Numbered Discourses 3.50

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1. Numbered Discourses 3.50
2. 5. The Lesser Chapter
3. A Master Thief
4. “Mendicants, a master thief with three factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.
5. What three?
6. A master thief relies on uneven ground, on thick cover, and on powerful individuals.
7. And how does a master thief rely on uneven ground?
8. It’s when a master thief relies on inaccessible riverlands or rugged mountains.
9. That’s how a master thief relies on uneven ground.
10. And how does a master thief rely on thick cover?
11. It’s when a master thief relies on thick grass, thick trees, a blind spot, or a large forest grove.
12. That’s how a master thief relies on thick cover.
13. And how does a master thief rely on powerful individuals?
14. It’s when a master thief relies on rulers or their chief ministers.
15. They think:
16. ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’
17. And that’s exactly what happens.
18. That’s how a master thief relies on powerful individuals.
19. A master thief with these three factors breaks into houses, plunders wealth, steals from isolated buildings, and commits highway robbery.
20. In the same way, when a bad mendicant has three factors, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they create much wickedness.
21. What three?
22. A bad mendicant relies on uneven ground, on thick cover, and on powerful individuals.
23. And how does a bad mendicant rely on uneven ground?
24. It’s when a bad mendicant has unethical conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.
25. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on uneven ground.
26. And how does a bad mendicant rely on thick cover?
27. It’s when a bad mendicant has wrong view, he’s attached to an extremist view.
28. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on thick cover.
29. And how does a bad mendicant rely on powerful individuals?
30. It’s when a bad mendicant relies on rulers or their chief ministers.
31. They think:
32. ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these rulers or their chief ministers will speak in my defense in the case.’
33. And that’s exactly what happens.
34. That’s how a bad mendicant relies on powerful individuals.
35. When a bad mendicant has these three qualities, they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they create much wickedness.”