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Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One. The Way of the Discourses 1. A person in decline, We ask you, Gotama; Having come to ask you, What is the cause of decline? 2. Easy to know is progress, Difficult to know is decline; Loving Dhamma is progress, Hating Dhamma is decline. 3. This we understand, This is the first cause of decline; Tell us the second, Blessed One, What is the cause of decline? 4. He is dear to the unrighteous, Does not make the righteous dear; He approves of the unrighteous's Dhamma, That is the cause of decline. When destruction is imminent, For beings guilty of misdeeds; Injustice, in the guise of justice, Stands, overwhelming the wise. 5. A sleepyhead, a talkative person, One who does not exert himself; Lazy, and quick to anger, That is the cause of decline. 6. He who does not support, His mother or father, Old, past their prime, Though he is able, That is the cause of decline. 7. He who deceives a brahmin, Or a ascetic, Or any other mendicant, With a lie, That is the cause of decline. 8. A man of great wealth, With gold and food, Enjoys delicious things alone, That is the cause of decline. 9. Arrogant in birth, arrogant in wealth, A man arrogant in lineage; He despises his relatives, That is the cause of decline. 10. Addicted to women, addicted to liquor, A man addicted to gambling; He destroys whatever he gains, That is the cause of decline. One should not excessively pursue women, Seeing the destruction of energy; Coughing, panting, fear, immaturity, Loss of marrow befalls him. (Ka) Deceitful mind, mirage, Sorrow, disease, trouble; Harsh and binding thoughts, Death's snare, a hidden lair. (Kha) The strong become weak, Even the mighty diminish; The sighted become blind, When they are under the sway of women. (Ga) The virtuous become unvirtuous, Even the wise diminish; The freed are bound, When they are under the sway of women. (Gha) Glory, fame, resolve, courage, Vast learning, knowledge, They diminish him who is heedless, Like fire, a pile of wood. 11. Content with his own wife, He is debauched with prostitutes; He is debauched with others' wives, That is a cause of downfall. (Ka) And we do not transgress our wives, And our wives do not transgress us; Apart from them, we live the holy life, Therefore our children do not die young. (Kha) In them are born sons, Intelligent, of great wisdom; Learned and possessing the virtues of elders, Therefore our children do not die young. 12. A man past his prime, Brings home a tender-breasted girl; He cannot sleep for jealousy of her, That is a cause of downfall. (Ka) Not painful is the bite of a snake, Not painful is being struck by a sword; But that is painful and intense, When one sees an old husband. (Kha) There is no play, no delight, With an old husband; There is no friendly talk, It is not fitting even to laugh. (Ga) But when a young man and a young woman, Converse in private; All sorrows vanish, Whatever is lodged in the heart. 13. A woman who is a drunkard, a squanderer, Or a man of the same kind; He establishes in authority, That is a cause of downfall. 14. Of little wealth, but great craving, A Khattiya is born in a noble family; And he desires kingship, That is a cause of downfall. "Easy to know is progress, Difficult to know is downfall"; Of little wealth, but great craving. 15. These causes of downfall in the world, The wise one, having considered well; Noble, endowed with vision, He cultivates a world of bliss. Vasala Sutta 1. Who is wrathful, bearing grudges, Who is evil-minded and hypocritical; Who has wrong views and is deceitful, Know him as an outcast. 2. Whether one-born or twice-born, Whoever here harms living beings; Who has no compassion for beings, Know him as an outcast. 3. Who destroys and lays siege, To villages and towns; Known as an oppressor, Know him as an outcast. 4. In a village or in the forest, Whatever belongs to others; He steals what is not given, Know him as an outcast. 5. Who Having taken a loan, Being asked, he runs away; Saying, "I have no debt," Know him as an outcast. 6. Whoever in a village, Or on a path, Having killed someone for a trifle, Takes the trifle; Know him as an outcast. 7. Whoever for his own sake, another's sake, Or for the sake of wealth, Being asked as a witness, speaks falsely; Know him as an outcast. 8. Whoever violates The wives of relatives or friends, By force or with consent; Know him as an outcast. 9. Whoever, though able, Does not support his mother or father, Old, past their youth; Know him as an outcast. 10. Whoever strikes or scolds His mother, father, Brother, sister, or mother-in-law; Know him as an outcast. 11. Whoever, being asked about a good thing, Instructs in what is not good; And speaks in a concealed manner; Know him as an outcast. 12. Whoever, having done an evil deed, Desires that it not be known to me; Whoever is secretive in his actions; Know him as an outcast. 13. Whoever, having gone to another's house, Having eaten pure food, Does not repay the favor when the other comes; Know him as an outcast. 14. Whoever deceives a monk, Or a Brahmin, Or any other mendicant, With false speech; Know him as an outcast. 15. Whoever abuses or does not give To a monk or Brahmin, Who has come at mealtime; Know him as an outcast. 16. Whoever speaks untruth Being veiled by delusion, Desiring some trifle; Know him as an outcast. 17. Whoever exalts himself, And disparages others; Base through that pride; Know him as an outcast. 18. One who is angry, stingy, Wicked, miserly, deceitful, Shameless, without fear of blame; Know him as an outcast. 19. Whoever reviles the Buddha, Or his disciple, A wandering ascetic or a householder; Know him as an outcast. Monks, the bowl of an alms-seeker endowed with eight qualities should be turned upside down. He strives for the monks' loss, he strives for the monks' harm, he strives for the monks' disadvantage, he insults and reviles the monks, he sows dissension among the monks, he speaks ill of the monks, he speaks ill of the Buddha, he speaks ill of the Dhamma. He strives against the monks' dwelling places, He reviles and insults the monks, He causes division among the monks, He speaks disparagingly of the Buddha, He speaks disparagingly of the Dhamma, He speaks disparagingly of the Saṅgha, I allow, monks, to turn the bowl upside down for a lay follower endowed with these eight qualities. 20. He who is not worthy, Claims to be worthy; Is a thief in the world with Brahmā, Know him as an outcast. 21. These are the outcasts spoken of, By me, those who have been declared; Not by birth is one an outcast, Not by birth is one a Brahmin. 22. By deeds is one an outcast, By deeds is one a Brahmin. 23. Know this also by this, As this example shows; The Caṇḍāla's son, Sopāka, Mātaṅga, thus he was known. 24. He attained the highest fame, Mātaṅga, which is very hard to obtain; Khattiyas and many Brahmins, Came to attend upon him. 25. He ascended the divine vehicle, The stainless, great path; Having eradicated sensual lust, He went to the Brahmā world. You scratch a mountain with a fingernail, You eat iron with your teeth; You put out the fire, Who reviles a sage. With twisted back and head, He stretches out an unshakeable arm; White eyes like a dead man, Who has made my son like this?