1At Sāvatthī.

Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha: “Just now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind. ‘Who are those who protect themselves? And who are those who don’t protect themselves?’

Then it occurred to me: ‘Those who do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind don’t protect themselves. Even if they’re protected by a company of elephants, cavalry, chariots, or infantry, they still don’t protect themselves. Why is that? Because such protection is exterior, not interior. That’s why they don’t protect themselves.

Those who do good things by way of body, speech, and mind do protect themselves. Even if they’re not protected by a company of elephants, cavalry, chariots, or infantry, they still protect themselves. Why is that? Because such protection is interior, not exterior. That’s why they do protect themselves.’”

2“That’s so true, great king! That’s so true!” said the Buddha. And he repeated the king’s statement, adding:

3“Restraint of the body is good;
restraint of speech is good;
restraint of mind is good;
restraint everywhere is good.
A sincere person, restrained everywhere,
is said to be ‘protected’.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘kesaṁ nu kho rakkhito attā, kesaṁ arakkhito attā’ti?

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te hatthikāyo vā rakkheyya, assakāyo vā rakkheyya, rathakāyo vā rakkheyya, pattikāyo vā rakkheyya; atha kho tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Bāhirā hesā rakkhā, nesā rakkhā ajjhattikā; tasmā tesaṁ arakkhito attā.

Ye ca kho keci kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te neva hatthikāyo rakkheyya, na assakāyo rakkheyya, na rathakāyo rakkheyya, na pattikāyo rakkheyya; atha kho tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ajjhattikā hesā rakkhā, nesā rakkhā bāhirā; tasmā tesaṁ rakkhito attā’"ti.

2"Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti … pe … tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Bāhirā hesā, mahārāja, rakkhā, nesā rakkhā ajjhattikā; tasmā tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te neva hatthikāyo rakkheyya, na assakāyo rakkheyya, na rathakāyo rakkheyya, na pattikāyo rakkheyya; atha kho tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ajjhattikā hesā, mahārāja, rakkhā, nesā rakkhā bāhirā; tasmā tesaṁ rakkhito attā"ti. Idamavoca … pe …

3"Kāyena saṁvaro sādhu,
sādhu vācāya saṁvaro;
Manasā saṁvaro sādhu,
sādhu sabbattha saṁvaro;
Sabbattha saṁvuto lajjī,
rakkhitoti pavuccatī"ti.