[178] What do you think, bhikkhus? Have you ever seen or heard of this: a man abandons the destruction of life (pāṇātipāta) and abstains from the destruction of life, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from the destruction of life?
"Certainly not, venerable sir."
"Good, bhikkhus. I too have neither seen nor heard of this: a man abandons the destruction of life and abstains from the destruction of life, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from the destruction of life. Rather, it is his own evil deed (pāpakamma) that makes itself known: 'This man has deprived a woman or a man of life'; and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of the destruction of life. Have you seen or heard of such a case?"
"We have seen it, venerable sir, we have heard of it, and we shall hear of it again."
"What do you think, bhikkhus? Have you ever seen or heard of this: a man abandons the taking of what is not given (adinnādāna) and abstains from the taking of what is not given, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from the taking of what is not given?"
"Certainly not, venerable sir."
"Good, bhikkhus. I too have neither seen nor heard of this: a man abandons the taking of what is not given and abstains from the taking of what is not given, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from the taking of what is not given. Rather, it is his own evil deed that makes itself known: 'This man has taken by way of theft, from village or wilderness, what was not given'; and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of the taking of what is not given. Have you seen or heard of such a case?"
"We have seen it, venerable sir, we have heard of it, and we shall hear of it again."
"What do you think, bhikkhus? Have you ever seen or heard of this: a man abandons sexual misconduct (kāmesu micchācāra) and abstains from sexual misconduct, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from sexual misconduct?"
"Certainly not, venerable sir."
"Good, bhikkhus. I too have neither seen nor heard of this: a man abandons sexual misconduct and abstains from sexual misconduct, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from sexual misconduct. Rather, it is his own evil deed that makes itself known: 'This man has engaged in misconduct with the women or the maidens of others'; and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of sexual misconduct. Have you seen or heard of such a case?"
"We have seen it, venerable sir, we have heard of it, and we shall hear of it again."
"What do you think, bhikkhus? Have you ever seen or heard of this: a man abandons false speech (musāvāda) and abstains from false speech, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from false speech?"
"Certainly not, venerable sir."
"Good, bhikkhus. I too have neither seen nor heard of this: a man abandons false speech and abstains from false speech, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from false speech. Rather, it is his own evil deed that makes itself known: 'This man has ruined the welfare of a householder or a householder's son by false speech'; and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of false speech. Have you seen or heard of such a case?"
"We have seen it, venerable sir, we have heard of it, and we shall hear of it again."
"What do you think, bhikkhus? Have you ever seen or heard of this: a man abandons the taking of intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness (surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāna) and abstains from taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness?"
"Certainly not, venerable sir."
"Good, bhikkhus. I too have neither seen nor heard of this: a man abandons the taking of intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness and abstains from taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness, and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of his abstention from taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness. Rather, it is his own evil deed that makes itself known: 'This man, given to taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness, has deprived a woman or a man of life; this man, given to taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness, has taken by way of theft, from village or wilderness, what was not given; this man, given to taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness, has engaged in misconduct with the women or the maidens of others; this man, given to taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness, has ruined the welfare of a householder or a householder's son by false speech'; and kings, having arrested him, execute him, imprison him, banish him, or deal with him as the case warrants, on account of taking intoxicants—liquor and spirits—that are a basis for heedlessness. Have you seen or heard of such a case?"
"We have seen it, venerable sir, we have heard of it, and we shall hear of it again."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.