When the Buddha had stayed in Nāḷandā as long as he wished, he addressed Venerable Ānanda, “Come, Ānanda, let’s go to Pāṭaligāma.”

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. Then the Buddha together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants arrived at Pāṭaligāma.

The lay followers of Pāṭaligāma heard that he had arrived. So they went to see him, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, please consent to come to our guest house.” The Buddha consented in silence.

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma got up from their seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right. Then they went to the guest house, where they spread carpets all over, prepared seats, set up a water jar, and placed a lamp. Then they went back to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and told him of their preparations, saying: “Please, sir, come at your convenience.”

In the morning, the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the guest house together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. Having washed his feet he entered the guest house and sat against the central column facing east. The Saṅgha of mendicants also washed their feet, entered the guest house, and sat against the west wall facing east, with the Buddha right in front of them. The lay followers of Pāṭaligāma also washed their feet, entered the guest house, and sat against the east wall facing west, with the Buddha right in front of them.

Then the Buddha addressed them:

“Householders, there are these five drawbacks for an unethical person because of their failure in ethics. What five?

Firstly, an unethical person loses substantial wealth on account of negligence. This is the first drawback for an unethical person because of their failure in ethics.

Furthermore, an unethical person gets a bad reputation. This is the second drawback.

Furthermore, an unethical person enters any kind of assembly timid and embarrassed, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics. This is the third drawback.

Furthermore, an unethical person dies feeling lost. This is the fourth drawback.

Furthermore, an unethical person, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. This is the fifth drawback.

These are the five drawbacks for an unethical person because of their failure in ethics.