Mahācorasutta

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati, nillopampi harati, ekāgārikampi karoti, paripanthepi tiṭṭhati. Katamehi pañcahi? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca.

“Mendicants, a master thief with five factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery. What five? A master thief relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful; they pay bribes, and they act alone.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro nadīviduggaṁ vā nissito hoti pabbatavisamaṁ vā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro visamanissito hoti.

And how does a master thief rely on rough ground? It’s when a master thief relies on inaccessible riverlands or rugged mountains. That’s how a master thief relies on rough ground.

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

And how does a master thief rely on thick cover? It’s when a master thief relies on thick grass, thick trees, a blind spot, or a large forest grove. That’s how a master thief relies on thick cover.

Kathañca, 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, tyassa rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇanti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro balavanissito hoti.

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

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro bhogacāgī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro aḍḍho hoti mahaddhano mahābhogo. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ito bhogena paṭisantharissāmī’ti. Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tato bhogena paṭisantharati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro bhogacāgī hoti.

And how does a master thief pay bribes? It’s when a master thief is rich, affluent, and wealthy. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, I’ll settle it with a bribe.’ And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a master thief pays bribes.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mahācoro ekacārī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mahācoro ekakova gahaṇāni kattā hoti. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Mā me guyhamantā bahiddhā sambhedaṁ agamaṁsū’ti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mahācoro ekacārī hoti.

And how does a master thief act alone? It’s when a master thief carries out robbery all alone. Why is that? So that their secret plans are not leaked to others. That’s how a master thief acts alone.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahaṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro sandhimpi chindati nillopampi harati ekāgārikampi karoti paripanthepi tiṭṭhati.

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

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato pāpabhikkhu khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati. Katamehi pañcahi? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu visamanissito ca hoti, gahananissito ca, balavanissito ca, bhogacāgī ca, ekacārī ca.

In the same way, when a bad mendicant has five qualities, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness. What five? A bad mendicant relies on rough ground, on thick cover, and on the powerful; they pay bribes, and they act alone.

Kathañca, 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.

And how does a bad mendicant rely on rough 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 rough ground.

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

And 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.

Kathañca, 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, tyassa rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā pariyodhāya atthaṁ bhaṇanti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu balavanissito hoti.

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

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu bhogacāgī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu lābhī hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘sace maṁ koci kiñci vakkhati, ito lābhena paṭisantharissāmī’ti. Sace naṁ koci kiñci āha, tato lābhena paṭisantharati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu bhogacāgī hoti.

And how does a bad mendicant pay bribes? It’s when a bad mendicant receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. They think: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, I’ll settle it with a bribe.’ And that’s exactly what happens. That’s how a bad mendicant pays bribes.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu ekacārī hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu ekakova paccantimesu janapadesu nivāsaṁ kappeti. So tattha kulāni upasaṅkamanto lābhaṁ labhati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pāpabhikkhu ekacārī hoti.

And how does a bad mendicant act alone? It’s when a bad mendicant dwells alone in the borderlands. They visit families there to acquire material things. That’s how a bad mendicant acts alone.

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

When a bad mendicant possesses these five qualities, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness.”