English
This, bhikkhus, seeing this first future danger, it is enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute for the attainment of the unobtained, for the realization of the unrealized, for the direct experience of the unexperienced. Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'I am now healthy, free from illness, endowed with a digestive system that is balanced in its functioning, neither too cold nor too hot, moderate and suitable for exertion. But there comes a time when illness afflicts this body. When afflicted by illness, overwhelmed by sickness, it is not easy to keep the Buddha's teaching in mind, it is not easy to frequent remote forest and wilderness abodes. Before that state comes to me, undesirable, unlovely, disagreeable, come now, let me exert effort beforehand for the attainment of the unobtained, for the realization of the unrealized, for the direct experience of the unexperienced, so that, endowed with that state, even when ill, I may dwell at ease.' This, bhikkhus, seeing this second future danger, it is enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute for the attainment of the unobtained, for the realization of the unrealized, for the direct experience of the unexperienced. Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'Now it is a time of plenty, the harvest is good, alms are easy to obtain; it is easy to live by gleaning and collecting alms. But there comes a time when there is famine, the harvest is poor, alms are hard to obtain; it is not easy to live by gleaning and collecting alms. During famine, people migrate to where there is plenty... they gather there. There is a crowded dwelling, a dwelling full of people. When there is a crowded dwelling, a dwelling full of people, it is not easy to keep the Buddha's teaching in mind, it is not easy to resort to remote forest and wilderness abodes. Before that state comes upon me, undesirable, unlovely, unpleasant; let me now put forth effort for the attainment of what is not yet attained, for the realization of what is not yet realized, for the direct experience of what is not yet directly experienced, so that, endowed with that Dhamma, I shall dwell comfortably even in famine.' This, bhikkhus, is the third future danger that a bhikkhu, seeing it, should dwell diligently, ardently, resolutely, for the attainment of what is not yet attained, for the realization of what is not yet realized, for the direct experience of what is not yet directly experienced. "Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'At present, people are united, harmonious, not quarreling, like milk and water mixed, regarding each other with loving eyes. But there comes a time when there is danger, a disturbance in the wilderness, and people from the countryside, mounted on carts, wander about. When there is danger, people gather where it is safe. There is a crowded dwelling, a dwelling full of people. When there is a crowded dwelling, a dwelling full of people, it is not easy to keep the Buddha's teaching in mind, it is not easy to resort to remote forest and wilderness abodes. Before that state comes upon me, undesirable, unlovely, unpleasant; let me now put forth effort for the attainment of what is not yet attained, for the realization of what is not yet realized, for the direct experience of what is not yet directly experienced, so that, endowed with that Dhamma, I shall dwell comfortably even in danger.' This, bhikkhus, is the fourth future danger that a bhikkhu, seeing it, should dwell diligently, ardently, resolutely, for the attainment of what is not yet attained, for the realization of what is not yet realized, for the direct experience of what is not yet directly experienced. "Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu Thus he reflects: – ‘Now indeed the Saṅgha is united, harmonious, without dispute, with one purpose, dwelling at ease. But there comes a time when the Saṅgha splits. When the Saṅgha is split, it is not easy to keep the Buddha's teaching in mind, nor is it easy to resort to remote forest and wilderness dwellings. Before that state comes to me, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable; let me rather exert effort beforehand for the attainment of the unobtained, for the comprehension of the uncomprehended, for the realization of the unrealized, so that I, endowed with the Dhamma, may dwell at ease even when the Saṅgha is split.’ This, bhikkhus, is the fifth future danger, seeing which, it is enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of the unobtained, for the comprehension of the uncomprehended, for the realization of the unrealized. “These, bhikkhus, are the five future dangers, seeing which, it is enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of the unobtained, for the comprehension of the uncomprehended, for the realization of the unrealized.” The Eighth. 9. The Third Discourse on Future Dangers 79. “Bhikkhus, there are these five future dangers that have not arisen now, but will arise in the future. You should awaken to them; and having awakened, you should strive for their abandonment. “Which five? Bhikkhus, in the future, there will be bhikkhus whose bodies are undeveloped, whose conduct is undeveloped, whose minds are undeveloped, whose wisdom is undeveloped. Being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in conduct, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom, they will give ordination to others. And those others will not be able to train them in higher virtue, in higher mind, in higher wisdom. And they too will be undeveloped in body, undeveloped in conduct, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in conduct, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom, they will give ordination to others. And those others will not be able to train them in higher... in higher virtue, in higher mind, in higher wisdom. They too will be undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Thus, monks, from the corruption of Dhamma comes the corruption of Vinaya; from the corruption of Vinaya comes the corruption of Dhamma. This, monks, is the first future danger, not arisen now, but which will arise in the future. You should awaken to it; and having awakened, you should strive for its abandonment. Furthermore, monks, in the future there will be monks undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom, they will give dependence to others. They too will not be able to train them in higher virtue, in higher mind, in higher wisdom. They too will be undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom, they will give dependence to others. They too will not be able to train them in higher virtue, in higher mind, in higher wisdom. They too will be undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Thus, monks, from the corruption of Dhamma comes the corruption of Vinaya; from the corruption of Vinaya comes the corruption of Dhamma. This, monks, is the second future danger, not arisen now, but which will arise in the future. You should awaken to it; and having awakened, you should strive for its abandonment. Furthermore, monks, in the future there will be monks undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom, they will speak Dhamma talks and Vedalla talks, but entering into dark states, they will not understand. Thus, monks, from the corruption of Dhamma comes the corruption of Vinaya; from the corruption of Vinaya comes the corruption of Dhamma. This, monks, is the third future danger, not arisen now, but which will arise in the future. You should awaken to it; and having awakened... And having understood it, for its abandonment, effort should be made. Again, furthermore, monks, there will be monks in the future, undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom, when those discourses spoken by the Tathagata— deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, connected with emptiness— are being recited, they will not listen, they will not lend an ear, they will not apply their minds to understanding, and they will not think those teachings should be learned or mastered. But when those discourses that are poetic, composed in verse, with charming words, and charming phrases, external, spoken by disciples, are being recited, they will listen, they will lend an ear, they will apply their minds to understanding, and they will think those teachings should be learned and mastered. Thus, monks, from the corruption of Dhamma comes the corruption of Vinaya; from the corruption of Vinaya comes the corruption of Dhamma. This, monks, is the fourth future danger, not yet arisen now, but which will arise in the future. You should awaken to it; and having awakened to it, for its abandonment, effort should be made. Again, furthermore, monks, there will be monks in the future, undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom. Being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom, those elder monks will be given to indulgence, lax, foremost in backsliding, having cast off the burden of seclusion, they will not arouse energy for the attainment of the unobtained, for the realization of the unrealized, for the direct experience of the unexperienced. The later generation will follow their example. They too will be given to indulgence, lax, foremost in backsliding, having cast off the burden of seclusion,