Kapilasutta (dhammacariyasutta)

Sutta Nipāta 2.6

Anthology of Discourses 2.6

Kapilasutta (dhammacariyasutta)

A Righteous Life

Dhammacariyaṁ brahmacariyaṁ,

A righteous life, a spiritual life,

Etadāhu vasuttamaṁ;

they call this the supreme treasure.

Pabbajitopi ce hoti,

But if someone goes forth

Agārā anagāriyaṁ.

from the lay life to homelessness

So ce mukharajātiko,

who is of scurrilous character,

vihesābhirato mago;

a beast and a bully,

Jīvitaṁ tassa pāpiyo,

their life gets worse,

rajaṁ vaḍḍheti attano.

as poison grows inside them.

Kalahābhirato bhikkhu,

A mendicant who loves to quarrel,

Mohadhammena āvuto;

wrapped in delusion,

Akkhātampi na jānāti,

doesn’t even know what’s been explained

Dhammaṁ buddhena desitaṁ.

in the Dhamma taught by the Buddha.

Vihesaṁ bhāvitattānaṁ,

Harassing those who are evolved,

avijjāya purakkhato;

governed by ignorance,

Saṅkilesaṁ na jānāti,

they don’t know that corruption

maggaṁ nirayagāminaṁ.

is the path that leads to hell.

Vinipātaṁ samāpanno,

Entering the underworld,

gabbhā gabbhaṁ tamā tamaṁ;

passing from womb to womb,
from darkness to darkness,

Sa ve tādisako bhikkhu,

such a mendicant

pecca dukkhaṁ nigacchati.

falls into suffering after death.

Gūthakūpo yathā assa,

One such as that is

sampuṇṇo gaṇavassiko;

like a sewer

Yo ca evarūpo assa,

brimful with years of filth

dubbisodho hi sāṅgaṇo.

for it’s hard to clean one full of grime.

Yaṁ evarūpaṁ jānātha,

Mendicants, knowing that someone is like this,

bhikkhavo gehanissitaṁ;

attached to the domestic life,

Pāpicchaṁ pāpasaṅkappaṁ,

of corrupt wishes and wicked intent,

pāpaācāragocaraṁ.

of bad behavior and alms-resort,

Sabbe samaggā hutvāna,

then having gathered in harmony,

abhinibbajjiyātha naṁ;

you should expel them.

Kāraṇḍavaṁ niddhamatha,

Throw out the trash!

kasambuṁ apakassatha.

Get rid of the rubbish!

Tato palāpe vāhetha,

And sweep away the scraps—

Assamaṇe samaṇamānine;

they’re not ascetics, they just think they are.

Niddhamitvāna pāpicche,

When you’ve thrown out those of corrupt wishes,

Pāpaācāragocare.

of bad behavior and alms-resort,

Suddhā suddhehi saṁvāsaṁ,

dwell in communion, ever mindful,

Kappayavho patissatā;

the pure with the pure.

Tato samaggā nipakā,

Then in harmony, alert,

Dukkhassantaṁ karissathāti.

you’ll make an end of suffering.

Dhammacariyasuttaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.