• Numbered Discourses 4.70 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 4.70
  • 7. Fitting Deeds 7. Pattakammavagga

Unprincipled Adhammikasutta

ā€œAt a time when kings are unprincipled, royal officials become unprincipled. ā€œYasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye rājāno adhammikā honti, rājāyuttāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti. When royal officials are unprincipled, brahmins and householders become unprincipled. Rājāyuttesu adhammikesu brāhmaṇagahapatikāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti. When brahmins and householders are unprincipled, the people of town and country become unprincipled. Brāhmaṇagahapatikesu adhammikesu negamajānapadāpi tasmiṁ samaye adhammikā honti. When the people of town and country are unprincipled, the courses of the moon and sun become erratic. Negamajānapadesu adhammikesu visamaṁ candimasÅ«riyā parivattanti. … the courses of the stars and constellations … Visamaṁ candimasÅ«riyesu parivattantesu visamaṁ nakkhattāni tārakarÅ«pāni parivattanti. the days and nights … Visamaṁ nakkhattesu tārakarÅ«pesu parivattantesu visamaṁ rattindivā parivattanti. the months and fortnights … Visamaṁ rattindivesu parivattantesu visamaṁ māsaddhamāsā parivattanti. the seasons and years become erratic. Visamaṁ māsaddhamāsesu parivattantesu visamaṁ utusaṁvaccharā parivattanti. … the blowing of the winds becomes erratic and chaotic. Visamaṁ utusaṁvaccharesu parivattantesu visamaṁ vātā vāyanti visamā apaƱjasā. … the deities are angered. Visamaṁ vātesu vāyantesu visamesu apaƱjasesu devatā parikupitā bhavanti. … the heavens don’t provide enough rain. Devatāsu parikupitāsu devo na sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchati. … the crops ripen erratically. Deve na sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchante visamapākāni sassāni bhavanti. When people eat crops that have ripened erratically, they become short-lived, ugly, weak, and sickly. Visamapākāni, bhikkhave, sassāni manussā paribhuƱjantā appāyukā honti dubbaṇṇā ca bavhābādhā ca.

At a time when kings are principled, royal officials become principled. Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye rājāno dhammikā honti, rājāyuttāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti. … brahmins and householders … Rājāyuttesu dhammikesu brāhmaṇagahapatikāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti. people of town and country become principled. Brāhmaṇagahapatikesu dhammikesu negamajānapadāpi tasmiṁ samaye dhammikā honti. When the people of town and country are principled, the courses of the sun and moon become regular. Negamajānapadesu dhammikesu samaṁ candimasÅ«riyā parivattanti. … the stars and constellations … Samaṁ candimasÅ«riyesu parivattantesu samaṁ nakkhattāni tārakarÅ«pāni parivattanti. the days and nights … Samaṁ nakkhattesu tārakarÅ«pesu parivattantesu samaṁ rattindivā parivattanti. the months and fortnights … Samaṁ rattindivesu parivattantesu samaṁ māsaddhamāsā parivattanti. the seasons and years become regular. Samaṁ māsaddhamāsesu parivattantesu samaṁ utusaṁvaccharā parivattanti. … the blowing of the winds becomes regular and orderly. Samaṁ utusaṁvaccharesu parivattantesu samaṁ vātā vāyanti samā paƱjasā. … the deities are not angered … Samaṁ vātesu vāyantesu samesu paƱjasesu devatā aparikupitā bhavanti. … the heavens provide plenty of rain. Devatāsu aparikupitāsu devo sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchati. When the heavens provide plenty of rain, the crops ripen well. Deve sammā dhāraṁ anuppavecchante samapākāni sassāni bhavanti. When people eat crops that have ripened well, they become long-lived, beautiful, strong, and healthy. Samapākāni, bhikkhave, sassāni manussā paribhuƱjantā dÄ«ghāyukā ca honti vaṇṇavanto ca balavanto ca appābādhā cāti.

When cattle cross a river, GunnaƱce taramānānaṁ, if the bull goes off course, jimhaṁ gacchati puį¹…gavo; they all go off course, Sabbā tā jimhaṁ gacchanti, because their leader is off course. nette jimhaṁ gate sati.

So it is for humans: Evamevaṁ manussesu, when the one deemed chief yo hoti seṭṭhasammato; behaves badly, So ce adhammaṁ carati, what do you expect the rest to do? pageva itarā pajā; The whole country sleeps badly, Sabbaṁ raṭṭhaṁ dukkhaṁ seti, when the king is unprincipled. rājā ce hoti adhammiko.

When cattle cross a river, GunnaƱce taramānānaṁ, if the bull goes straight, ujuṁ gacchati puį¹…gavo; they all go straight, Sabbā tā ujuṁ gacchanti, because their leader is straight. nette ujuṁ gate sati.

So it is for humans: Evamevaṁ manussesu, when the one deemed chief yo hoti seį¹­į¹­hasammato; does the right thing, So sace dhammaṁ carati, what do you expect the rest to do? pageva itarā pajā; The whole country sleeps at ease, Sabbaṁ raį¹­į¹­haṁ sukhaṁ seti, when the king is just.ā€ rājā ce hoti dhammikoā€ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Pattakammavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Pattakammaṁ ānaṇyako, Sabrahmanirayā rÅ«pena paƱcamaṁ; Sarāgaahirājā devadatto, Padhānaṁ adhammikena cāti.