Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
46. Bojjhanga Saṃyutta
4. Nīvaraṇa Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
46. Kindred Sayings on the Limbs of Wisdom
4. On Hindrances
Sutta 33
Paṭhama Kilesa Suttaṃ
Corruptions (a)[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
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Once the Exalted One once addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these five corruptions of gold,[2]
tainted by which corruptions
gold is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor fit for perfect workmanship.
What are the five?
Iron, monks, is a corruption of gold,
tainted by which corruptions
gold is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor fit for perfect workmanship.
Copper,[3] monks, is a corruption of gold,
tainted by which corruptions
gold is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor fit for perfect workmanship.
Tin, monks, is a corruption of gold,
tainted by which corruptions
gold is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor fit for perfect workmanship.
Lead, monks, is a corruption of gold,
tainted by which corruptions
gold is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor fit for perfect workmanship.
Silver,[4] monks, is a corruption of gold,
tainted by which corruptions
gold is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor fit for perfect workmanship.
These, monks, are the five corruptions of gold, tainted by which corruptions
gold is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor fit for perfect workmanship.
§
In like manner, monks,
there are these five corruptions of the heart,[5]
tainted by which corruptions
the heart is neither [78] soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor perfectly composed
for the destruction of the āsavas.
What are the five?
Sensual desire, monks, is a corruption of the heart,
tainted by which corruption
the heart is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor perfectly composed
for the destruction of the āsavas.
Malevolence, monks, is a corruption of the heart,
tainted by which corruption
the heart is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor perfectly composed
for the destruction of the āsavas.
Sloth and torpor, monks, is a corruption of the heart,
tainted by which corruption
the heart is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor perfectly composed
for the destruction of the āsavas.
Excitement and flurry, monks, is a corruption of the heart,
tainted by which corruption
the heart is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor perfectly composed
for the destruction of the āsavas.
Doubt and wavering, monks, is a corruption of the heart,
tainted by which corruption
the heart is neither soft,
nor pliable,
nor gleaming,
nor easily broken up,
nor perfectly composed
for the destruction of the āsavas.
[1] Cf. Buddh. Psych. Eth, 251, 281. We may call them 'depravities.' Upakkilesā here means the other metals which are mixed with gold as alloy. See the talk to Visākhā, A. i., 205-15, esp. 210.
[2] Jātarūpa is unworked gold, as opposed to suvaṇṇa.
[3] Lit. 'red metal,' iron being kāla-loha.
[4] Sajjhu = rajataṇ.
[5] Citta; cf. Expos. ii, 488. The word khilā (supra, text 57) expresses the hard crust of individuality which has to be broken through.
