sutta » an » an4 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.70

Adhammikasutta

Unprincipled

“Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye rājāno adhammikā honti, rājāyuttāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti.
“At a time when kings are unprincipled, royal officials become unprincipled.

Rājāyuttesu adhammikesu brāhmaṇagahapatikāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti.
When royal officials are unprincipled, brahmins and householders become unprincipled.

Brāhmaṇagahapatikesu adhammikesu negamajānapadāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti.
When brahmins and householders are unprincipled, the people of town and country become unprincipled.

Negamajānapadesu adhammikesu visamaṁ candimasūriyā parivattanti.
When the people of town and country are unprincipled, the courses of the moon and sun become erratic.

Visamaṁ candimasūriyesu parivattantesu visamaṁ nakkhattāni tārakarūpāni parivattanti.
… the courses of the stars and constellations …

Visamaṁ nakkhattesu tārakarūpesu parivattantesu visamaṁ rattindivā parivattanti.
the days and nights …

Visamaṁ rattindivesu parivattantesu visamaṁ māsaddhamāsā parivattanti.
the months and fortnights …

Visamaṁ māsaddhamāsesu parivattantesu visamaṁ utusaṁvaccharā parivattanti.
the seasons and years become erratic.

Visamaṁ utusaṁvaccharesu parivattantesu visamaṁ vātā vāyanti visamā apañjasā.
… the blowing of the winds becomes erratic and chaotic.

Visamaṁ vātesu vāyantesu visamesu apañjasesu devatā parikupitā bhavanti.
… the deities are angered.

Devatāsu parikupitāsu devo na sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchati.
… the heavens don’t provide enough rain.

Deve na sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchante visamapākāni sassāni bhavanti.
… the crops ripen erratically.

Visamapākāni, bhikkhave, sassāni manussā paribhuñjantā appāyukā honti dubbaṇṇā ca bavhābādhā ca.
When people eat crops that have ripened erratically, they become short-lived, ugly, weak, and sickly.

Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye rājāno dhammikā honti, rājāyuttāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti.
At a time when kings are principled, royal officials become principled.

Rājāyuttesu dhammikesu brāhmaṇagahapatikāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti.
… brahmins and householders …

Brāhmaṇagahapatikesu dhammikesu negamajānapadāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti.
people of town and country become principled.

Negamajānapadesu dhammikesu samaṁ candimasūriyā parivattanti.
When the people of town and country are principled, the courses of the sun and moon become regular.

Samaṁ candimasūriyesu parivattantesu samaṁ nakkhattāni tārakarūpāni parivattanti.
… the stars and constellations …

Samaṁ nakkhattesu tārakarūpesu parivattantesu samaṁ rattindivā parivattanti.
the days and nights …

Samaṁ rattindivesu parivattantesu samaṁ māsaddhamāsā parivattanti.
the months and fortnights …

Samaṁ māsaddhamāsesu parivattantesu samaṁ utusaṁvaccharā parivattanti.
the seasons and years become regular.

Samaṁ utusaṁvaccharesu parivattantesu samaṁ vātā vāyanti samā pañjasā.
… the blowing of the winds becomes regular and orderly.

Samaṁ vātesu vāyantesu samesu pañjasesu devatā aparikupitā bhavanti.
… the deities are not angered …

Devatāsu aparikupitāsu devo sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchati.
… the heavens provide plenty of rain.

Deve sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchante samapākāni sassāni bhavanti.
When the heavens provide plenty of rain, the crops ripen well.

Samapākāni, bhikkhave, sassāni manussā paribhuñjantā dīghāyukā ca honti vaṇṇavanto ca balavanto ca appābādhā cāti.
When people eat crops that have ripened well, they become long-lived, beautiful, strong, and healthy.

Gunnañce taramānānaṁ,
When cattle ford a river,

jimhaṁ gacchati puṅgavo;
if the bull goes off course,

Sabbā tā jimhaṁ gacchanti,
they all go off course,

nette jimhaṁ gate sati.
because their leader is off course.

Evamevaṁ manussesu,
So it is for humans:

yo hoti seṭṭhasammato;
when the one deemed chief

So ce adhammaṁ carati,
behaves badly,

pageva itarā pajā;
what do you expect the rest to do?

Sabbaṁ raṭṭhaṁ dukkhaṁ seti,
The whole country sleeps badly,

rājā ce hoti adhammiko.
when the king is unprincipled.

Gunnañce taramānānaṁ,
When cattle ford a river,

ujuṁ gacchati puṅgavo;
if the bull goes straight,

Sabbā tā ujuṁ gacchanti,
they all go straight,

nette ujuṁ gate sati.
because their leader is straight.

Evamevaṁ manussesu,
So it is for humans:

yo hoti seṭṭhasammato;
when the one deemed chief

So sace dhammaṁ carati,
does the right thing,

pageva itarā pajā;
what do you expect the rest to do?

Sabbaṁ raṭṭhaṁ sukhaṁ seti,
The whole country sleeps at ease,

rājā ce hoti dhammiko”ti.
when the king is just.”

Dasamaṁ.

Pattakammavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Pattakammaṁ ānaṇyako,

Sabrahmanirayā rūpena pañcamaṁ;

Sarāgaahirājā devadatto,

Padhānaṁ adhammikena cāti.