1Now at that time several mendicants were staying in the Kosalan lands in a certain forest grove. They were restless, insolent, fickle, gossipy, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties.

The deity haunting that forest had compassion for those mendicants, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached those mendicants wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:

2“The mendicants used to live happily,
as disciples of Gotama.
Desireless they sought alms;
desireless they used their lodgings.
Knowing that the world was impermanent
they made an end of suffering.

3But now they’ve made themselves hard to look after,
like chiefs in a village.
They eat and eat and then lie down,
unconscious in the homes of others.

4Having raised my joined palms to the Saṅgha,
I speak here only about certain people.
They’re rejects, with no protector,
just like those who have passed away.

5I’m speaking about
those who live negligently.
To those who live diligently
I pay homage.”

6Impelled by that deity, those mendicants were struck with a sense of urgency.

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā bhikkhū kosalesu vihāranti aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe uddhatā unnaḷā capalā mukharā vikiṇṇavācā muṭṭhassatino asampajānā asamāhitā vibbhantacittā pākatindriyā.

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anukampikā atthakāmā te bhikkhū saṁvejetukāmā yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi: 

2"Sukhajīvino pure āsuṁ,
bhikkhū gotamasāvakā;
Anicchā piṇḍamesanā,
anicchā sayanāsanaṁ;
Loke aniccataṁ ñatvā,
dukkhassantaṁ akaṁsu te.

3Dupposaṁ katvā attānaṁ,
gāme gāmaṇikā viya;
Bhutvā bhutvā nipajjanti,
parāgāresu mucchitā.

4Saṅghassa añjaliṁ katvā,
idhekacce vadāmahaṁ;
Apaviddhā anāthā te,
yathā petā tatheva te.

5Ye kho pamattā vihāranti,
te me sandhāya bhāsitaṁ;
Ye appamattā vihāranti,
namo tesaṁ karomahan"ti.

6Atha kho te bhikkhū tāya devatāya saṁvejitā saṁvegamāpādunti.