Kaṭuviyasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya bārāṇasiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Addasā kho bhagavā goyogapilakkhasmiṁ piṇḍāya caramāno aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ rittassādaṁ bāhirassādaṁ muṭṭhassatiṁ asampajānaṁ asamāhitaṁ vibbhantacittaṁ pākatindriyaṁ. Disvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

At one time the Buddha was staying near Varanasi in the deer park at Isipatana. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Varanasi for alms. While the Buddha was walking for alms near the cow-hitching place at the wavy leaf fig, he saw a disgruntled monk who was looking for pleasure in external things, unmindful, without situational awareness or immersion, with straying mind and undisciplined faculties. The Buddha said to him,

“Mā kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, attānaṁ kaṭuviyamakāsi. Taṁ vata, bhikkhu, kaṭuviyakataṁ attānaṁ āmagandhena avassutaṁ makkhikā nānupatissanti nānvāssavissantīti, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”ti. Atha kho so bhikkhu bhagavatā iminā ovādena ovadito saṁvegamāpādi. Atha kho bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Monk, don’t be bitter. If you’re bitter, festering with putrefaction, flies will, without a doubt, plague and infest you.” Hearing this advice of the Buddha, that monk was struck with a sense of urgency. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, the Buddha told the mendicants what had happened. …

“Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya bārāṇasiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ. Addasaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, goyogapilakkhasmiṁ piṇḍāya caramāno aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ rittassādaṁ bāhirassādaṁ muṭṭhassatiṁ asampajānaṁ asamāhitaṁ vibbhantacittaṁ pākatindriyaṁ. Disvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavocaṁ:

‘Mā kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, attānaṁ kaṭuviyamakāsi. Taṁ vata bhikkhu kaṭuviyakataṁ attānaṁ āmagandhena avassutaṁ makkhikā nānupatissanti nānvāssavissantīti, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, so bhikkhu mayā iminā ovādena ovadito saṁvegamāpādī”ti. Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kiṁ nu kho, bhante, kaṭuviyaṁ? Ko āmagandho? Kā makkhikā”ti?

When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha: “Sir, what is this ‘bitterness’? What is ‘putrefaction’? And what are the ‘flies’?”

“Abhijjhā kho, bhikkhu, kaṭuviyaṁ; byāpādo āmagandho; pāpakā akusalā vitakkā makkhikā. Taṁ vata, bhikkhu, kaṭuviyakataṁ attānaṁ āmagandhena avassutaṁ makkhikā nānupatissanti nānvāssavissantīti, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatīti.

“Desire is bitterness; ill will is the putrefaction; and bad, unskillful thoughts are the flies. If you’re bitter, festering with putrefaction, flies will, without a doubt, plague and infest you.

Aguttaṁ cakkhusotasmiṁ, indriyesu asaṁvutaṁ; Makkhikānupatissanti, saṅkappā rāganissitā.

When your eyes and ears are unguarded, and you’re not restrained in your sense faculties, flies—those lustful thoughts— will plague you.

Kaṭuviyakato bhikkhu, āmagandhe avassuto; Ārakā hoti nibbānā, vighātasseva bhāgavā.

A mendicant who’s bitter, festering with putrefaction, is far from being extinguished, distress is their lot.

Gāme vā yadi vāraññe, aladdhā samathamattano; Pareti bālo dummedho, makkhikāhi purakkhato.

Whether in village or wilderness, if they don’t find serenity in themselves, the fool, the simpleton departs, honored only by flies.

Ye ca sīlena sampannā, paññāyūpasameratā; Upasantā sukhaṁ senti, nāsayitvāna makkhikā”ti. Chaṭṭhaṁ.

But those who have ethics, lovers of wisdom and peace, they, being peaceful, sleep at ease, since they’ve got rid of the flies.”