[490] Bhikkhus, possessed of three factors, a great bandit (mahācora) breaks into houses, carries off plunder, commits burglary upon a single house, and lies in ambush on the highways. Which three? Here, bhikkhus, a great bandit relies on the rugged, relies on thickets, and relies on the powerful.
And how, bhikkhus, does a great bandit rely on the rugged? Here, bhikkhus, a great bandit relies on an impassable stretch of river or on rugged mountain terrain. Thus, bhikkhus, does a great bandit rely on the rugged.
And how, bhikkhus, does a great bandit rely on thickets? Here, bhikkhus, a great bandit relies on a thicket of grass, or a thicket of trees, or a riverbank (rodhaṃ), or a great forest grove. Thus, bhikkhus, does a great bandit rely on thickets.
And how, bhikkhus, does a great bandit rely on the powerful? Here, bhikkhus, a great bandit relies on kings or on kings' chief ministers. It occurs to him thus: "If anyone should charge me with anything, these kings or kings' chief ministers will speak on the matter in my defense, covering it over." And if anyone does charge him with anything, those kings or kings' chief ministers speak on the matter in his defense, covering it over. Thus, bhikkhus, does a great bandit rely on the powerful.
Bhikkhus, possessed of these three factors, a great bandit breaks into houses, carries off plunder, commits burglary upon a single house, and lies in ambush on the highways.
In just the same way, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu possessed of three qualities maintains himself as one maimed and injured; he is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise, and he generates much demerit. Which three? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu relies on the crooked, relies on thickets, and relies on the powerful.
And how, bhikkhus, does an evil bhikkhu rely on the crooked? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu is possessed of crooked bodily action, possessed of crooked verbal action, possessed of crooked mental action. Thus, bhikkhus, does an evil bhikkhu rely on the crooked.
And how, bhikkhus, does an evil bhikkhu rely on thickets? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu holds wrong view; he is possessed of a view that grasps at extremes. Thus, bhikkhus, does an evil bhikkhu rely on thickets.
And how, bhikkhus, does an evil bhikkhu rely on the powerful? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu relies on kings or on kings' chief ministers. It occurs to him thus: "If anyone should charge me with anything, these kings or kings' chief ministers will speak on the matter in my defense, covering it over." And if anyone does charge him with anything, those kings or kings' chief ministers speak on the matter in his defense, covering it over. Thus, bhikkhus, does an evil bhikkhu rely on the powerful.
Bhikkhus, possessed of these three qualities, an evil bhikkhu maintains himself as one maimed and injured; he is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise, and he generates much demerit.
The Minor Chapter, the Fifth.
Its summary verse:
Presence, grounds, conduct toward conditions, others, the wise, and virtue;
the conditioned, the mountain, ardor, and with the great bandit — eleven.
The First Set of Fifty is completed.
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The Second Set of Fifty
The Chapter on Brahmins, the First
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.