Attarakkhitasutta — Reader

Self-Protected

Attarakkhitasutta

At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha, “Just now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind. ‘Who are those who protect themselves? And who are those who don’t protect themselves?’

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘kesaṁ nu kho rakkhito attā, kesaṁ arakkhito attā’ti?

Then it occurred to me: ‘Those who do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind don’t protect themselves. Even if they’re protected by a company of elephants, cavalry, chariots, or infantry,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te hatthikāyo vā rakkheyya, assakāyo vā rakkheyya, rathakāyo vā rakkheyya, pattikāyo vā rakkheyya;

they still don’t protect themselves. Why is that? Because such protection is exterior, not interior. That’s why they don’t protect themselves.

atha kho tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Bāhirā hesā rakkhā, nesā rakkhā ajjhattikā; tasmā tesaṁ arakkhito attā.

Those who do good things by way of body, speech, and mind do protect themselves. Even if they’re not protected by a company of elephants, cavalry, chariots, or infantry, they still protect themselves.

Ye ca kho keci kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te neva hatthikāyo rakkheyya, na assakāyo rakkheyya, na rathakāyo rakkheyya, na pattikāyo rakkheyya; atha kho tesaṁ rakkhito attā.

Why is that? Because such protection is interior, not exterior. That’s why they do protect themselves.’” “That’s so true, Great King! That’s so true!” said the Buddha. And he repeated the king’s statement, adding:

Taṁ kissa hetu? Ajjhattikā hesā rakkhā, nesā rakkhā bāhirā; tasmā tesaṁ rakkhito attā’”ti. “Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.

Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti …pe… tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Bāhirā hesā, mahārāja, rakkhā, nesā rakkhā ajjhattikā;

tasmā tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te neva hatthikāyo rakkheyya, na assakāyo rakkheyya, na rathakāyo rakkheyya, na pattikāyo rakkheyya;

atha kho tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ajjhattikā hesā, mahārāja, rakkhā, nesā rakkhā bāhirā; tasmā tesaṁ rakkhito attā”ti.

“Restraint of the body is good; restraint of speech is good; restraint of mind is good;

Idamavoca …pe… “Kāyena saṁvaro sādhu, sādhu vācāya saṁvaro; Manasā saṁvaro sādhu,

everywhere, restraint is good. A sincere person, restrained everywhere, is said to be ‘protected’.”

sādhu sabbattha saṁvaro; Sabbattha saṁvuto lajjī, rakkhitoti pavuccatī”ti.