Sivathikasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.249

Numbered Discourses 5.249

25. Duccaritavagga

25. Bad Conduct

Sivathikasutta

A Charnel Ground

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā sivathikāya.

“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks to a charnel ground.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Asuci, duggandhā, sappaṭibhayā, vāḷānaṁ amanussānaṁ āvāso, bahuno janassa ārodanā—

It’s filthy, stinking, frightening, a gathering place for savage monsters, and a weeping place for many people.

ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā sivathikāya.

These are the five drawbacks of a charnel ground.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcime ādīnavā sivathikūpame puggale.

In the same way there are five drawbacks of an individual like a charnel ground.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo asucinā kāyakammena samannāgato hoti;

To start with, an individual has filthy conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.

asucinā vacīkammena samannāgato hoti;

asucinā manokammena samannāgato hoti.

Idamassa asucitāya vadāmi.

This is how they’re filthy, I say.

Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā asuci;

That individual is just as filthy as a charnel ground.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Tassa asucinā kāyakammena samannāgatassa, asucinā vacīkammena samannāgatassa, asucinā manokammena samannāgatassa pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati.

Because of their filthy conduct, they get a bad reputation.

Idamassa duggandhatāya vadāmi.

This is how they’re stinky, I say.

Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā duggandhā;

That individual is just as stinky as a charnel ground.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Tamenaṁ asucinā kāyakammena samannāgataṁ, asucinā vacīkammena samannāgataṁ, asucinā manokammena samannāgataṁ pesalā sabrahmacārī ārakā parivajjanti.

Because of their filthy conduct, good-hearted spiritual companions avoid them from afar.

Idamassa sappaṭibhayasmiṁ vadāmi.

That’s how they’re frightening, I say.

Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā sappaṭibhayā;

That individual is just as frightening as a charnel ground.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

So asucinā kāyakammena samannāgato, asucinā vacīkammena samannāgato, asucinā manokammena samannāgato sabhāgehi puggalehi saddhiṁ saṁvasati.

Because of their filthy conduct, they live together with individuals of a similar character.

Idamassa vāḷāvāsasmiṁ vadāmi.

This is how they gather with savage monsters, I say.

Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā vāḷānaṁ amanussānaṁ āvāso;

That individual is just as much a gathering place of savage monsters as a charnel ground.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Tamenaṁ asucinā kāyakammena samannāgataṁ, asucinā vacīkammena samannāgataṁ, asucinā manokammena samannāgataṁ pesalā sabrahmacārī disvā khīyadhammaṁ āpajjanti:

Because of their filthy conduct, when good-hearted spiritual companions see them they complain:

‘aho vata no dukkhaṁ ye mayaṁ evarūpehi puggalehi saddhiṁ saṁvasāmā’ti.

‘Oh, it’s so painful for us to have to live together with such as these.’

Idamassa ārodanāya vadāmi.

This is how there’s weeping, I say.

Seyyathāpi sā, bhikkhave, sivathikā bahuno janassa ārodanā;

This person is just as much a weeping place for many people as a charnel ground.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā sivathikūpame puggale”ti.

These are the five drawbacks of an individual like a charnel ground.”

Navamaṁ.