Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.45
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 10.45
5. Akkosavagga
5. Abuse
Rājantepurappavesanasutta
Entering a Royal Compound
“Dasayime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā rājantepurappavesane.
“Mendicants, there are ten drawbacks to entering a royal compound.
Katame dasa?
What ten?
Idha, bhikkhave, rājā mahesiyā saddhiṁ nisinno hoti.
Firstly, a king is sitting with his chief queen
Tatra bhikkhu pavisati.
when a monk enters.
Mahesī vā bhikkhuṁ disvā sitaṁ pātukaroti, bhikkhu vā mahesiṁ disvā sitaṁ pātukaroti.
When the queen sees the monk she smiles, or when the monk sees the queen he smiles.
Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti:
So the king thinks:
‘addhā imesaṁ kataṁ vā karissanti vā’ti.
‘They’ve done it for sure, or they will do it.’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the first drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā bahukicco bahukaraṇīyo aññataraṁ itthiṁ gantvā na sarati:
Furthermore, a king has many duties, and much to do. He has sex with one of the women but doesn’t remember.
‘sā tena gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti’.
She gets pregnant from that.
Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti:
So the king thinks:
‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena.
‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.
Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti.
Could this be the monk’s doing?’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the second drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure aññataraṁ ratanaṁ nassati.
Furthermore, a gem is lost somewhere in the royal compound.
Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti:
So the king thinks:
‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena.
‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.
Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti.
Could this be the monk’s doing?’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the third drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure abbhantarā guyhamantā bahiddhā sambhedaṁ gacchanti.
Furthermore, secret deliberations in the royal compound are leaked outside.
Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti:
So the king thinks:
‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena.
‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.
Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti.
Could this be the monk’s doing?’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the fourth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure pitā vā puttaṁ pattheti putto vā pitaraṁ pattheti.
Furthermore, in a royal compound, a father longs for their son, or a son longs for his father.
Tesaṁ evaṁ hoti:
They think:
‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena.
‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.
Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti.
Could this be the monk’s doing?’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the fifth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā nīcaṭṭhāniyaṁ ucce ṭhāne ṭhapeti.
Furthermore, the king promotes someone to a higher position.
Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti:
Those who are upset by this think:
‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho.
‘The king is close to that monk.
Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti.
Could this be the monk’s doing?’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, chaṭṭho ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the sixth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā uccaṭṭhāniyaṁ nīce ṭhāne ṭhapeti.
Furthermore, the king demotes someone to a lower position.
Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti:
Those who are upset by this think:
‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho.
‘The king is close to that monk.
Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti.
Could this be the monk’s doing?’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the seventh drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā akāle senaṁ uyyojeti.
Furthermore, the king dispatches the army at the wrong time.
Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti:
Those who are upset by this think:
‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho.
‘The king is close to that monk.
Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti.
Could this be the monk’s doing?’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the eighth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā kāle senaṁ uyyojetvā antarāmaggato nivattāpeti.
Furthermore, the king dispatches the army at the right time, but orders it to turn back while still on the road.
Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti:
Those who are upset by this think:
‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho.
‘The king is close to that monk.
Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti.
Could this be the monk’s doing?’
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, navamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the ninth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepuraṁ hatthisammaddaṁ assasammaddaṁ rathasammaddaṁ rajanīyāni rūpasaddagandharasaphoṭṭhabbāni, yāni na pabbajitassa sāruppāni.
Furthermore, in the royal compound there is a trampling of elephants, horses, and chariots, as well as arousing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches that do not befit a monk.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dasamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.
This is the tenth drawback of entering a royal compound.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dasa ādīnavā rājantepurappavesane”ti.
These are the ten drawbacks of entering a royal compound.”
Pañcamaṁ.