AN 3.50

Mahācorasutta

“Tīhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca hoti, balavanissito ca hoti. Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro nadīviduggaṁ vā nissito hoti pabbatavisamaṁ vā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti.

A Master Thief

“Mendicants, a master thief with three factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery. What three? A master thief relies on uneven ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful. And how does a master thief rely on uneven ground? It’s when a master thief relies on inaccessible riverlands or rugged mountains. That’s how a master thief relies on uneven ground.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro gahananissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro tiṇagahanaṁ vā nissito hoti, rukkhagahanaṁ vā rodhaṁ vā mahāvanasaṇḍaṁ vā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro gahananissito hoti.

And how does a master thief rely on thick cover? It’s when a master thief relies on thick grass, thick trees, a blind spot, or a large forest grove. That’s how a master thief relies on thick cover.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro balavanissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattānaṁ vā nissito hoti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ime me rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇissantī’ti. Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tyāssa rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇanti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro balavanissito hoti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tīhi aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati.

And how does a master thief rely on the powerful? It’s when a master thief relies on rulers or their chief ministers. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’ And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a master thief relies on the powerful. 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. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito ca hoti gahananissito ca balavanissito ca.

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 brim with much wickedness. What three? A bad mendicant relies on uneven ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamena kāyakammena samannāgato hoti, visamena vacīkammena samannāgato hoti, visamena manokammena samannāgato hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito hoti.

And how does a bad mendicant rely on uneven ground? It’s when a bad mendicant has unethical conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on uneven ground.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, antaggāhikāya diṭṭhiyā samannāgato hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti.

And how does a bad mendicant rely on thick cover? It’s when a bad mendicant has wrong view, he’s attached to an extremist view. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on thick cover.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu balavanissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu rājānaṁ vā rājamahāmattānaṁ vā nissito hoti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ime me rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇissantī’ti. Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tyāssa rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇanti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu balavanissito hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavatī”ti.

And how does a bad mendicant rely on the powerful? It’s when a bad mendicant relies on rulers or their chief ministers. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’ And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on the powerful. 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 brim with much wickedness.”