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5. “Now the deer of a third herd reckoned thus: ‘The deer of that first herd, by acting as they did without precaution, failed to get free from the deer-trapper’s power and control. The deer of that second herd, by reckoning how the deer of the first herd had failed and by planning and acting as they did with the precaution of going to live in the forest wilds, also failed to get free from the deer-trapper’s power and control. Suppose we make our dwelling place within range of the deer-trapper’s bait. [153] Then, having done so, we shall eat food not unwarily and without going right in amongst the bait that the deer-trapper has laid down; by doing so we shall not become intoxicated; when we are not intoxicated, we shall not fall into negligence; when we are not negligent, the deer-trapper shall not do with us as he likes on account of that bait.’ And they did so.

“But then the deer-trapper and his following considered thus: ‘These deer of this third herd are as cunning and crafty as wizards and sorcerers. They eat the bait laid down without our knowing how they come and go. Suppose we have the bait that is laid down completely surrounded all round over a wide area with wicker hurdles; then perhaps we might see the third deer herd’s dwelling place, where they go to hide.’ They did so, and they saw the third herd’s dwelling place, where they went to hide. And that is how the deer of the third herd also failed to get free from the deer-trapper’s power and control.

6. “Now the deer of a fourth herd reckoned thus: ‘The deer of that first herd, by acting as they did without precaution, failed to get free from the deer-trapper’s power and control. The deer of that second herd, by reckoning how the deer of the first herd had failed and by planning and acting as they did with the precaution of going to live in the forest wilds, also failed to get free from the deer-trapper’s power and control. And the deer of that third herd, by reckoning how the deer of the first herd [154] and also the deer of the second herd had failed, and by planning and acting as they did with the precaution of making their dwelling place within range of the deer-trapper’s bait, also failed to get free from the deer-trapper’s power and control. Suppose we make our dwelling place where the deer-trapper and his following cannot go. Then, having done so, we shall eat food not unwarily and without going right in amongst the bait that the deer-trapper has laid down; by doing so we shall not become intoxicated; when we are not intoxicated, we shall not fall into negligence; when we are not negligent, [155] the deer-trapper shall not do with us as he likes on account of that bait.’ And they did so.

“But then the deer-trapper and his following considered thus: ‘These deer of this fourth herd are as cunning and crafty as wizards and sorcerers. They eat the bait laid down without our knowing how they come and go. Suppose we have the bait that is laid down completely surrounded all round over a wide area with wicker hurdles; then perhaps we might see the fourth deer herd’s dwelling place, where they go to hide.’ They did so, but they did not see the fourth deer herd’s dwelling place, where they went to hide. Then the deer-hunter and his following considered thus: ‘If we scare the fourth deer herd, being scared they will alert others, and so the deer herds will all desert this bait that we have laid down. Suppose we treat the fourth deer herd with indifference. ’ They did so. And that was how the deer of the fourth deer herd got free from the deer-trapper’s power and control.

7. “Bhikkhus, I have given this simile in order to convey a meaning. This is the meaning: ‘Bait’ is a term for the five cords of sensual pleasure. ‘Deer-trapper’ is a term for Māra the Evil One. ‘The deer-trapper’s following’ is a term for Māra’s following. ‘Deer herd’ is a term for recluses and brahmins.

8. “Now recluses and brahmins of the first kind ate food unwarily by going right in amongst the bait and the material things of the