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AN 8.84PTS AN 4.339Cora1 min read

A Master Thief

Corasutta

The Buddha teaches how to be a success as a master thief. Unusually, this discourse has no “spiritual” counterpart, so it sounds like the Buddha just giving a lesson in thievery!

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

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.84Numbered Discourses 8.84
  • 0.29. Sativagga9. Mindfulness

0.3CorasuttaA Master Thief

1.1“Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro khippaṁ pariyāpajjati, na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.“Mendicants, a master thief with eight factors is soon executed, and doesn’t have long to live.1.2Katamehi aṭṭhahi?What eight?1.3Appaharantassa paharati, anavasesaṁ ādiyati, itthiṁ hanati, kumāriṁ dūseti, pabbajitaṁ vilumpati, rājakosaṁ vilumpati, accāsanne kammaṁ karoti, na ca nidhānakusalo hoti.He attacks unprovoked. He steals everything without exception. He kills a woman. He rapes a girl. He robs a monk. He robs the royal treasury. He works close to home. He’s not skilled at hiding his booty.1.4Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahaṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro khippaṁ pariyāpajjati, na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.A master thief with these eight factors is soon executed, and doesn’t have long to live.

2.1Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro na khippaṁ pariyāpajjati, ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.A master thief with eight factors is not soon executed, and lives long.2.2Katamehi aṭṭhahi?What eight?2.3Na appaharantassa paharati, na anavasesaṁ ādiyati, na itthiṁ hanati, na kumāriṁ dūseti, na pabbajitaṁ vilumpati, na rājakosaṁ vilumpati, na accāsanne kammaṁ karoti, nidhānakusalo ca hoti.He doesn’t attack unprovoked. He doesn’t steal everything without exception. He doesn’t kill a woman. He doesn’t rape a girl. He doesn’t rob a monk. He doesn’t rob the royal treasury. He doesn’t work close to home. He’s skilled at hiding his booty.2.4Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahaṅgehi samannāgato mahācoro na khippaṁ pariyāpajjati, ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti.A master thief with these eight factors is not soon executed, and lives long.”

2.5Catutthaṁ.