Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘kesaṁ nu kho rakkhito attā, kesaṁ arakkhito attā’ti?
Seated to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said this to the Blessed One: “Here, venerable sir, while I was alone in |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]|, a reflection arose in my mind: ‘Who truly protects themselves and who leaves themselves unprotected?’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi: ‘ye kho keci kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te hatthikāyo vā rakkheyya, assakāyo vā rakkheyya, rathakāyo vā rakkheyya, pattikāyo vā rakkheyya; atha kho tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Bāhirā hesā rakkhā, nesā rakkhā ajjhattikā; tasmā tesaṁ arakkhito attā.
Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: ‘Those who engage in |bodily misconduct::killing living beings, harming others, theft, or sexual misconduct [kāyaduccarita]|, |verbal misconduct::false speech, harsh speech, divisive speech, idle chatter [vacīduccarita]|, or |mental misconduct::yearning with strong eagerness and desire, having ill will or hatred, delighting in harm [manoduccarita]| leave themselves unprotected. Even though a company of elephant troops may protect them, or a company of cavalry, or a company of chariot troops, or a company of infantry, still they leave themselves unprotected. For what reason? Because that protection is external, not internal; therefore, they leave themselves unprotected.
Ye ca kho keci kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te neva hatthikāyo rakkheyya, na assakāyo rakkheyya, na rathakāyo rakkheyya, na pattikāyo rakkheyya; atha kho tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ajjhattikā hesā rakkhā, nesā rakkhā bāhirā; tasmā tesaṁ rakkhito attā’”ti.
And those who engage in |good bodily conduct::good physical conduct, virtuous bodily behavior [kāyasucarita]|, |good verabl conduct::applying the five factors of well spoken speech - 1) speaking at the proper time, 2) being truthful, 3) being gentle, 4) speaking beneficially, and 5) speaking with a mind of loving-kindness [vacīsucarita]|, and |good mental conduct::being with thoughts of renunciation, non-ill will, and non-harm [manosucarita]| protect themselves. Even though no company of elephant troops protects them, nor a company of cavalry, nor a company of charioteers, nor a company of infantry, still they protect themselves. For what reason? Because that protection is internal, not external; therefore, they protect themselves.’”
"Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te hatthikāyo vā rakkheyya, assakāyo vā rakkheyya, rathakāyo vā rakkheyya, pattikāyo vā rakkheyya; atha kho tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Bāhirā hesā, mahārāja, rakkhā, nesā rakkhā ajjhattikā; tasmā tesaṁ arakkhito attā. Ye hi keci, mahārāja, kāyena sucaritaṁ caranti, vācāya sucaritaṁ caranti, manasā sucaritaṁ caranti; tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Kiñcāpi te neva hatthikāyo rakkheyya, na assakāyo rakkheyya, na rathakāyo rakkheyya, na pattikāyo rakkheyya; atha kho tesaṁ rakkhito attā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ajjhattikā hesā, mahārāja, rakkhā, nesā rakkhā bāhirā; tasmā tesaṁ rakkhito attā"ti.
“So it is, great king, so it is great king. Whoever engages in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, or mental misconduct leaves themselves unprotected. Even though a company of elephant troops may protect them, or a company of cavalry, or a company of chariot troops, or a company of infantry, still they leave themselves unprotected. For what reason? Because that protection is external, not internal; therefore, they leave themselves unprotected. And whoever engages in good bodily conduct, good verabl conduct, or good mental conduct protects themselves. Even though no company of elephant troops protects them, nor a company of cavalry, nor a company of charioteers, nor a company of infantry, still they protect themselves. For what reason? Because that protection is internal, not external; therefore, they protect themselves.
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
The Blessed One said this. Having spoken thus, the Accomplished One further said this:
“Kāyena saṁvaro sādhu,
sādhu vācāya saṁvaro;
Manasā saṁvaro sādhu,
sādhu sabbattha saṁvaro;
Sabbattha saṁvuto lajjī,
rakkhitoti pavuccatī”ti.
“Restraint with the body is good,
good is restraint by speech;
Restraint with the mind is good,
good is restraint in all aspects;
Restrained in every respect and conscientious,
One is said to be protected.”