[122] Bhikkhus, there are these four perils to be expected by one who enters the water. What four? The peril of waves, the peril of crocodiles, the peril of whirlpools, and the peril of fierce fish. These, bhikkhus, are the four perils to be expected by one who enters the water. In the same way, bhikkhus, there are these four perils to be expected for a certain clansman (kulaputta) who has gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of faith (saddhā) in this Dhamma and Discipline. What four? The peril of waves, the peril of crocodiles, the peril of whirlpools, and the peril of fierce fish.
And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of waves? Here, bhikkhus, a certain clansman has gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of faith, thinking: "I am immersed in birth, aging, and death, in sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am immersed in suffering (dukkha), overwhelmed by suffering. Perhaps the making of an end to this entire mass of suffering may be discerned." When he has thus gone forth, his fellows in the holy life admonish and instruct him: "You should go forward thus; you should return thus; you should look ahead thus; you should look around thus; you should bend your limbs thus; you should stretch them out thus; you should wear the outer robe, bowl, and robes thus." He thinks: "Formerly, when we were householders, we ourselves admonished and instructed others; but these, who seem like mere sons of ours, who seem like mere grandsons, think that we are to be admonished and instructed." Angry and displeased, he gives up the training and returns to the lower life. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who, frightened by the peril of waves, has given up the training and returned to the lower life. "The peril of waves," bhikkhus, is a designation for anger and despair. This, bhikkhus, is called the peril of waves.
And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of crocodiles? Here, bhikkhus, a certain clansman has gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of faith, thinking: "I am immersed in birth, aging, and death, in sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, overwhelmed by suffering. Perhaps the making of an end to this entire mass of suffering may be discerned." When he has thus gone forth, his fellows in the holy life admonish and instruct him: "This you may chew; this you must not chew. This you may eat; this you must not eat. This you may taste; this you must not taste. This you may drink; this you must not drink. What is allowable (kappiya) you may chew; what is not allowable you must not chew. What is allowable you may eat; what is not allowable you must not eat. What is allowable you may taste; what is not allowable you must not taste. What is allowable you may drink; what is not allowable you must not drink. At the proper time you may chew; at the wrong time you must not chew. At the proper time you may eat; at the wrong time you must not eat. At the proper time you may taste; at the wrong time you must not taste. At the proper time you may drink; at the wrong time you must not drink." He thinks: "Formerly, when we were householders, whatever we wished we chewed, and whatever we did not wish we did not chew; whatever we wished we ate, and whatever we did not wish we did not eat; whatever we wished we tasted, and whatever we did not wish we did not taste; whatever we wished we drank, and whatever we did not wish we did not drink. We chewed both what was allowable and what was not allowable; we ate both what was allowable and what was not allowable; we tasted both what was allowable and what was not allowable; we drank both what was allowable and what was not allowable. We chewed both at the proper time and at the wrong time; we ate both at the proper time and at the wrong time; we tasted both at the proper time and at the wrong time; we drank both at the proper time and at the wrong time. But when faithful householders give us fine things to chew or to eat during the day at the wrong time, these people, it seems, put a muzzle over our mouths." Angry and displeased, he gives up the training and returns to the lower life. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who, frightened by the peril of crocodiles, has given up the training and returned to the lower life. "The peril of crocodiles," bhikkhus, is a designation for gluttony. This, bhikkhus, is called the peril of crocodiles.
And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of whirlpools? Here, bhikkhus, a certain clansman has gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of faith, thinking: "I am immersed in birth, aging, and death, in sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, overwhelmed by suffering. Perhaps the making of an end to this entire mass of suffering may be discerned." When he has thus gone forth, in the morning he dresses, and taking his bowl and robe, he enters a village or town for alms with body unguarded, with speech unguarded, with mind (citta) unguarded, with mindfulness unestablished, with sense faculties unrestrained. There he sees a householder or a householder's son furnished and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure, enjoying himself. He thinks: "Formerly, when we were householders, we too were furnished and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure and enjoyed ourselves. Wealth exists in my family; it is possible both to enjoy wealth and to make merit. Suppose I were to give up the training, return to the lower life, enjoy wealth, and make merit." He gives up the training and returns to the lower life. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who, frightened by the peril of whirlpools, has given up the training and returned to the lower life. "The peril of whirlpools," bhikkhus, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure. This, bhikkhus, is called the peril of whirlpools.
And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of fierce fish? Here, bhikkhus, a certain clansman has gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of faith, thinking: "I am immersed in birth, aging, and death, in sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, overwhelmed by suffering. Perhaps the making of an end to this entire mass of suffering may be discerned." When he has thus gone forth, in the morning he dresses, and taking his bowl and robe, he enters a village or town for alms with body unguarded, with speech unguarded, with mind unguarded, with mindfulness unestablished, with sense faculties unrestrained. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or improperly clothed. Having seen the woman improperly dressed or improperly clothed, lust assails his mind. With a mind assailed by lust, he gives up the training and returns to the lower life. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who, frightened by the peril of fierce fish, has given up the training and returned to the lower life. "The peril of fierce fish," bhikkhus, is a designation for women. This, bhikkhus, is called the peril of fierce fish.
These, bhikkhus, are the four perils to be expected for a certain clansman who has gone forth from the home life into homelessness out of faith in this Dhamma and Discipline.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.