sutta » an » an7 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.28

Paṭhamaparihānisutta

Non-decline for a Mendicant Trainee

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“sattime, bhikkhave, dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattanti.
“These seven things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

Katame satta?
What seven?

Kammārāmatā, bhassārāmatā, niddārāmatā, saṅgaṇikārāmatā, indriyesu aguttadvāratā, bhojane amattaññutā, santi kho pana saṅghe saṅghakaraṇīyāni; tatra sekho bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:
They relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They don’t guard the sense doors and they eat too much. And when there is Saṅgha business to be carried out, they don’t reflect:

‘santi kho pana saṅghe therā rattaññū cirapabbajitā bhāravāhino, te tena paññāyissantī’ti attanā tesu yogaṁ āpajjati.
‘There are senior mendicants in the Saṅgha of long standing, long gone forth, responsible. They’ll be known for taking care of this.’ So they try to do it themselves.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattanti.
These seven things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

Sattime, bhikkhave, dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti.
These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

Katame satta?
What seven?

Na kammārāmatā, na bhassārāmatā, na niddārāmatā, na saṅgaṇikārāmatā, indriyesu guttadvāratā, bhojane mattaññutā, santi kho pana saṅghe saṅghakaraṇīyāni; tatra sekho bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:
They don’t relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They guard the sense doors and don’t eat too much. And when there is Saṅgha business to be carried out, they reflect:

‘santi kho pana saṅghe therā rattaññū cirapabbajitā bhāravāhino, te tena paññāyissantī’ti attanā na tesu yogaṁ āpajjati.
‘There are senior mendicants in the Saṅgha of long standing, long gone forth, responsible. They’ll be known for taking care of this.’ So they don’t try to do it themselves.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī”ti.
These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.