Entering a Royal Compound

“Mendicants, there are ten drawbacks to entering a royal compound.What ten?

“Dasayime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā rājantepurappavesane. Katame dasa?

“Mendicants, there are ten drawbacks to entering a royal compound.“Dasayime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā rājantepurappavesane. What ten?Katame dasa?

Firstly, a king is sitting with his chief queenwhen a monk enters.When the queen sees the monk she smiles, or when the monk sees the queen he smiles.So the king thinks:‘They’ve done it for sure, or they will do it.’This is the first drawback of entering a royal compound.

Idha, bhikkhave, rājā mahesiyā saddhiṁ nisinno hoti. Tatra bhikkhu pavisati. Mahesī vā bhikkhuṁ disvā sitaṁ pātukaroti, bhikkhu vā mahesiṁ disvā sitaṁ pātukaroti. Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti: ‘addhā imesaṁ kataṁ vā karissanti vā’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Firstly, a king is sitting with his chief queenIdha, bhikkhave, rājā mahesiyā saddhiṁ nisinno hoti. when a monk enters.Tatra bhikkhu pavisati. When the queen sees the monk she smiles, or when the monk sees the queen he smiles.Mahesī vā bhikkhuṁ disvā sitaṁ pātukaroti, bhikkhu vā mahesiṁ disvā sitaṁ pātukaroti. So the king thinks:Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti: ‘They’ve done it for sure, or they will do it.’‘addhā imesaṁ kataṁ vā karissanti vā’ti. This is the first drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, a king has many duties, and much to do. He has sex with one of the women but doesn’t remember.She gets pregnant from that.So the king thinks:‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.Could this be the monk’s doing?’This is the second drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā bahukicco bahukaraṇīyo aññataraṁ itthiṁ gantvā na sarati: ‘sā tena gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti’. Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti: ‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena. Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, a king has many duties, and much to do. He has sex with one of the women but doesn’t remember.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā bahukicco bahukaraṇīyo aññataraṁ itthiṁ gantvā na sarati: She gets pregnant from that.‘sā tena gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti’. So the king thinks:Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti: ‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena. Could this be the monk’s doing?’Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. This is the second drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, a gem is lost somewhere in the royal compound.So the king thinks:‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.Could this be the monk’s doing?’This is the third drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure aññataraṁ ratanaṁ nassati. Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti: ‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena. Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, a gem is lost somewhere in the royal compound.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure aññataraṁ ratanaṁ nassati. So the king thinks:Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti: ‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena. Could this be the monk’s doing?’Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. This is the third drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, secret deliberations in the royal compound are leaked outside.So the king thinks:‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.Could this be the monk’s doing?’This is the fourth drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure abbhantarā guyhamantā bahiddhā sambhedaṁ gacchanti. Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti: ‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena. Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, secret deliberations in the royal compound are leaked outside.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure abbhantarā guyhamantā bahiddhā sambhedaṁ gacchanti. So the king thinks:Tattha rañño evaṁ hoti: ‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena. Could this be the monk’s doing?’Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. This is the fourth drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, in a royal compound, a father longs for their son, or a son longs for his father.They think:‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.Could this be the monk’s doing?’This is the fifth drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure pitā vā puttaṁ pattheti putto vā pitaraṁ pattheti. Tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena. Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, in a royal compound, a father longs for their son, or a son longs for his father.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepure pitā vā puttaṁ pattheti putto vā pitaraṁ pattheti. They think:Tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘No-one else has entered here, except for that monk.‘na kho idha añño koci pavisati, aññatra pabbajitena. Could this be the monk’s doing?’Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. This is the fifth drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, the king promotes someone to a higher position.Those who are upset by this think:‘The king is close to that monk.Could this be the monk’s doing?’This is the sixth drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā nīcaṭṭhāniyaṁ ucce ṭhāne ṭhapeti. Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho. Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, chaṭṭho ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, the king promotes someone to a higher position.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā nīcaṭṭhāniyaṁ ucce ṭhāne ṭhapeti. Those who are upset by this think:Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘The king is close to that monk.‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho. Could this be the monk’s doing?’Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. This is the sixth drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, chaṭṭho ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, the king demotes someone to a lower position.Those who are upset by this think:‘The king is close to that monk.Could this be the monk’s doing?’This is the seventh drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā uccaṭṭhāniyaṁ nīce ṭhāne ṭhapeti. Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho. Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, the king demotes someone to a lower position.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā uccaṭṭhāniyaṁ nīce ṭhāne ṭhapeti. Those who are upset by this think:Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘The king is close to that monk.‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho. Could this be the monk’s doing?’Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. This is the seventh drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, the king dispatches the army at the wrong time.Those who are upset by this think:‘The king is close to that monk.Could this be the monk’s doing?’This is the eighth drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā akāle senaṁ uyyojeti. Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho. Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, the king dispatches the army at the wrong time.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā akāle senaṁ uyyojeti. Those who are upset by this think:Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘The king is close to that monk.‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho. Could this be the monk’s doing?’Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. This is the eighth drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, the king dispatches the army at the right time, but orders it to turn back while still on the road.Those who are upset by this think:‘The king is close to that monk.Could this be the monk’s doing?’This is the ninth drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā kāle senaṁ uyyojetvā antarāmaggato nivattāpeti. Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho. Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, navamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, the king dispatches the army at the right time, but orders it to turn back while still on the road.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā kāle senaṁ uyyojetvā antarāmaggato nivattāpeti. Those who are upset by this think:Yesaṁ taṁ amanāpaṁ tesaṁ evaṁ hoti: ‘The king is close to that monk.‘rājā kho pabbajitena saṁsaṭṭho. Could this be the monk’s doing?’Siyā nu kho pabbajitassa kamman’ti. This is the ninth drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, navamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, in the royal compound there is a trampling of elephants, horses, and chariots, as well as arousing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches that do not befit a monk.This is the tenth drawback of entering a royal compound.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepuraṁ hatthisammaddaṁ assasammaddaṁ rathasammaddaṁ rajanīyāni rūpasaddagandharasaphoṭṭhabbāni, yāni na pabbajitassa sāruppāni. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dasamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.

Furthermore, in the royal compound there is a trampling of elephants, horses, and chariots, as well as arousing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches that do not befit a monk.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, rañño antepuraṁ hatthisammaddaṁ assasammaddaṁ rathasammaddaṁ rajanīyāni rūpasaddagandharasaphoṭṭhabbāni, yāni na pabbajitassa sāruppāni. This is the tenth drawback of entering a royal compound.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dasamo ādīnavo rājantepurappavesane.