Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
VIII: Ākaṇkha-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
VIII: On Wishes
Sutta 77
Kāka Suttaṃ
The Crow
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
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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, the crow is possessed of ten qualities contrary to Dhamma.
What ten?
It is truculent[1],
and pushing,
greedy,
and a gross feeder,
cruel,
and pitiless,
clumsy,[2],
of harsh voice,[3]
muddle-headed
and a hoarder of treasure.[4]
A crow is possessed of these ten qualities contrary to Dhamma.
§
In like manner
a wicked monk
is possessed of ten qualities contrary to Dhamma.
What ten?
He is truculent,
and pushing,
greedy,
and a gross feeder,
cruel,
and pitiless,
clumsy,
of harsh voice,
muddle-headed
and a hoarder of treasure.
[1] Dhaṇsī; cf. Dhp. 244 kāka-sūrena, dhaṇsinā ... pagabbhena.
Dubbala. Badly balanced. Awkward. Inept.
— p.p.
[2] Dubbala in its usual sense of 'feeble' cannot be applied to a crow.
[3] Oravitā = orava-yutto, oravanto carati, Comy. The word seems to occur nowhere else, P. Dict. doubts derivation, but suggests oravitarati. But it is evidently a lengthened form of avaravati, to croak.
[4] Necayiko = nicaya-karo, Comy.