Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.50
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 3.50
5. Cūḷavagga
5. The Lesser Chapter
Mahācorasutta
A Master Thief
“Tīhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati.
“Mendicants, a master thief with three factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.
Katamehi tīhi?
What three?
Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca hoti, balavanissito ca hoti.
A master thief relies on uneven ground, on thick cover, and on powerful individuals.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti?
And how does a master thief rely on uneven 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 uneven 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 ridge, or a large dense wood.
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 powerful individuals?
Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattānaṁ vā nissito hoti.
It’s when a master thief relies on rulers or their ministers.
Tassa evaṁ hoti:
They think:
‘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 ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’
Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tyāssa 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 powerful individuals.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, tīhi aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati.
A master thief with these three factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīhi aṅgehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.
In the same way, when a bad mendicant has three factors, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they create much wickedness.
Katamehi tīhi?
What three?
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito ca hoti gahananissito ca balavanissito ca.
A bad mendicant relies on uneven ground, on thick cover, and on powerful individuals.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti?
And how does a bad mendicant rely on uneven 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 uneven ground.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti?
And how does a bad mendicant rely on thick cover?
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, antaggāhikāya diṭṭhiyā samannāgato hoti.
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 powerful individuals?
Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattānaṁ vā nissito hoti.
It’s when a bad mendicant relies on rulers or their ministers.
Tassa evaṁ hoti:
They think:
‘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 ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’
Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tyāssa 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 powerful individuals.
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavatī”ti.
When a bad mendicant has these three qualities, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they create much wickedness.”
Ekādasamaṁ.
Cūḷavaggo pañcamo.
Tassuddānaṁ
Sammukhī ṭhānatthavasaṁ,
pavatti paṇḍita sīlavaṁ;
Saṅkhataṁ pabbatātappaṁ,
mahācorenekādasāti.
Paṭhamo paṇṇāsako samatto.