sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.5

Attarakkhitasutta

Self-Protected Self-Protected

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Sitting to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One:
Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha,

“idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:
“Here, venerable sir, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind thus:
“Just now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind.

‘kesaṁ nu kho rakkhito attā, kesaṁ arakkhito attā’ti?
‘Who now protect themselves and who leave themselves unprotected?’
‘Who are those who protect themselves? And who are those who don’t protect themselves?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:
Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me:
Then it occurred to me:

‘ye kho keci kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti;
‘Those who engage in misconduct of body, speech, and mind
‘Those who do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind

tesaṁ arakkhito attā.
leave themselves unprotected.
don’t protect themselves.

Kiñcāpi te hatthikāyo vā rakkheyya, assakāyo vā rakkheyya, rathakāyo vā rakkheyya, pattikāyo vā rakkheyya;
Even though a company of elephant troops may protect them, or a company of cavalry, or a company of chariot troops, or a company of infantry,
Even if they’re protected by a company of elephants, cavalry, chariots, or infantry,

atha kho tesaṁ arakkhito attā.
still they leave themselves unprotected.
they still don’t protect themselves.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
For what reason?
Why is that?

Bāhirā hesā rakkhā, nesā rakkhā ajjhattikā;
Because that protection is external, not internal;
Because such protection is exterior, not interior.

tasmā tesaṁ arakkhito attā.
therefore they leave themselves unprotected.
That’s why they don’t protect themselves.

Ye ca kho keci kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti;
But those who engage in good conduct of body, speech, and mind
Those who do good things by way of body, speech, and mind

tesaṁ rakkhito attā.
protect themselves.
do protect themselves.

Kiñcāpi te neva hatthikāyo rakkheyya, na assakāyo rakkheyya, na rathakāyo rakkheyya, na pattikāyo rakkheyya;
Even though no company of elephant troops protects them, nor a company of cavalry, nor a company of charioteers, nor a company of infantry,
Even if they’re not protected by a company of elephants, cavalry, chariots, or infantry,

atha kho tesaṁ rakkhito attā.
still they protect themselves.
they still protect themselves.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
For what reason?
Why is that?

Ajjhattikā hesā rakkhā, nesā rakkhā bāhirā;
Because that protection is internal, not external;
Because such protection is interior, not exterior.

tasmā tesaṁ rakkhito attā’”ti.
therefore they protect themselves. ’”
That’s why they do protect themselves.’”

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.
“So it is, great king! So it is, great king!”
“That’s so true, great king! That’s so true!” said the Buddha. And he repeated the king’s statement, adding:

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.

Idamavoca …pe…

“Kāyena saṁvaro sādhu,
“Good is restraint with the body,
“Restraint of the body is good;

sādhu vācāya saṁvaro;
Restraint by speech is also good;
restraint of speech is good;

Manasā saṁvaro sādhu,
Good is restraint with the mind,
restraint of mind is good;

sādhu sabbattha saṁvaro;
Restraint everywhere is good.
everywhere, restraint is good.

Sabbattha saṁvuto lajjī,
Conscientious, everywhere restrained,
A sincere person, restrained everywhere,

rakkhitoti pavuccatī”ti.
One is said to be protected. ”
is said to be ‘protected’.”