Aṇguttara Nikāya


[Home]  [Sutta Indexes]  [Glossology]  [Site Sub-Sections]


 

Aṇguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
III: Vajjī Vaggo

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

Sutta 27

Upāsaka Aparihānīya Suttaṃ

Decline

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
Creative Commons Licence
For details see Terms of Use.

 


[15]

[1] THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

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

"Monks, these seven things lead to a lay-disciple's decline.

What seven?

He fails to see the monks;

neglects to hear Saddhamma;

trains not in more-virtue;

puts little trust in elder,
novice
or mid-term monk;

with critical mind,
seeking faults,
hears Dhamma;

seeks a gift-worthy outside the Order

and there first serves.

Verily, monks, these seven things
lead to a lay-disciple's decline.

 

§

 

"Monks, these seven things lead to a lay-disciple's growth, not decline.

What seven?

He does not fail to see the monks;

he does not neglect to hear Saddhamma;

he trains in more-virtue;

he puts trust in elder,
novice
or mid-term monk;

not with critical mind,
seeking faults,
he hears Dhamma;

he seeks a gift-worthy inside the Order

and there first serves.

Verily, monks, these seven things
lead to a lay-disciple's growth, not decline.

 


 

Who fails to see the man in whom the self
Is made-become,[1] nor Ariyan Dhamma hears,'
Nor in more-virtue[2] trains, whose trust in monks
Groweth not more and more, who fain would list
With carping mind to Saddhamma, who seeks
Outside some gift-worthy and even there
As lay-disciple his first service doing:
[16] These seven well taught things that cause decline
Who practises in Saddhamma declines.

Whoso ne'er fails to see self-cultured[3] men,
Hears Ariyan Dhamma, in more-virtue trains,
Whose trust in monks grows ever more and more,
Who lists not to Saddhamma carpingly,
Nor seeks outside one gift-worthy, but those
Within as lay-disciple firstly serves:
These seven taught things that never cause declir
Who follows in Saddhamma ne'er declines.'

 


[1] Bhāvitattānaṃ: whose attan is bhāvita, cf. Dhp. 106.

[2] Adhisīla. Comy, pañcasīla-dasasīla-saṃkhāte uttamasīle.

[3] Lit. 'who have the self made-to-become.'


Contact:
E-mail
Copyright Statement