“But how does the Buddha say that even such a completed mortification has many defects?”

“Firstly, a mortifier undertakes a practice of mortification. They’re happy with that, as they’ve got all they wished for. This is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier undertakes a practice of mortification. They glorify themselves and put others down on account of that. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier undertakes a practice of mortification. They become indulgent and infatuated and fall into negligence on account of that. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier undertakes a practice of mortification. They generate possessions, honor, and popularity through that mortification. They’re happy with that, as they’ve got all they wished for. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier undertakes a practice of mortification. They generate possessions, honor, and popularity through that mortification. They glorify themselves and put others down on account of that. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier undertakes a practice of mortification. They generate possessions, honor, and popularity through that mortification. They become indulgent and infatuated and fall into negligence on account of that. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier becomes fussy about food, saying, ‘This agrees with me, this doesn’t agree with me.’ What doesn’t agree with them they reluctantly give up. But what does agree with them they eat tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier undertakes a practice of mortification out of longing for possessions, honor, and popularity, thinking, ‘Kings, royal ministers, aristocrats, brahmins, householders, and sectarians will honor me!’ This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier rebukes a certain ascetic or brahmin, ‘But what is this one doing, living in abundance! According to this ascetic’s doctrine, everything—plants propagated from roots, stems, cuttings, or joints; and those from regular seeds as the fifth—is crunched together like the thunder of a tooth-hammer!’ This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier sees a certain ascetic or brahmin being honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated among good families. They think, ‘This one, who lives in abundance, is honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated among good families. But I, a self-mortifier who lives rough, am not honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated among good families.’ Thus they give rise to jealousy and stinginess regarding families. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier sits meditation only when people can see them. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier sneaks about among families, thinking, ‘This is part of my mortification; this is part of my mortification.’ This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier sometimes behaves in an underhand manner. When asked whether something agrees with them, they say it does, even though it doesn’t. Or they say it doesn’t, even though it does. Thus they tell a deliberate lie. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier disagrees with the way that the Realized One or their disciple teaches Dhamma, even when they make a valid point. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

Furthermore, a mortifier is irritable and hostile … offensive and contemptuous … jealous and stingy … devious and deceitful … obstinate and vain … they have wicked desires, falling under the sway of wicked desires … they have wrong view, being attached to an extremist view … they’re attached to their own views, holding them tight, and refusing to let go. This too is a defect in that mortifier.

What do you think, Nigrodha? Are such mortifications defective or not?”

“Clearly, sir, they’re defective. It’s possible that a mortifier might have all of these defects, let alone one or other of them.”