The Book of the Fives

Chapter XXI Kimbila

[184]

[1]'Monks, there are these five disadvantages
to one preaching Dhamma
in a long-drawn,² plain-song voice.

What five?

He is either carried away himself³ by the sound;
or others are carried away thereby;
or householders are offended and say:

"Just as we sing,
for sure,
these recluse Sakya sons sing!";

or as he strives alter purity of sound,
there is a break in concentration;
and folk coming after
fall into the way of (wrong) views.⁴

Verily, monks, these are the five disadvantages
to one preaching Dhamma
in a long-drawn, plain-song voice.'

¹ This recurs at Vin. ii, 108 (S.B.E. xx, 72); gītā.

² Āyatakena. Comy. dīghena ...

³ Attanā pi sārajjati, v.l. attā.

⁴ Cf. above, § 79; below V, § 218.