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AN 4.244PTS AN 2.2403 min read

Perils of Offenses

Āpattibhayasutta

A mendicant fears offenses just as someone would fear punishment.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.244Numbered Discourses 4.244
  • 0.225. Āpattibhayavagga25. Perils of Offenses

0.3ĀpattibhayasuttaPerils of Offenses

1.1PTS 2.241“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, āpattibhayāni.“Mendicants, there are these four perils of offenses.1.2Katamāni cattāri?What four?

1.3Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā rañño dasseyyuṁ:Suppose they were to arrest a bandit, a criminal and present him to the king, saying:1.4‘ayaṁ te, deva, coro āgucārī.‘Your Majesty, this is a bandit, a criminal.1.5Imassa devo daṇḍaṁ paṇetū’ti.May Your Majesty punish them!’1.6Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya:The king would say:1.7‘gacchatha, bho, imaṁ purisaṁ daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindathā’ti.‘Go, my men, and tie this man’s arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope. Shave his head and march him from street to street and square to square to the beating of a harsh drum. Then take him out the south gate and there, to the south of the city, chop off his head.’1.8Tamenaṁ rañño purisā daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindeyyuṁ.The king’s men would do as they were told.1.9Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa:Then a bystander might think:1.10‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ sīsacchejjaṁ.‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, a capital offense.1.11Yatra hi nāma rañño purisā daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindissanti.1.12So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ sīsacchejjan’ti.There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, a capital offense.’1.13Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pārājikesu dhammesu.In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding expulsion offenses.1.14Tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pārājikaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pārājikaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.It can be expected that if they haven’t committed an expulsion offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.

2.1PTS 2.242Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā musalaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth, mess up his hair, and put a club on his shoulder. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:2.2‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ, yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti.‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing. I submit to your pleasure.’2.3Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa:Then a bystander might think:2.4‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ.‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing. …2.5Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā musalaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati:2.6“ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ, yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti.2.7So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ mosallan’ti.There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing.’2.8Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti saṅghādisesesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā saṅghādisesaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā saṅghādisesaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding suspension offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed a suspension offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.

3.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā bhasmapuṭaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth, mess up his hair, and put a sack of ashes on his shoulder. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:3.2‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ.‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes.3.3Yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti.I submit to your pleasure.’3.4Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa:Then a bystander might think:3.5‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ.‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes. …3.6Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā bhasmapuṭaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati:3.7“ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ;3.8yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti.3.9So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭan’ti.There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes.’3.10Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pācittiyesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pācittiyaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pācittiyaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding confessable offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed a confessable offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.

4.1PTS 2.243Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth and mess up his hair. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:4.2‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ.‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism.4.3Yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti.I submit to your pleasure.’4.4Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa:Then a bystander might think:4.5‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ.‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism. …4.6Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati:4.7“ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ;4.8yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti.4.9So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjan’ti.There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism.’4.10Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pāṭidesanīyesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pāṭidesanīyaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pāṭidesanīyaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding confessable offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed a confessable offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.

4.11Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri āpattibhayānī”ti.These are the four perils of offenses.”

4.12Dutiyaṁ.