Aṇguttara Nikāya
4. Catukka Nipāta
VII. Pattakamma Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter VII: Deeds of Merit
Sutta 70
Adhammikā Suttaṃ
Unrighteous
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
On a certain occasion the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
'At such time, monks,
as rajahs are unrighteous,
the ministers[1] of rajahs
also are unrighteous.
When ministers are unrighteous,
brahmins and householders
also are unrighteous.
Thus townsfolk and villagers are unrighteous.
This being so,
moon and sun go wrong in their courses.[2]
This being so,
constellations and stars do likewise;
days and nights,
months and fortnights,
seasons and years
are out of joint;
the winds blow wrong,
out of season.
Thus the devas are annoyed.[3]
This being so,
the sky-deva bestows not sufficient rain.
Rains not falling seasonably,
the crops ripen in wrong season.
[85] Monks, when crops ripen in wrong season,
men who live on such crops
are short-lived,
ill-favoured,
weak
and sickly.
But, monks, when rajahs are righteous,
the ministers of rajahs
also are righteous.
When ministers are righteous,
brahmins and householders
also are righteous.
Thus townsfolk and villagers are righteous.
This being so,
moon and sun go right in their courses.
This being so,
constellations and stars do likewise;
days and nights,
months and fortnights,
seasons and years
go on their courses regularly;
winds blow regularly
and in due season.
Thus the devas are not annoyed
and the sky-deva bestows sufficient rain.
Rains falling seasonably,
the crops ripen in due season.
Monks, when crops ripen in due season,
men who live on those crops
are long-lived,
well-favoured,
strong
and free from sickness.[4]
When kine are crossing, if the old bull swerve.
They all go swerving, following his lead.[5]
So among men, if he who's reckoned best
Live not aright, much more do other folk.
If the rajah be unrighteous, the whole realm dwells in woe.
When kine are crossing, if the bull go straight.
They all go straight because his course is straight.
So among men, if he who's reckoned best
Live righteously, the others do so too.
The whole realm dwells in happiness if the rajah lives aright.'
[1] Reading rāja-yuttā with Comy. and Sinh. text for text's -puttā.
[2] Comy. gives no reason for this. Probably it is meant that devas, in warding men, are warning them. Text should read candima-, here and below.
[3] According to Comy. tree-devas, etc., who live in trees, find their homes gone.
[4] Gāthas at JA. iii, 111; Netti, 130, 134; cf. also JA. v, No. 521, where the story is told to the Kosalan rajah.
[5] Nette; so also all MSS., but Comy. nete.
