1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā bhikkhū kosalesu viharanti aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe uddhatā unnaḷā capalā mukharā vikiṇṇavācā muṭṭhassatino asampajānā asamāhitā vibbhantacittā pākatindriyā.At one time several mendicants were staying in the Kosalan lands in a certain forest grove. They were haughty, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties.

1.2Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anukampikā atthakāmā te bhikkhū saṁvejetukāmā yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:The deity haunting that forest had sympathy for those mendicants, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached those mendicants wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:¹

2.1“Sukhajīvino pure āsuṁ,“The mendicants used to live happily,2.2bhikkhū gotamasāvakā;as disciples of Gotama.2.3Anicchā piṇḍamesanā,Desireless they sought alms;2.4anicchā sayanāsanaṁ;desireless they used their lodgings.2.5Loke aniccataṁ ñatvā,Knowing that the world was impermanent2.6dukkhassantaṁ akaṁsu te.they made an end of suffering.

3.1Dupposaṁ katvā attānaṁ,But now they’ve made themselves hard to look after,3.2gāme gāmaṇikā viya;like chiefs in a village.3.3Bhutvā bhutvā nipajjanti,They eat and eat and then lie down,3.4parāgāresu mucchitā.unconscious in the homes of others.

4.1Saṅghassa añjaliṁ katvā,Having raised my cupped palms to the Saṅgha,4.2idhekacce vadāmahaṁ;I speak here only about certain people.4.3Apaviddhā anāthā te,They’re dregs, with no protector,4.4yathā petā tatheva te.just like those who have passed away.

5.1Ye kho pamattā viharanti,I’m speaking about5.2te me sandhāya bhāsitaṁ;those who live negligently.5.3Ye appamattā viharanti,To those who live diligently5.4namo tesaṁ karomahan”ti.I pay homage.”

6.1Atha kho te bhikkhū tāya devatāya saṁvejitā saṁvegamāpādunti.Impelled by that deity, those mendicants were struck with a sense of urgency.