Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.178
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 5.178
18. Upāsakavagga
18. A Lay Follower
Rājāsutta
Kings
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
“What do you think, mendicants?
api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā:
Have you ever seen or heard
‘ayaṁ puriso pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭiviratoti.
of a person who has given up killing living creatures,
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā pāṇātipātā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?
and then the kings have them arrested for that, and execute, imprison, or banish them, or do what the case requires?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Sādhu, bhikkhave.
“Good, mendicants!
Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:
I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.
‘ayaṁ puriso pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭiviratoti.
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā pāṇātipātā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’ti.
Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti:
Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:
‘ayaṁ puriso itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā jīvitā voropesīti.
‘This person has murdered a man or a woman.’
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā pāṇātipātahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti.
Then the kings have them arrested for killing, and execute, imprison, or banish them, or do what the case requires.
Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?
Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.
“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
“What do you think, mendicants?
api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā:
Have you ever seen or heard
‘ayaṁ puriso adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭiviratoti.
of a person who has given up stealing,
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā adinnādānā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?
and then the kings have them arrested for that …?”
“No hetaṁ bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Sādhu, bhikkhave.
“Good, mendicants!
Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:
I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.
‘ayaṁ puriso adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭiviratoti.
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā adinnādānā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’ti.
Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti:
Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:
‘ayaṁ puriso gāmā vā araññā vā adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādiyīti.
‘This person took something from a village or wilderness, with the intention to commit theft.’
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā adinnādānahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti.
Then the kings have them arrested for stealing …
Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?
Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.
“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
“What do you think, mendicants?
api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā:
Have you ever seen or heard
‘ayaṁ puriso kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratoti.
of a person who has given up sexual misconduct,
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?
and then the kings have them arrested for that …?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Sādhu, bhikkhave.
“Good, mendicants!
Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:
I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.
‘ayaṁ puriso kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratoti.
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’ti.
Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti:
Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:
‘ayaṁ puriso paritthīsu parakumārīsu cārittaṁ āpajjīti.
‘This person had sexual relations with women or maidens under someone else’s protection.’
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā kāmesumicchācārahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti.
Then the kings have them arrested for that …
Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?
Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.
“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
“What do you think, mendicants?
api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā:
Have you ever seen or heard
‘ayaṁ puriso musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭiviratoti.
of a person who has given up lying,
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā musāvādā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?
and then the kings have them arrested for that …?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Sādhu, bhikkhave.
“Good, mendicants!
Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:
I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.
‘ayaṁ puriso musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭiviratoti.
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā musāvādā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’ti.
Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti:
Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:
‘ayaṁ puriso gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā musāvādena atthaṁ pabhañjīti.
‘This person has ruined a householder or householder’s child by lying.’
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā musāvādahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti.
Then the kings have them arrested for that …
Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?
Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.
“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
“What do you think, mendicants?
api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā:
Have you ever seen or heard
‘ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ pahāya surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratoti.
of a person who has given up alcoholic drinks that cause negligence,
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?
and then the kings have them arrested for that, and execute, imprison, or banish them, or do what the case requires?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Sādhu, bhikkhave.
“Good, mendicants!
Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ:
I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.
‘ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ pahāya surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratoti.
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’ti.
Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti:
Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:
‘ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ anuyutto itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā jīvitā voropesi;
‘While under the influence of alcoholic drinks that cause negligence, this person murdered a woman or a man.
ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ anuyutto gāmā vā araññā vā adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādiyi;
Or they stole something from a village or wilderness.
ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ anuyutto paritthīsu parakumārīsu cārittaṁ āpajji;
Or they had sexual relations with women or maidens under someone else’s protection.
ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ anuyutto gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā musāvādena atthaṁ pabhañjīti.
Or they ruined a householder or householder’s child by lying.’
Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti.
Then the kings have them arrested for being under the influence of alcoholic drinks that cause negligence, and execute, imprison, or banish them, or do what the case requires.
Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?
Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.
“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”
Aṭṭhamaṁ.