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Numbered Discourses · AN 5.178

  • Numbered Discourses 5.178Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.178
  • 18. A Lay Follower18. Upāsakavagga

KingsRājāsutta

“What do you think, mendicants?“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Have you ever seen or heardapi nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: of a person who has given up killing living creatures,‘ayaṁ puriso pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭiviratoti. and the kings have them arrested for that, and execute, imprison, or banish them, or do what the case requires?”Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā pāṇātipātā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, mendicants!“Sādhu, bhikkhave. I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti: ‘This person has murdered a man or a woman.’‘ayaṁ puriso itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā jīvitā voropesīti. The kings have them arrested for killing, and execute, imprison, or banish them, or do what the case requires.Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā pāṇātipātahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?

“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.

“What do you think, mendicants?“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Have you ever seen or heardapi nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: of a person who has given up stealing,‘ayaṁ puriso adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭiviratoti. and the kings have them arrested for that …?”Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā adinnādānā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ bhante”.

“Good, mendicants!“Sādhu, bhikkhave. I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti: ‘This person took something from a village or wilderness, with the intention to commit theft.’‘ayaṁ puriso gāmā vā araññā vā adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādiyīti. The kings have them arrested for stealing …Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā adinnādānahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?

“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.

“What do you think, mendicants?“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Have you ever seen or heardapi nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: of a person who has given up sexual misconduct,‘ayaṁ puriso kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratoti. and the kings have them arrested for that …?”Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, mendicants!“Sādhu, bhikkhave. I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti: ‘This person had relations with women or maidens under someone else’s protection.’‘ayaṁ puriso paritthīsu parakumārīsu cārittaṁ āpajjīti. The kings have them arrested for that …Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā kāmesumicchācārahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?

“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.

“What do you think, mendicants?“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Have you ever seen or heardapi nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: of a person who has given up lying,‘ayaṁ puriso musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭiviratoti. and the kings have them arrested for that …?”Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā musāvādā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, mendicants!“Sādhu, bhikkhave. I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti: ‘This person has ruined a householder or householder’s child by lying.’‘ayaṁ puriso gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā musāvādena atthaṁ pabhañjīti. The kings have them arrested for that …Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā musāvādahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?

“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.

“What do you think, mendicants?“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Have you ever seen or heardapi nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: of a person who has given up intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor,‘ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ pahāya surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratoti. and the kings have them arrested for that, and execute, imprison, or banish them, or do what the case requires?”Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, mendicants!“Sādhu, bhikkhave. I too have never seen or heard of such a thing.Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: Rather, the kings are informed of someone’s bad deed:Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti: ‘While under the influence of intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor, this person murdered a woman or a man.‘ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ anuyutto itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā jīvitā voropesi; Or they stole something from a village or wilderness.ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ anuyutto gāmā vā araññā vā adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādiyi; Or they had relations with women or maidens under someone else’s protection.ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ anuyutto paritthīsu parakumārīsu cārittaṁ āpajji; Or they ruined a householder or householder’s child by lying.’ayaṁ puriso surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānaṁ anuyutto gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā musāvādena atthaṁ pabhañjīti. The kings have them arrested for being under the influence of intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor, and execute, imprison, or banish them, or do what the case requires.Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’”ti?

“Sir, we have seen it and heard of it, and we will hear of it again.”“Diṭṭhañca no, bhante, sutañca suyyissati cā”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. SN 42.13 With Pāṭaliya 0.63near 5.5You might ask someone: ‘My man, what did that man do?’ And they’d reply: ‘My man, that man is an enemy of the king, and he has murdered a man or a woman. That’s why the rulers arrested him and inflicted such punishment.’…
  2. MN 130 Messengers of the Gods 0.59near 5.5King Yama says to them, ‘My man, did you not see among human beings when the rulers arrested a bandit, a criminal, and subjected them to various punishments— whipping, caning, and clubbing; cutting off hands or feet, or…
  3. MN 129 The Foolish and the Astute 0.53near 5.5Furthermore, a fool sees that the kings have arrested a bandit, a criminal, and subjected them to various punishments— whipping, caning, and clubbing; cutting off hands or feet, or both; cutting off ears or nose, or both…