1.1“Pucchāmi muniṁ pahūtapaññaṁ,“I ask the sage abounding in wisdom,”1.2(iti cundo kammāraputto)said Cunda the smith,1.3Buddhaṁ dhammassāmiṁ vītataṇhaṁ;“the Buddha, master of the teaching, free of craving,1.4Dvipaduttamaṁ sārathīnaṁ pavaraṁ,best of men, excellent charioteer, please tell me this:1.5Kati loke samaṇā tadiṅgha brūhi”.how many ascetics are there in the world?”

2.1“Caturo samaṇā na pañcamatthi,“There are four ascetics, not a fifth.”2.2(cundāti bhagavā)said the Buddha to Cunda,2.3Te te āvikaromi sakkhipuṭṭho;“Being asked to bear witness, <j>I will explain them to you:¹2.4Maggajino maggadesako ca,the path-victor, the path-teacher,2.5Magge jīvati yo ca maggadūsī”.the path-liver, and the path-wrecker.”

3.1“Kaṁ maggajinaṁ vadanti buddhā,“Who is a path-victor according to the Buddhas?”3.2(iti cundo kammāraputto)said Cunda the smith,3.3Maggakkhāyī kathaṁ atulyo hoti;“and how is one an unequaled explainer of the path?3.4Magge jīvati me brūhi puṭṭho,Tell me when asked about one who lives the path,3.5Atha me āvikarohi maggadūsiṁ”.then declare the path-wrecker.”

4.1“Yo tiṇṇakathaṅkatho visallo,“Rid of indecision, free of thorns,4.2Nibbānābhirato anānugiddho;delighting in extinguishment, not fawning,4.3Lokassa sadevakassa netā,a guide for the world with its gods.4.4Tādiṁ maggajinaṁ vadanti buddhā.The Buddhas say one such is victor of the path.

5.1Paramaṁ paramanti yodha ñatvā,Knowing the ultimate as ultimate,5.2Akkhāti vibhajate idheva dhammaṁ;they explain and analyze the teaching right here.5.3Taṁ kaṅkhachidaṁ muniṁ anejaṁ,That sage unstirred, with doubt cut off,5.4Dutiyaṁ bhikkhunamāhu maggadesiṁ.is the second mendicant, I say, the teacher of the path.

6.1Yo dhammapade sudesite,Living restrained and mindful on the path6.2Magge jīvati saññato satīmā;of the well-taught passage of teaching,²6.3Anavajjapadāni sevamāno,cultivating blameless states,6.4Tatiyaṁ bhikkhunamāhu maggajīviṁ.is the third mendicant, I say, the path-liver.

7.1Chadanaṁ katvāna subbatānaṁ,Dressed like one true to their vows,7.2Pakkhandī kuladūsako pagabbho;pushy, rude, a corrupter of families,7.3Māyāvī asaññato palāpo,devious, unrestrained, chaff,7.4Patirūpena caraṁ sa maggadūsī.the path-wrecker’s life is a sham.

8.1Ete ca paṭivijjhi yo gahaṭṭho,A layperson who gets this,8.2Sutavā ariyasāvako sapañño;a learned, wise noble disciple,8.3Sabbe netādisāti ñatvā,knows that ‘They are not all like that one’.8.4Iti disvā na hāpeti tassa saddhā;So when they see them they don’t lose their faith.8.5Kathaṁ hi duṭṭhena asampaduṭṭhaṁ,For how could one equate them—8.6Suddhaṁ asuddhena samaṁ kareyyā”ti.the corrupt with the uncorrupt, <j>the pure with the impure?”

8.7Cundasuttaṁ pañcamaṁ.