Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
9. Thera Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
IX. The Elder
Sutta 90
Dutiya Sekha Suttaṃ
The Monk in Training (b)
Translated by E. M. Hare
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
'Yes, lord,' they replied;
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, these five conditions
lead to the decline of a monk in training.
What five?
Monks, take the case
of a monk in training
who is always busy
and has much to do
and is clever at work;
he lets the time for going apart slip by,
nor does he apply himself
to calming the heart within.
This, monks, is the first condition
that leads to the decline
of a monk in training.
■
Again monks, take the case
of a monk in training
who spends the day
in doing small things
and lets the time for going apart slip by,
nor does he apply himself
to calming the heart within.
This, monks, is the second condition
that leads to the decline
of a monk in training.
■
Again monks, take the case
of a monk in training
who lives in company with householders
and those gone forth,
in laymen's company which is not meet
and lets the time for going apart slip by,
nor does he apply himself
to calming the heart within.[1]
This, monks, is the third condition
that leads to the decline
of a monk in training.
■
Again monks, take the case
of a monk in training
who enters the village too early
and leaves it too late
and lets the time for going apart slip by,
nor does he apply himself
to calming the heart within.[2]
This, monks, is the fourth condition
that leads to the decline
of a monk in training.
■
Moreover, monks, such talk as is austere
and a help to opening the heart;[3]
talk on wanting little,
on contentment,
on loneliness,
on not keeping company,
on strenuous endeavour,
[92] on virtue,
on concentration,
on insight,
on emancipation
and on the knowledge and vision of emancipation —
that the monk in training cannot obtain at will,
easily and without difficulty;
and he lets the time for going apart slip by,
nor docs he apply himself
to calming the heart within.
This, monks, is the fifth condition
that leads to the decline
of a monk in training.
Monks, these are the five conditions
which lead to the decline
of a monk in training.
§
Monks, these five conditions
do not lead to the decline
of a monk in training.[ed1]
What five?'
Monks, take the case
of a monk in training
who is not always busy
is clever at work
but does not have much to do
he does not let the time for going apart slip by,
he does apply himself
to calming the heart within.
This, monks, is the first condition
that does not lead to the decline
of a monk in training.
■
Again monks, take the case
of a monk in training
who does not spend the day
in doing small things
he does not let the time for going apart slip by,
he does apply himself
to calming the heart within.
This, monks, is the second condition
that does not lead to the decline
of a monk in training.
■
Again monks, take the case
of a monk in training
who does not live in company with householders
and those gone forth,
in laymen's company which is not meet
he does not let the time for going apart slip by,
he does apply himself
to calming the heart within.
This, monks, is the third condition
that does not lead to the decline
of a monk in training.
■
Again monks, take the case
of a monk in training
who does not enter the village too early
and leave it too late
he does not let the time for going apart slip by,
he does apply himself
to calming the heart within.
This, monks, is the fourth condition
that does not lead to the decline
of a monk in training.
■
Moreover, monks, such talk as is austere
and a help to opening the heart;
talk on wanting little,
on contentment,
on loneliness,
on not keeping company,
on strenuous endeavour,
on virtue,
on concentration,
on insight,
on emancipation
and on the knowledge and vision of emancipation —
that the monk in training obtains at will,
easily and without difficulty;
he does not let the time for going apart slip by,
he does apply himself
to calming the heart within.
This, monks, is the fifth condition
that does not lead to the decline
of a monk in training.
Monks, these are the five conditions
which do not lead to the decline
of a monk in training.
[1] Cf. Vin. ii, 7; below V, § 223; Comy. not in accord with (the Master's message).
[2] Vin. i, 70; M. i, 469; S. i, 201 (K.S. i, 256, the case of Nāgadatta).
[3] Citta-vivaraṇa-saṇkhātānaṃ; Cf. A. iv, 352; v, 67; M. iii, 113; Ud. 36.
[ed1] Hare has abridged this entire section with '(Just the opposite conditions' The text repeats in full' But whereas in the Pali the opposites are easily constructed by just applying 'na' to the previous, in English and especially in Hare's translation the opposites are not so easily formed. I have followed Hare as closely as possible, but some differences were impossible to avoid.
