Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Atthaka Nipāta
IX. Sati-Vagga

VIII. The Book of the Eights

Chapter IX: Mindfulness

Sutta 84

Mahā Coraṅga Suttaṃ

The Highwayman

[222]

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 highwayman¹ 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.