Jīvikasutta
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:
“Antamidaṁ, bhikkhave, jīvikānaṁ yadidaṁ piṇḍolyaṁ.“Monks, this is a lowly means of livelihood, alms gathering.
Abhisāpoyaṁ, bhikkhave, lokasmiṁ: ‘piṇḍolo vicarasi pattapāṇī’ti.
Abhisāpoyaṁ → abhilāpāyaṁ (sya-all, pts-vp-pli1); abhisapāyaṁ (mr)It’s a form of abuse in the world [to say],
‘You go around as an alms gatherer with a bowl in your hand!’
Tañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputtā upenti atthavasikā, atthavasaṁ paṭicca;Yet reasonable young men of good families have taken it up for a compelling reason.
neva rājābhinītā, na corābhinītā, na iṇaṭṭā, na bhayaṭṭā, na ājīvikāpakatā.They have not been forced into it by kings or robbers, nor through debt,
through fear, nor through the loss of their livelihood, but through the thought:
Api ca kho ‘otiṇṇamhā jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi dukkhotiṇṇā dukkhaparetā,‘We are beset by birth, aging, & death, by sorrows, lamentations,
pains, distresses, & despairs, beset by stress, overcome with stress.
appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti.O, that the end of this entire mass of suffering & stress might be known!’
Evaṁ pabbajito cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kulaputto.But this young man of good family, having gone forth in this way,
So ca hoti abhijjhālu kāmesu tibbasārāgo, byāpannacitto paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo, muṭṭhassati asampajāno asamāhito vibbhantacitto pākatindriyo.may be greedy for sensual pleasures, strong in his passions, malevolent in mind, corrupt in his resolves,
his mindfulness muddled, unalert, uncentered, his mind scattered, & his faculties uncontrolled.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, chavālātaṁ ubhatopadittaṁ majjhe gūthagataṁ neva gāme kaṭṭhatthaṁ pharati na araññe;Just as a firebrand from a funeral pyre–burning at both ends,
covered with excrement in the middle–is used as fuel neither in a village nor in the wilderness:
tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi gihibhogā parihīno sāmaññatthañca na paripūretī”ti.I tell you that this is a simile for this person.
He has missed out on the householder’s enjoyments and does not fulfill the purpose of the contemplative life.”
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
“Gihibhogā parihīno, sāmaññatthañca dubbhago;He’s missed out on the householder’s enjoyment & the purpose of the contemplative life –unfortunate man! Paridhaṁsamāno pakireti, chavālātaṁva nassati.Ruining it, he throws it away, perishes like a firebrand used at a funeral.
Kāsāvakaṇṭhā bahavo, pāpadhammā asaññatā; Pāpā pāpehi kammehi, nirayaṁ te upapajjare.
Seyyo ayoguḷo bhutto, tatto aggisikhūpamo;Better to eat an iron ball –glowing, aflame– Yañce bhuñjeyya dussīlo, raṭṭhapiṇḍamasaññato”ti.than that, unprincipled & unrestrained, he should eat the alms of the country.
