Saɱyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
47. Sati-Paṭṭhāna Saɱyutta
3. Sīla-ṭ-Ṭhiti Vagga
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
The Great Book,
47: Connected Discourses on the Establisments of Mindfulness
III. Virtue and Duration
Sutta 22
Parihāna Suttaɱ
Decline
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Copyright Bhikkhu Bodhi 2000, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)
This selection from The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Saɱyutta Nikāya by Bhikkhu Bodhi is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda and the Venerable Bhadda were dwelling at Pāṭaliputra in the Cock's Park.
Then, in the evening, the Venerable Bhadda emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him.
When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Venerable Ānanda:
"Friend Ānanda, what is the cause and reason for the decline of the true Dhamma?
And what is the cause and reason for the nondecline of the true Dhamma?"
"Good, good, friend Bhadda!
Your intelligence is excellent, your acumen is excellent, your inquiry is a good one.
For you have asked me:
'Friend Ānanda, what is the cause and reason for the decline of the true Dhamma?
And what is the cause and reason for the nondecline of the true Dhamma?"
Yes, friend."
"It is, friend, because the four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma declines after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna.
And it is because the four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not decline after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna.
What four?
Here, friend, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body ... feelings in feelings ... mind in mind ... phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.
"It is because these four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma declines after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna.
And it is because these four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not decline after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna."
