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SN 2.25

With Jantu

Jantusutta

from: 3. Various Sectarians

With Jantu

So I have heard.

At one time several mendicants were staying in the Kosalan lands, in a wilderness hut on the slopes of the Himalayas. They were restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties.

Then on the fifteenth day sabbath the godling Jantu went up to those mendicants and addressed them in verse:

“The mendicants used to live happily,
as disciples of Gotama.
Desireless they sought alms;
desireless they used their lodgings.
Knowing that the world was impermanent
they made an end of suffering.

But now they’ve made themselves hard to look after,
like chiefs in a village.
They eat and eat and then lie down,
passed out in the homes of others.

Having raised my joined palms to the Saṅgha,
I speak here only about certain people.
They’re dregs, with no protector,
just like those who have passed away.

I’m speaking about
those who live negligently.
To those who live diligently
I pay homage.”

Translation: German (Ayyā Sabbamittā), English (Bhikkhu Sujato). Source: SuttaCentral / Bilara (public domain, CC0).

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