With CundaCundasutta

“I ask the sage abounding in wisdom,”“Pucchāmi muniṁ pahūtapaññaṁ, said Cunda the smith,(iti cundo kammāraputto) “the Buddha, master of the teaching, free of craving,Buddhaṁ dhammassāmiṁ vītataṇhaṁ; best of men, excellent charioteer, please tell me this:Dvipaduttamaṁ sārathīnaṁ pavaraṁ, how many ascetics are there in the world?”Kati loke samaṇā tadiṅgha brūhi”.

“There are four ascetics, not a fifth.”“Caturo samaṇā na pañcamatthi, said the Buddha to Cunda,(cundāti bhagavā) “Being asked to bear witness, <j>I will explain them to you:Te te āvikaromi sakkhipuṭṭho; the path-victor, the path-teacher,Maggajino maggadesako ca, the path-liver, and the path-wrecker.”Magge jīvati yo ca maggadūsī”.

“Who is a path-victor according to the Buddhas?”“Kaṁ maggajinaṁ vadanti buddhā, said Cunda the smith,(iti cundo kammāraputto) “and how is one an unequaled explainer of the path?Maggakkhāyī kathaṁ atulyo hoti; Tell me when asked about one who lives the path,Magge jīvati me brūhi puṭṭho, then declare the path-wrecker.”Atha me āvikarohi maggadūsiṁ”.

“Rid of indecision, free of thorns,“Yo tiṇṇakathaṅkatho visallo, delighting in extinguishment, not fawning,Nibbānābhirato anānugiddho; a guide for the world with its gods.Lokassa sadevakassa netā, The Buddhas say one such is victor of the path.Tādiṁ maggajinaṁ vadanti buddhā.

Knowing the ultimate as ultimate,Paramaṁ paramanti yodha ñatvā, they explain and analyze the teaching right here.Akkhāti vibhajate idheva dhammaṁ; That sage unstirred, with doubt cut off,Taṁ kaṅkhachidaṁ muniṁ anejaṁ, is the second mendicant, I say, the teacher of the path.Dutiyaṁ bhikkhunamāhu maggadesiṁ.

Living restrained and mindful on the pathYo dhammapade sudesite, of the well-taught passage of teaching,Magge jīvati saññato satīmā; cultivating blameless states,Anavajjapadāni sevamāno, is the third mendicant, I say, the path-liver.Tatiyaṁ bhikkhunamāhu maggajīviṁ.

Dressed like one true to their vows,Chadanaṁ katvāna subbatānaṁ, pushy, rude, a corrupter of families,Pakkhandī kuladūsako pagabbho; devious, unrestrained, chaff,Māyāvī asaññato palāpo, the path-wrecker’s life is a sham.Patirūpena caraṁ sa maggadūsī.

A layperson who gets this,Ete ca paṭivijjhi yo gahaṭṭho, a learned, wise noble disciple,Sutavā ariyasāvako sapañño; knows that ‘They are not all like that one’.Sabbe netādisāti ñatvā, So when they see them they don’t lose their faith.Iti disvā na hāpeti tassa saddhā; For how could one equate them—Kathaṁ hi duṭṭhena asampaduṭṭhaṁ, the corrupt with the uncorrupt, <j>the pure with the impure?”Suddhaṁ asuddhena samaṁ kareyyā”ti.