1“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 powerful individuals.

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.

2And how does a master thief rely on thick cover? It’s when a master thief relies on thick grass, thick trees, a ridge, or a large dense wood. That’s how a master thief relies on thick cover.

3And how does a master thief rely on powerful individuals? It’s when a master thief relies on rulers or their ministers. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’ And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a master thief relies on powerful individuals.

A master thief with these three factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.

4In 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 make much bad karma. What three?

A bad mendicant relies on uneven ground, on thick cover, and on powerful individuals.

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5And 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.

6And 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.

7And how does a bad mendicant rely on powerful individuals? It’s when a bad mendicant relies on rulers or their ministers. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’ And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on powerful individuals.

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When a bad mendicant has these three factors, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they make much bad karma.”

1"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.

2Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro gahananissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro tiṇagahanaṁ vā nissito hoti, rukkhagahanaṁ vā rodhaṁ vā mahāvanasaṇḍaṁ vā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro gahananissito hoti.

3Kathañca, 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.

4Evamevaṁ 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.

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5Kathañca, 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.

6Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, antaggāhikāya diṭṭhiyā samannāgato hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu gahananissito hoti.

7Kathañca, 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.

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Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo ca viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavatī"ti.

Ekādasamaṁ.

Cūḷavaggo pañcamo.

8Sammukhī ṭhānatthavasaṁ,
pavatti paṇḍita sīlavaṁ;
Saṅkhataṁ pabbatātappaṁ,
mahācorenekādasāti.

Paṭhamo paṇṇāsako samatto.