1At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and sat outside the gate. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

2Now at that time seven matted-hair ascetics, seven Jain ascetics, seven naked ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, and seven wanderers passed by not far from the Buddha. Their armpits and bodies were hairy, and their nails were long; and they carried their stuff with shoulder-poles.
Then King Pasenadi got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, raised his joined palms toward those various ascetics, and pronounced his name three times: “Sirs, I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala! … I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala!”

3Then, soon after those ascetics had left, King Pasenadi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, are they among those in the world who are perfected ones or who have entered the path to perfection?”

4“Great king, as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures, living at home with your children, using sandalwood imported from Kāsi, wearing garlands, perfumes, and makeup, and accepting gold and money, it’s hard for you to know who is perfected or on the path to perfection.

5You can get to know a person’s ethics by living with them. But only after a long time, not casually; only when paying attention, not when inattentive; and only by the wise, not the witless.

You can get to know a person’s purity by dealing with them. …

You can get to know a person’s resilience in times of trouble. …

You can get to know a person’s wisdom by discussion. But only after a long time, not casually; only when paying attention, not when inattentive; and only by the wise, not the witless.”

6“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing, how well said this was by Master Gotama. …

7Sir, these are my spies, my undercover agents returning after spying on the country. First they go undercover, then I have them report to me. And now — when they have washed off the dust and dirt, and are nicely bathed and anointed, with hair and beard dressed, and dressed in white — they will amuse themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.”

8Then, knowing the meaning of this, on that occasion the Buddha recited these verses:

9“It’s not easy to know a man by his appearance.
You shouldn’t trust them at first sight.
For undisciplined men live in this world
disguised as the disciplined.

10Like a fake earring made of clay,
like a copper halfpenny coated with gold,
they live hidden in the world,
corrupt inside but impressive outside.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito bahidvārakoṭṭhake nisinno hoti. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

2Tena kho pana samayena satta ca jaṭilā satta ca nigaṇṭhā satta ca acelakā satta ca ekasāṭakā satta ca paribbājakā parūḷhakacchanakhalomā khārivividhamādāya bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇajāṇumaṇḍalaṁ pathaviyaṁ nihantvā yena te satta ca jaṭilā satta ca nigaṇṭhā satta ca acelakā satta ca ekasāṭakā satta ca paribbājakā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā tikkhattuṁ nāmaṁ sāvesi: "rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo … pe … rājāhaṁ, bhante, pasenadi kosalo"ti.

3Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo acirapakkantesu tesu sattasu ca jaṭilesu sattasu ca nigaṇṭhesu sattasu ca acelakesu sattasu ca ekasāṭakesu sattasu ca paribbājakesu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "ye te, bhante, loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā ete tesaṁ aññatarā"ti.

4"Dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tayā gihinā kāmabhoginā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena: ‘ime vā arahanto, ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannā’ti.

5Saṁvāsena kho, mahārāja, sīlaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.

Saṁvohārena kho, mahārāja, soceyyaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.

Āpadāsu kho, mahārāja, thāmo veditabbo. So ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena.

Sākacchāya, kho, mahārāja, paññā veditabbā. Sā ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññenā"ti.

6"Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Yāva subhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā: ‘dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, tayā gihinā kāmabhoginā puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasantena kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhontena mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayantena jātarūparajataṁ sādiyantena: "ime vā arahanto, ime vā arahattamaggaṁ samāpannā"ti. Saṁvāsena kho, mahārāja, sīlaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena. Saṁvohārena kho, mahārāja, soceyyaṁ veditabbaṁ. Tañca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena. Āpadāsu kho, mahārāja, thāmo veditabbo. So ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññena. Sākacchāya kho, mahārāja, paññā veditabbā. Sā ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṁ; manasikarotā, no amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññenā’ti.

7Ete, bhante, mama purisā carā ocarakā janapadaṁ ocaritvā āgacchanti. Tehi paṭhamaṁ ociṇṇaṁ ahaṁ pacchā osāpayissāmi. Idāni te, bhante, taṁ rajojallaṁ pavāhetvā sunhātā suvilittā kappitakesamassū odātavatthā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgībhūtā paricāressantī"ti.

8Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi: 

9"Na vaṇṇarūpena naro sujāno,
Na vissase ittaradassanena;
Susaññatānañhi viyañjanena,
Asaññatā lokamimaṁ caranti.

10Patirūpako mattikākuṇḍalova,
Lohaḍḍhamāsova suvaṇṇachanno;
Caranti loke parivārachannā,
Anto asuddhā bahi sobhamānā"ti.