Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Atthaka Nipāta
IX. Sati-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
Chapter IX: Mindfulness
Sutta 84
Mahā Coraṇga Suttaṃ
The Highwayman
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, possessed of eight qualities
a highwayman[1] quickly comes to an end
and lasts no long time.
Of what eight?
He strikes one who does not strike him;
he robs without leaving anything;
he kills women;
he violates young girls;
he plunders one who has gone forth;[2]
he plunders the rajah's treasury;
he works too near (home);[3]
he is unskilled in laying down (treasure).[4]
Monks, possessed of these eight qualities
a highwayman quickly comes to an end
and lasts no long time."
§
"Monks, possessed of eight qualities
a highwayman will not quickly come to an end
but will last a long while.
Of what eight?
He does not strike one who does not strike him;
he does not rob without leaving anything;
he does not kill women;
he does not violate young girls;
he does not plunder one who has gone forth;
he does not plunder the rajah's treasury;
he does not work too near (home);
he is skilled in laying down (treasure).
Monks, possessed of these eight qualities
a highwayman will not quickly come to an end
but will last a long while."
[1] Mahācora; cf. A. i, 153; iii, 128. At Vin. iii, 89, five sorts are likened to five evil monks. Corā can mean spies; see K.S. i, 106 n., and talking about them was forbidden; see D. i, 7; Vin. i, 188, etc.
[2] The monk.
[3] Accāsanne kammaṃ karoti.
Luke xii, 21: So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
— p.p.
[4] Nidhāna (the 'laying up ' of Luke xii, 21). Comy. Yaṃ laddhaṃ taṃ dakkhiṇeyye nidahituṃ cheko na hoti: paralokamaggaṃ na sodheti.
