English
The venerable Sāriputta spoke thus: "Whoever, friends, has no faith in wholesome states, no moral shame... no moral dread... no energy... no wisdom in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, decline alone is to be expected in wholesome states, not growth. Just as, friends, for the moon in the dark half of the month, whatever night or day comes, it wanes in beauty, it wanes in orb, it wanes in radiance, it wanes in ascent and descent; even so, friends, whoever has no faith in wholesome states, no moral shame... no moral dread... no energy... no wisdom in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, decline alone is to be expected in wholesome states, not growth. "A person without faith," friends, this is a decline; "a person without moral shame," friends, this is a decline; "a person without moral dread," friends, this is a decline; "a lazy person," friends, this is a decline; "a foolish person," friends, this is a decline; "an angry person," friends, this is a decline; "a resentful person..." A person..., friend, this is decline; ‘A person of evil desires,’ friend, this is decline; ‘A person with evil friends,’ friend, this is decline; ‘A person of wrong view,’ friend, this is decline. Whoever, friend, has faith in wholesome qualities, has moral shame… has fear of wrongdoing… has wisdom in wholesome qualities, for them, whatever night or day comes, growth in wholesome qualities is to be expected, not decline. Just as, friend, for the moon in the bright fortnight, whatever night or day comes, it grows in beauty, it grows in fullness, it grows in radiance, it grows in ascent and circumference; even so, friend, whoever has faith in wholesome qualities, has moral shame… has fear of wrongdoing… has energy… has wisdom in wholesome qualities, for them, whatever night or day comes, growth in wholesome qualities is to be expected, not decline. ‘A person of faith,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person of moral shame,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person of fear of wrongdoing,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person of aroused energy,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person of wisdom,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person not angry,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person not resentful,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person of few desires,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person with good friends,’ friend, this is non-decline; ‘A person of right view,’ friend, this is non-decline. Then the Blessed One, rising, addressed Venerable Sāriputta: “Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta! Whoever, Sāriputta, has no faith in wholesome qualities, has no moral shame… has no fear of wrongdoing… has no energy… has no wisdom in wholesome qualities, for them, whatever night or day comes, decline in wholesome qualities is to be expected. in these qualities there is no growth. Just as, Sāriputta, when a night or a day comes in the dark half of the moon, it wanes in color, it wanes in orb, it wanes in radiance, it wanes in ascent and descent; even so, Sāriputta, whoever has no faith in wholesome qualities… …no wisdom in wholesome qualities, for him, when a night or a day comes… …there is no growth. “‘A person lacking faith,’ Sāriputta, this is decline; shameless… fearless of wrongdoing… lazy… unwise… irascible… resentful… of evil wishes… of evil friends… ‘a person of wrong view,’ Sāriputta, this is decline. Whoever, Sāriputta, has faith in wholesome qualities, has shame… has fear of wrongdoing… has energy… has wisdom in wholesome qualities, for him, when a night or a day comes, growth alone is to be expected in wholesome qualities, not decline. Just as, Sāriputta, when a night or a day comes in the bright half of the moon, it waxes in color, it waxes in orb, it waxes in radiance, it waxes in ascent and descent; even so, Sāriputta, whoever has faith in wholesome qualities, has shame… has fear of wrongdoing… has energy… has wisdom in wholesome qualities, for him, when a night or a day comes, growth alone is to be expected in wholesome qualities, not decline. “‘A person of faith,’ Sāriputta, this is no decline; modest… fearful of wrongdoing… energetic… wise… not irascible… not resentful… of few wishes… of good friends… ‘a person of right view,’ Sāriputta, this is no decline.” The seventh. 8. The Second Naḷakapāna Sutta At one time the Blessed One was staying in Naḷakapāna, in the Palāsa forest. Now at that time, on that Uposatha day, the Blessed One was seated, surrounded by the assembly of monks. Then the Blessed One, having instructed, exhorted, having exhorted, having encouraged, having gladdened, and having surveyed the silent assembly of bhikkhus, he addressed Venerable Sāriputta: “The assembly of bhikkhus, Sāriputta, is free from sloth and torpor. Let a Dhamma talk occur to you, Sāriputta, for the bhikkhus. My back aches; I will stretch it.” “Yes, Bhante,” Venerable Sāriputta replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having folded his outer robe fourfold, lay down on his right side in the lion’s posture, placing one foot on the other, mindful and clearly comprehending, having fixed his mind on the perception of rising. Thereupon, Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, bhikkhus!” “Friend!” those bhikkhus replied to Venerable Sāriputta. Venerable Sāriputta said this: “Whoever, friends, has no faith in wholesome states, has no shame… has no moral dread… has no energy… has no wisdom… has no listening attention… has no retention of Dhamma… has no examination of meaning… has no practice in accordance with Dhamma… has no heedfulness in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, decline alone is to be expected in wholesome states, not growth. Just as, friends, in the dark half of the month, whatever night or day comes for the moon, it declines in color, it declines in orb, it declines in radiance, it declines in ascent and circumference; even so, friends, whoever has no faith in wholesome states, has no shame… has no moral dread… has no energy… has no wisdom… has no listening attention… has no retention of Dhamma… has no examination of meaning… has no practice in accordance with Dhamma… has no heedfulness in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, decline alone is to be expected in wholesome states, not growth. “Whoever, friends, has faith in wholesome states, has shame… has moral dread… has energy… has wisdom… has listening attention… there is… there is retention of the Dhamma… there is examination of meaning… there is practice in accordance with the Dhamma… there is diligence in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, growth alone is to be expected in wholesome states, not decline. Just as, friends, in the bright fortnight, whatever night or day comes for the moon, it grows in beauty, it grows in fullness, it grows in radiance, it grows in ascent and circumference; even so, friends, for whosoever has faith in wholesome states… …there is diligence in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, growth alone is to be expected in wholesome states, not decline.” Then the Blessed One, having risen, addressed Venerable Sāriputta: “Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta! Whosoever, Sāriputta, has no faith in wholesome states, has no shame… has no moral dread… has no wisdom… has no energy… has no attentiveness… has no retention of the Dhamma… has no examination of meaning… has no practice in accordance with the Dhamma… has no diligence in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, decline alone is to be expected in wholesome states, not growth. Just as, Sāriputta, in the dark fortnight, whatever night or day comes for the moon, it wanes in beauty, it wanes in fullness, it wanes in radiance, it wanes in ascent and circumference; even so, Sāriputta, for whosoever has no faith in wholesome states… …has no diligence in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, decline alone is to be expected in wholesome states, not growth. “Whosoever, Sāriputta, has faith in wholesome states, has shame… has moral dread… has energy… has wisdom… has attentiveness… has retention of the Dhamma… has examination of meaning… has practice in accordance with the Dhamma… has diligence in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or night or day comes, growth indeed is to be expected in wholesome states, not decline. Just as, Sāriputta, for the moon in the bright fortnight, whatever night or day comes, it grows in beauty, it grows in orb, it grows in radiance, it grows in ascent and fullness; even so, Sāriputta, for whosoever has faith in wholesome states… …has diligence in wholesome states, for him, whatever night or day comes, growth indeed is to be expected in wholesome states, not decline. The Eighth. 9. The First Discourse on Topics of Discussion 69. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now at that time many bhikkhus, after their meal, having returned from their alms round, were sitting together, assembled in the service hall, engaged in various kinds of worldly talk, namely: talk of kings, talk of robbers, talk of ministers, talk of armies, talk of fear, talk of war, talk of food, talk of drink, talk of clothes, talk of beds, talk of garlands, talk of perfumes, talk of relatives, talk of vehicles, talk of villages, talk of market towns, talk of cities, talk of countries, talk of women, talk of heroes, talk of streets, talk of watering places, talk of departed spirits, various kinds of talk, talk of the world, talk of the ocean, talk of existence and non-existence, and so on. Then the Blessed One, having risen from seclusion in the evening, approached the service hall; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "With what talk, bhikkhus, are you now sitting assembled? And what was the interrupted talk among you?" "Here, venerable sir, we, after our meal, having returned from our alms round,