Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.178

5: The Book of the Fives

178. Kings

DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)

1(1) "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Have you ever seen or heard that when a person abandons and abstains from the destruction of life, kings have him arrested on the charge of so abstaining and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands?"

"Surely not, Bhante."

"Good, bhikkhus! I too have not seen or heard of such a thing. But rather it is when they inform kings of his evil deed, saying: ‘This person has taken the life of a woman or a man,’ that kings have him arrested on the charge of taking life and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?"

"We have seen this, Bhante, and we have heard of it, and we will hear of it in time to come."

2(2) "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Have you ever seen or heard that when a person abandons and abstains from taking what is not given, kings have him arrested on the charge of so abstaining and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands?"

"Surely not, Bhante."

"Good, bhikkhus! I too have not seen or heard of such a thing. But rather it is when they inform kings of his evil deed, saying: ‘This person has stolen something from the village or forest,’ that kings have him arrested on the charge of stealing and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?"

"We have seen this, Bhante, and we have heard of it, and we will hear of it in time to come."

3(3) "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Have you ever seen or heard that when a person abandons and abstains from sexual misconduct, kings have him arrested on the charge of so abstaining and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands?"

"Surely not, Bhante."

"Good, bhikkhus! I too have not seen or heard of such a thing. But rather it is when they inform kings of his evil deed, saying: ‘This man has committed misconduct with someone else's women and girls,’ that kings have him arrested on the charge of sexual misconduct and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?"

"We have seen this, Bhante, and we have heard of it, and we will hear of it in time to come."

4(4) "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Have you ever seen or heard that when a person abandons and abstains from false speech, kings have him arrested on the charge of so abstaining and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands?"

"Surely not, Bhante."

"Good, bhikkhus! I too have not seen or heard of such a thing. But rather it is when they inform kings of his evil deed, saying: ‘This person has ruined a householder or a householder's son with false speech,’ that kings have him arrested on the charge of false speech and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?"

"We have seen this, Bhante, and we have heard of it, and we will hear of it in time to come."

5(5) "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Have you ever seen or heard that when a person abandons and abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness, kings have him arrested on the charge of so abstaining and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands?"

"Surely not, Bhante."

"Good, bhikkhus! I too have not seen or heard of such a thing. But rather it is when they inform kings of his evil deed, saying: ‘This person, under the influence of liquor, wine, and intoxicants, has taken the life of a woman or a man; or he has stolen something from a village or a forest; or he has committed misconduct with someone else's women and girls; or he has ruined a householder or a householder's son with false speech,’ that kings have him arrested on the charge of using liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness, and then execute him, imprison him, banish him, or do with him as the occasion demands. Have you ever seen or heard of such a case?"

"We have seen this, Bhante, and we have heard of it, and we will hear of it in time to come."

1"Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: ‘Ayaṁ puriso pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭiviratoti. Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā pāṇātipātā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

"Sādhu, bhikkhave. Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: ‘Ayaṁ puriso pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭiviratoti. Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā pāṇātipātā veramaṇihetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karontī’ti. Api ca khvassa tatheva pāpakammaṁ pavedenti: ‘Ayaṁ puriso itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā jīvitā voropesīti. Tamenaṁ rājāno gahetvā pāṇātipātahetu hananti vā bandhanti vā pabbājenti vā yathāpaccayaṁ vā karonti. Api nu tumhehi evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā’"ti?