English
growth alone, monks, is to be expected for the bhikkhus, not decline. As long as, monks, the bhikkhus have a desire for forest dwellings, growth alone, monks, is to be expected for the bhikkhus, not decline. As long as, monks, the bhikkhus will establish mindfulness within themselves, thinking: 'How might future good-hearted companions in the holy life come? And how might present good-hearted companions in the holy life live comfortably?' Growth alone, monks, is to be expected for the bhikkhus, not decline. As long as, monks, these seven conditions of non-decline remain among the bhikkhus, and as long as the bhikkhus are seen to be living by these seven conditions of non-decline, growth alone, monks, is to be expected for the bhikkhus, not decline. I shall teach you, monks, another seven conditions of non-decline. Listen to them, attend carefully, I will speak. "Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: As long as, monks, the bhikkhus are not fond of activity, not delighting in activity, not devoted to fondness for activity, growth alone, monks, is to be expected for the bhikkhus, not decline. As long as, monks, the bhikkhus are not fond of talk, not delighting in talk, not devoted to fondness for talk, Growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, O monks, the monks will not be fond of sleep, not devoted to sleep, not given to the pleasure of sleep, growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, O monks, the monks will not be fond of company, not devoted to company, not given to the pleasure of company, growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, O monks, the monks will not be of evil desires, not fallen under the sway of evil desires, growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, O monks, the monks will not have evil friends, not evil companions, not evil associates, growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, O monks, the monks will not, by a trifling special attainment, come to a halt in the middle (of the path), growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, O monks, these seven conditions of non-decline will remain among the monks, and among these seven conditions of non-decline the monks will be seen (to abide), growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. 138. I shall teach you, O monks, other seven conditions of non-decline... And as long as, O monks, the monks will be endowed with faith, will be conscientious, will be scrupulous, will be learned, will be energetic, will be mindful, will be wise, growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, O monks, these seven conditions of non-decline will remain among the monks, and among these seven conditions of non-decline the monks will be seen (to abide), growth indeed, O monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. 139. I shall teach you, O monks, other... I will teach you, monks, seven conditions that lead to non-decline. Listen to that, pay careful attention, I will speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “As long as, monks, the monks cultivate the enlightenment factor of mindfulness… …they cultivate the enlightenment factor of investigation of states… …they cultivate the enlightenment factor of energy… …they cultivate the enlightenment factor of rapture… …they cultivate the enlightenment factor of tranquility… …they cultivate the enlightenment factor of concentration… …they cultivate the enlightenment factor of equanimity, growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. “As long as, monks, these seven conditions of non-decline remain among the monks, and the monks are seen in these seven conditions of non-decline, growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. 140. “I will teach you, monks, still other seven conditions that lead to non-decline. Listen to that, pay careful attention, I will speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “As long as, monks, the monks cultivate the perception of impermanence… …they cultivate the perception of non-self… …they cultivate the perception of unattractiveness… …they cultivate the perception of danger… …they cultivate the perception of abandoning… …they cultivate the perception of dispassion… …they cultivate the perception of cessation, growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. “As long as, monks, these seven conditions of non-decline remain among the monks, and the monks are seen in these seven conditions of non-decline, growth, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. 141. “I will teach you, monks, six conditions that lead to non-decline. Listen to that, pay careful attention, I will speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “As long as, monks, the b Monks will maintain deeds of loving-kindness among fellow practitioners, openly and in private. Growth, indeed, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, monks, the monks will maintain deeds of loving-kindness in speech... ...and deeds of loving-kindness in mind among fellow practitioners, openly and in private. Growth, indeed, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, monks, the monks, whatever gains are righteous, obtained by Dhamma, even if only what fits in the alms-bowl, will be sharers, not hoarders, of such gains with their virtuous fellow practitioners. Growth, indeed, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, monks, the monks, whatever virtues are unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unspotted, liberating, praised by the wise, untainted, conducive to concentration, will dwell in such virtues, sharing them with fellow practitioners, openly and in private. Growth, indeed, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, monks, the monks, whatever view is noble, leading out, leading him who practices it to the right destruction of suffering, will dwell in such a view, sharing it with fellow practitioners, openly and in private. Growth, indeed, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. And as long as, monks, these six conditions of non-decline will endure among the monks, and the monks will be seen practicing these six conditions of non-decline. Growth, indeed, monks, is to be expected for the monks, not decline. 142. There, indeed, the Blessed One, dwelling at Rājagaha, on Vulture Peak mountain, frequently gave this Dhamma talk to the monks: "Such is virtue, such is concentration, such is wisdom. Concentration imbued with virtue is of great fruit, of great benefit. Wisdom imbued with concentration... Wisdom is of great fruit, of great benefit. A mind imbued with wisdom is completely freed from the taints, namely: the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, the taint of ignorance. 143. Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Rājagaha as long as he wished, addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to Ambalaṭṭhikā." "Yes, venerable sir," replied the Venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with a large community of bhikkhus, went to Ambalaṭṭhikā. There the Blessed One stayed at Ambalaṭṭhikā, in the King's Rest House. And there too, staying at Ambalaṭṭhikā, in the King's Rest House, the Blessed One often gave this discourse on Dhamma to the bhikkhus: "Such is virtue, such is concentration, such is wisdom. Concentration imbued with virtue is of great fruit, of great benefit. Wisdom imbued with concentration is of great fruit, of great benefit. A mind imbued with wisdom is completely freed from the taints, namely: the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, the taint of ignorance." 144. Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Ambalaṭṭhikā as long as he wished, addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to Nāḷandā." "Yes, venerable sir," replied the Venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with a large community of bhikkhus, went to Nāḷandā. There the Blessed One stayed at Nāḷandā, in Pāvārika's Mango Grove. The Lion's Roar of Sāriputta 145. Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One: "Such is my faith, venerable sir, in the Blessed One; there has not been, there will not be, nor is there now any other ascetic or brahmin more accomplished in enlightenment than the Blessed One." "A mighty, indeed, Sāriputta, is this lion's roar that you have uttered. Thus, a definite stand was taken, a lion's roar was uttered – 'Thus confident am I, venerable sir, in the Blessed One; nor has there been, nor will there be, nor is there now, any other recluse or brahmin more fully enlightened than the Blessed One, as regards awakening.' "What do you think, Sāriputta, those who were arahants, fully enlightened Buddhas, in the past, were all those Blessed Ones known to you, having encompassed their minds with your mind – 'Such was the virtue of those Blessed Ones, such was their Dhamma, such their wisdom, such their abiding, such their liberation'?" "No, venerable sir." "What do you think, Sāriputta, those who will be arahants, fully enlightened Buddhas, in the future, will all those Blessed Ones be known to you, having encompassed their minds with your mind – 'Such will be the virtue of those Blessed Ones, such will be their Dhamma, such their wisdom, such their abiding, such their liberation'?" "No, venerable sir." "What do you think, Sāriputta, am I, now, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened Buddha, known to you,