[103] Bhikkhus, possessed of five factors, a great thief breaks into houses, carries off plunder, commits burglary upon a single house, and waits in ambush on the highway. Of what five? Here, bhikkhus, a great thief relies on the uneven, relies on the thicket, relies on the powerful, is a distributor of wealth, and is a lone wanderer.
And how, bhikkhus, does a great thief rely on the uneven? Here, bhikkhus, a great thief relies on an impassable stretch of a river or on rugged mountain terrain. Thus, bhikkhus, a great thief relies on the uneven. And how, bhikkhus, does a great thief rely on the thicket? Here, bhikkhus, a great thief relies on a thicket of grass, or a thicket of trees, or a river bank, or a great forest grove. Thus, bhikkhus, a great thief relies on the thicket. And how, bhikkhus, does a great thief rely on the powerful? Here, bhikkhus, a great thief relies on kings or on kings' chief ministers. It occurs to him: 'If anyone accuses me of anything, these kings or kings' chief ministers will speak in my defence and cover the matter over.' If anyone accuses him of anything, those kings or kings' chief ministers speak in his defence and cover the matter over. Thus, bhikkhus, a great thief relies on the powerful. And how, bhikkhus, is a great thief a distributor of wealth? Here, bhikkhus, a great thief is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions. It occurs to him: 'If anyone accuses me of anything, I shall placate him with wealth from this.' If anyone accuses him of anything, he placates him with wealth from it. Thus, bhikkhus, a great thief is a distributor of wealth. And how, bhikkhus, is a great thief a lone wanderer? Here, bhikkhus, a great thief carries out his seizures alone. For what reason? [He thinks:] 'Let not my secret counsels leak out to others.' Thus, bhikkhus, a great thief is a lone wanderer. Possessed of these five factors, bhikkhus, a great thief breaks into houses, carries off plunder, commits burglary upon a single house, and waits in ambush on the highway.
Even so, bhikkhus, possessed of five qualities, an evil bhikkhu maintains himself maimed and wounded; he is blameworthy, is censured by the wise, and generates much demerit. Of what five? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu relies on the uneven, relies on the thicket, relies on the powerful, is a distributor of wealth, and is a lone wanderer.
And how, bhikkhus, does an evil bhikkhu rely on the uneven? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu is possessed of unrighteous bodily action, possessed of unrighteous verbal action, possessed of unrighteous mental action. Thus, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu relies on the uneven. And how, bhikkhus, does an evil bhikkhu rely on the thicket? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu is of wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi), possessed of an extremist view. Thus, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu relies on the thicket. 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: 'If anyone accuses me of anything, these kings or kings' chief ministers will speak in my defence and cover the matter over.' If anyone accuses him of anything, those kings or kings' chief ministers speak in his defence and cover the matter over. Thus, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu relies on the powerful. And how, bhikkhus, is an evil bhikkhu a distributor of wealth? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu is a gainer of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick. It occurs to him: 'If anyone accuses me of anything, I shall placate him with gain from this.' If anyone accuses him of anything, he placates him with gain from it. Thus, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu is a distributor of wealth. And how, bhikkhus, is an evil bhikkhu a lone wanderer? Here, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu takes up residence alone in the border districts; approaching families there, he obtains gain. Thus, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu is a lone wanderer. Possessed of these five qualities, bhikkhus, an evil bhikkhu maintains himself maimed and wounded; he is blameworthy, is censured by the wise, and generates much demerit.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.