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# SN 1.5 · To Cunda (Cunda Sutta)
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-1-5/
- Published: 2026-06-20T00:08:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:57:22.000Z
- Description: Saṁyutta Nikāya · SN 1.5. Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Saṁyutta Nikāya, Discourse, English, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 06:23

\[Cunda the smith:\]

"I ask the sage of abundant discernment, awakened, lord of the Dhamma, free of craving, supreme among two-legged beings, best of charioteers: "How many contemplatives are there in the world? Please tell me." 

\[The Buddha:\]

"Four contemplatives, Cunda. There isn't a fifth. Being asked face-to-face, I'll explain: the Victor of the path, the teacher of the path, one who lives by the path, & one who corrupts the path." 

\[Cunda:\]

"Whom do the Awakened call the Victor of the path \[&\] one who is an unequalled teacher of the path? Tell me the one who lives by the path, and explain to me one who corrupts the path." 

\[The Buddha:\]

"He's crossed over perplexity, his arrow removed, delighting in Unbinding, free of greed, the leader of the world with its devas: one like this the Awakened call the Victor of the path. He here knows the foremost as foremost, who right here shows & analyzes the Dhamma, that sage, a cutter-of-doubt unperturbed: he's called the second of monks, the teacher of the path. Mindful, restrained, he lives by the well-taught Dhamma-principles, path, associating with principles without blame: he's called the third of monks, one who lives by the path. Creating a counterfeit of those with good practices, self-asserting, a corrupter of families,\[1\] intrusive, deceitful, unrestrained, chaff, going around in disguise: he's one who corrupts the path. Any householder, having ferreted these out — a discerning disciple of those who are noble — knowing they aren't all the same, seeing this, his conviction's not harmed. For how could the corrupt with the un- corrupt, the impure with the pure, be put on a par?" 

# Note

1.

A corrupter of families is a monk who ingratiates himself into a family's affections by performing services for them that are inappropriate for a monk to do, thus diverting their faith away from those who live by the Dhamma and Vinaya. For more on this term, see *The Buddhist Monastic Code, Volume 1*, Sanghadisesa 13.

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*Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.* From [Access to Insight](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.05.than.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (BCBS Edition). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) — for free distribution only. Never sold.