“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, bhayāni udakorohantassa pāṭikaṅkhitabbāni. Katamāni cattāri? Ūmibhayaṁ, kumbhīlabhayaṁ, āvaṭṭabhayaṁ, susukābhayaṁ—
“Bhikkhus, there are these four |perils::dangers, the possibility of suffering harm or injury [bhayā]| to be expected for one entering the water. What four? The peril of waves, the peril of crocodiles, the peril of whirlpools, the peril of |carnivorous fish::possibly a reference to river sharks [susukā]|.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri bhayāni udakorohantassa pāṭikaṅkhitabbāni. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāri bhayāni idhekaccassa kulaputtassa imasmiṁ dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa pāṭikaṅkhitabbāni. Katamāni cattāri? Ūmibhayaṁ, kumbhīlabhayaṁ, āvaṭṭabhayaṁ, susukābhayaṁ.
These are the four perils to be expected for one entering the water. Similarly, bhikkhus, there are these four perils to be expected for a |son of a good family::respectable young person [kulaputta]| who has gone forth from the household life into homelessness in this |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| and |Vinaya::code of monastic discipline rules, training [vinaya]|. What four? The peril of waves, the peril of crocodiles, the peril of whirlpools, the peril of carnivorous fish.
Katamañca, bhikkhave, ūmibhayaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto; appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. Tamenaṁ tathā pabbajitaṁ samānaṁ sabrahmacārino ovadanti anusāsanti: ‘evaṁ te abhikkamitabbaṁ, evaṁ te paṭikkamitabbaṁ, evaṁ te āloketabbaṁ, evaṁ te viloketabbaṁ, evaṁ te samiñjitabbaṁ, evaṁ te pasāritabbaṁ, evaṁ te saṅghāṭipattacīvaraṁ dhāretabban’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘mayaṁ kho pubbe agāriyabhūtā samānā aññe ovadāmapi anusāsāmapi. Ime panamhākaṁ puttamattā maññe nattamattā maññe ovaditabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññantī’ti. So kupito anattamano sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ūmibhayassa bhīto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvatto. Ūmibhayanti kho, bhikkhave, kodhūpāyāsassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ūmibhayaṁ.
1.) And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of waves? Here, bhikkhus, a son of a good family has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness with the thought: ‘I am |immersed in::afflicted with [otiṇṇa]| birth, aging, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering |can be discerned::can become evident [paññāyetha]|.’ Then, after he has thus gone forth, his spiritual companions advise and instruct him: ‘You should walk forward like this, walk back like this, look ahead like this, look aside like this, draw in your limbs like this, stretch them like this, you should wear your robes and carry your outer robe and bowl like this.’ He thinks to himself: ‘Formerly, when I was a layperson, I gave advise and instruction to others. But now these [monks], who are young enough to be my sons or grandsons, presume to advise and instruct me.’ Becoming |angry::indignant, offended [kupita]| and |irritated::annoyed, displeased [anattamana]|, he gives up the training and |returns to the household life::reverts back to the lay-life, secular world [hīnāyāvattati]|. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who has given up the training and returned to the household life because of the peril of waves. The peril of waves, bhikkhus, is a designation for anger and irritation. This is called the peril of waves.
Katamañca, bhikkhave, kumbhīlabhayaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto; appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. Tamenaṁ tathā pabbajitaṁ samānaṁ sabrahmacārino ovadanti anusāsanti: ‘idaṁ te khāditabbaṁ, idaṁ te na khāditabbaṁ, idaṁ te bhuñjitabbaṁ, idaṁ te na bhuñjitabbaṁ, idaṁ te sāyitabbaṁ, idaṁ te na sāyitabbaṁ, idaṁ te pātabbaṁ, idaṁ te na pātabbaṁ, kappiyaṁ te khāditabbaṁ, akappiyaṁ te na khāditabbaṁ, kappiyaṁ te bhuñjitabbaṁ, akappiyaṁ te na bhuñjitabbaṁ, kappiyaṁ te sāyitabbaṁ, akappiyaṁ te na sāyitabbaṁ, kappiyaṁ te pātabbaṁ, akappiyaṁ te na pātabbaṁ, kāle te khāditabbaṁ, vikāle te na khāditabbaṁ, kāle te bhuñjitabbaṁ, vikāle te na bhuñjitabbaṁ, kāle te sāyitabbaṁ, vikāle te na sāyitabbaṁ, kāle te pātabbaṁ, vikāle te na pātabban’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘mayaṁ kho pubbe agāriyabhūtā samānā yaṁ icchāma taṁ khādāma, yaṁ na icchāma na taṁ khādāma; yaṁ icchāma taṁ bhuñjāma, yaṁ na icchāma na taṁ bhuñjāma; yaṁ icchāma taṁ sāyāma, yaṁ na icchāma na taṁ sāyāma; yaṁ icchāma taṁ pivāma, yaṁ na icchāma na taṁ pivāma; kappiyampi khādāma akappiyampi khādāma kappiyampi bhuñjāma akappiyampi bhuñjāma kappiyampi sāyāma akappiyampi sāyāma kappiyampi pivāma akappiyampi pivāma, kālepi khādāma vikālepi khādāma kālepi bhuñjāma vikālepi bhuñjāma kālepi sāyāma vikālepi sāyāma kālepi pivāma vikālepi pivāma; yampi no saddhā gahapatikā divā vikāle paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā denti, tatrapime mukhāvaraṇaṁ maññe karontī’ti. So kupito anattamano sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kumbhīlabhayassa bhīto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvatto. Kumbhīlabhayanti kho, bhikkhave, odarikattassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kumbhīlabhayaṁ.
2.) And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of crocodiles? Here, bhikkhus, a son of a good family has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness with the thought: ‘I am immersed in birth, aging, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned.’ Then, after he has thus gone forth, his fellow monks advise and instruct him: ‘You may consume this but not that, you may eat thus but not that, you may taste this but not that, you may drink this but not that. You can consume, eat, taste, and drink what is allowable, not what is unallowable. You may consume, eat, taste, and drink within the proper time, not outside the proper time.’ He thinks to himself: ‘Formerly, when I was a layperson, I consumed whatever I wanted to consume and did not consume anything I did not wish to consume. I ate whatever I wanted to eat and did not eat anything I did not wish to eat. I tasted whatever I wanted to taste and did not taste anything I did not wish to taste. I drank whatever I wanted to drink and did not drink anything I did not wish to drink. I consumed, ate, tasted, and drank both what was allowable and what was not allowable. I consumed, ate, tasted, and drank both within the proper time and outside the proper time. But now when faithful householders give us delicious things to consume and eat during the day outside the proper time, it feels as though these [monks] are placing a gag over our mouths.’ Becoming angry and irritated, he gives up the training and returns to the household life. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who has given up the training and returned to the household life because of the peril of crocodiles. The peril of crocodiles, bhikkhus, is a designation for |gluttony::habitual greed or excess in eating [odarikatta]|. This is called the peril of crocodiles.
Katamañca, bhikkhave, āvaṭṭabhayaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi, dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto; appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisati arakkhiteneva kāyena arakkhitāya vācāya arakkhitena cittena anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā asaṁvutehi indriyehi. So tattha passati gahapatiṁ vā gahapatiputtaṁ vā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitaṁ samaṅgībhūtaṁ paricārayamānaṁ. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘mayaṁ kho pubbe agāriyabhūtā samānā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgībhūtā paricārimhā; saṁvijjanti kho pana me kule bhogā. Sakkā bhoge ca bhuñjituṁ puññāni ca kātuṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjeyyaṁ puññāni ca kareyyan’ti. So sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āvaṭṭabhayassa bhīto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvatto. Āvaṭṭabhayanti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, āvaṭṭabhayaṁ.
3.) And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of whirlpools? Here, bhikkhus, a son of a good family has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness with the thought: ‘I am immersed in birth, aging, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned.’ Then, after he has thus gone forth, in the morning he dresses, takes his alms bowl and outer robe, and enters a village or town for alms, with body, speech, and mind unguarded, without having established |mindfulness::sustained active awareness regarding the body, felt experience, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly without craving or distress [sati]|, with his sense faculties |unrestrained::uncontrolled, unguarded [asaṁvuta]|. He sees a householder or a householder’s son there enjoying himself, indulging in and engaging with the five |objects of sensual pleasure::sensual stimulation [kāmaguṇa]|. He thinks to himself: ‘Formerly, when I was a layperson, I enjoyed myself, indulging and engaging with the five objects of sensual pleasure. My family has |wealth::possessions, property, riches [bhoga]|. I can enjoy that wealth and also do meritorious deeds. Let me now give up the training and return to the household life so that I can enjoy that wealth and also do meritorious deeds.’ So he gives up the training and returns to the household life. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who has given up the training and returned to the household life because of the peril of whirlpools. The peril of whirlpools, bhikkhus, is a designation for the five objects of sensual pleasure. This is called the peril of whirlpools.
Katamañca, bhikkhave, susukābhayaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto; appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisati arakkhiteneva kāyena arakkhitāya vācāya arakkhitena cittena anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā asaṁvutehi indriyehi. So tattha passati mātugāmaṁ dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā. Tassa mātugāmaṁ disvā dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu susukābhayassa bhīto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvatto. Susukābhayanti kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, susukābhayaṁ.
4.) And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of carnivorous fish? Here, bhikkhus, a son of a good family has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness with the thought: ‘I am immersed in birth, aging, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned.’ Then, after he has thus gone forth, in the morning he dresses, takes his alms bowl and outer robe, and enters a village or town for alms, with body |unguarded::unprotected [arakkhita]|, speech unguarded, and mind unguarded, without setting up mindfulness, |unrestrained::uncontrolled [asaṃvuta]| in his sense faculties. There he sees a woman who is |scantily clothed::loosely attired [dunnivattha]| or improperly covered. On seeing the woman who is scantily clothed or improperly covered, |lust::passion, infatuation, desire [rāga]| |invades::infects, overwhelms [anuddhaṃseti]| his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and returns to the household life. This, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who has given up the training and returned to the household life because of the peril of carnivorous fish. The peril of carnivorous fish, bhikkhus, is a designation for women. This is called the peril of carnivorous fish.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri bhayāni idhekaccassa kulaputtassa imasmiṁ dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa pāṭikaṅkhitabbānī”ti.
These are the four perils, bhikkhus, to be expected for a son of a good family who has gone forth from the household life into homelessness in this Dhamma and Vinaya.