thief pay bribes?
It’s when a master thief is rich, affluent, and wealthy. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, I’ll settle it with a bribe.’ And that’s exactly what happens.
So that their secret plans are not leaked to others. That’s how a master thief acts alone. A master thief with these five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery. 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.
What five? A bad mendicant relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful; they pay bribes, and they act alone. And how does a bad mendicant rely on rough ground? It’s when a bad mendicant has unethical conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.
PL
Katamehi pañcahi? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca. Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamena kāyakammena samannāgato hoti, visamena vacīkammena samannāgato hoti, visamena manokammena samannāgato hoti.
EN
That’s how a bad mendicant relies on rough ground. And how does a bad mendicant rely on thick cover? It’s when a bad mendicant has wrong view, he’s attached to an extremist view. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on thick cover.
And how does a bad mendicant rely on the powerful? It’s when a bad mendicant relies on rulers or their chief ministers. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’
And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on the powerful. And how does a bad mendicant pay bribes? It’s when a bad mendicant receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
And how does a bad mendicant act alone? It’s when a bad mendicant dwells alone in the borderlands. They visit families there to acquire material things. That’s how a bad mendicant acts alone.
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 brim with much wickedness.”
“Mendicants, a master thief with five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery. What five? A master thief relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful; they pay bribes, and they act alone. And how does a master thief rely on rough ground?
PL
“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati. Katamehi pañcahi? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca. Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti?
EN
It’s when a master thief relies on inaccessible riverlands or rugged mountains. That’s how a master thief relies on rough ground. And how does a master thief rely on thick cover? It’s when a master thief relies on thick grass, thick trees, a blind spot, or a large forest grove.
That’s how a master thief relies on thick cover. And how does a master thief rely on the powerful? It’s when a master thief relies on rulers or their chief ministers. They think:
‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’ And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a master thief relies on the powerful. And how does a master thief pay bribes?
It’s when a master thief is rich, affluent, and wealthy. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, I’ll settle it with a bribe.’ And that’s exactly what happens.
So that their secret plans are not leaked to others. That’s how a master thief acts alone. A master thief with these five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery. 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.
What five? A bad mendicant relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful; they pay bribes, and they act alone. And how does a bad mendicant rely on rough ground? It’s when a bad mendicant has unethical conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.
PL
Katamehi pañcahi? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca. Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamena kāyakammena samannāgato hoti, visamena vacīkammena samannāgato hoti, visamena manokammena samannāgato hoti.
EN
That’s how a bad mendicant relies on rough ground. And how does a bad mendicant rely on thick cover? It’s when a bad mendicant has wrong view, he’s attached to an extremist view. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on thick cover.
And how does a bad mendicant rely on the powerful? It’s when a bad mendicant relies on rulers or their chief ministers. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’
And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on the powerful. And how does a bad mendicant pay bribes? It’s when a bad mendicant receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
And how does a bad mendicant act alone? It’s when a bad mendicant dwells alone in the borderlands. They visit families there to acquire material things. That’s how a bad mendicant acts alone.
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 brim with much wickedness.”
Sutraya