Aṇguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
3. Vajjī Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sevens
Chapter III: The Vajjians

Sutta 19

Sārandada Suttaṃ

At Sārandada

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

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[10]

[1] Thus have I heard:

^[1]Once the Exalted One dwelt near Vesāli at Sārandada shrine;
and there a number of Licchavis visited him and saluted and sat down at one side.

Then the Exalted One addressed them thus seated and said:

'Licchavis, I will teach you seven things
that cause not decline;
listen,
give heed,
I will speak!'

'Yes, lord,' they replied;
and the Exalted One said:

'What seven things cause not decline?

So long, O Licchavis,
as the Vajjians shall be often assembled,
much in assembly,
growth for the Vajjians may be expected,
not decline;

■

so long as they shall sit down in concord,
rise up in concord,
do business in concord,
growth may be expected,
not decline;

■

so long as they shall not decree the undecreed
nor repeal the decreed,
but conform to the ancient Vajjian laws as decreed,
growth may be expected,
not decline;

■

so long as they shall honour,
respect,
venerate,
revere the Vajjian elders,
shall hold they ought to be listened to,
growth may be expected,
not decline;

■

so long as they shall not forcibly kidnap
and make live with them
women and girls of their own clan,
growth may be expected,
not decline;

■

so long as they shall honour,
respect,
venerate,
revere the Vajjian shrines
within and without (their borders),
shall not fail to provide meet offerings^[2]
[11] as given of yore,
made of yore,
growth may be expected,
not decline;

■

so long as meet protection,
refuge,
shelter
shall be provided for Vajjian arahants
and it shall be known
that arahants from abroad
may come thither
and that those there dwell in comfort,
growth, O Licchavis, may be expected for the Vajjians,
not decline.

And so long as these seven things that cause not decline shall endure among the Vajjians
and they shall live in conformity therewith,
growth, O Licchavis, may be expected for the Vajjians
and not decline.

 

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^[1] Cf. D. ii, 72-81. The Vajjian confederacy ia aaid to have included the Licchavis and the Videhans, their country lying north of Magadha, see Buddh. Ind. 26, Watters, On Yuan Chwang ii, 81, and G.S. iii, 62. Vesālī was the L's capital, the shrine, according to the Comy., being named after a yakkha.

^[2] Bali.