9.2 The Story about the Elder Seyyasaka
Seyyasakattheravatthu
Dhp 117
Burlingame: A Discontented Monk
Compare: Vin Ss 1
Elder Seyyasaka was unable to maintain his chastity and broke the same rule again and again; when the Buddha was informed, he reminded him to keep the precepts and reproved him with a verse.
Keywords: Discontent, Masturbation, Restraint
**
“Should a person do that which is wicked,”
For Elder Seyyasaka was Elder Lāḷudāyi’s co-resident. Becoming discontented, he
The Teacher heard about his doings, sent for him, and asked him: “Is the report true that you do thus and so?” – “Yes, venerable Sir.” – “Foolish man,” said the Teacher, “why have you wronged so grievously, in a manner so unbecoming to your state?” In such fashion did the Teacher reprove him. Having so done, he enjoined upon him the observance of the precepts. Then he said to him: “Such a course of action inevitably leads to suffering, both in this world and in the world to come.” So saying, he joined the connection, and teaching the Dhamma, pronounced the following verse:
117. Pāpañ-ce puriso kayirā, na taṁ kayirā punappunaṁ,
na tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha, dukkho pāpassa uccayo.
If a person should do that which is wrong,
he should not do it again and again,
let him not place his intention in it,
for suffering grows for the wicked one.
At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.
