Tatiyasaddhammasammosasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.156

Numbered Discourses 5.156

16. Saddhammavagga

16. The True Teaching

Tatiyasaddhammasammosasutta

The Decline of the True Teaching (3rd)

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

“Mendicants, these five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū duggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti dunnikkhittehi padabyañjanehi.

It’s when the mendicants memorize discourses that they learned incorrectly, with misplaced words and phrases.

Dunnikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi dunnayo hoti.

When the words and phrases are misplaced, the meaning is misinterpreted.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the first thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū dubbacā honti, dovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā, akkhamā appadakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ.

Furthermore, the mendicants are hard to admonish, having qualities that make them hard to admonish. They’re impatient, and don’t take instruction respectfully.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the second thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te na sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti;

Furthermore, the mendicants who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—don’t carefully make others recite the discourses.

tesaṁ accayena chinnamūlako suttanto hoti appaṭisaraṇo.

When they pass away, the discourses are cut off at the root, with no one to preserve them.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the third thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū bāhulikā honti sāthalikā okkamane pubbaṅgamā paviveke nikkhittadhurā, na vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

Furthermore, the senior mendicants are indulgent and slack, leaders in backsliding, neglecting seclusion, not rousing energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.

Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati.

Those who come after them follow their example.

Sāpi hoti bāhulikā sāthalikā okkamane pubbaṅgamā paviveke nikkhittadhurā, na vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

They too are indulgent and slack …

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the fourth thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅgho bhinno hoti.

Furthermore, there’s a schism in the Saṅgha.

Saṅghe kho pana, bhikkhave, bhinne aññamaññaṁ akkosā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ paribhāsā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ parikkhepā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ pariccajanā ca honti.

When the Saṅgha is split, they abuse, insult, block, and forsake each other.

Tattha appasannā ceva nappasīdanti, pasannānañca ekaccānaṁ aññathattaṁ hoti.

This doesn’t inspire confidence in those without it, and it causes some with confidence to change their minds.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the fifth thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

These five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti sunikkhittehi padabyañjanehi.

It’s when the mendicants memorize discourses that have been learned correctly, with well placed words and phrases.

Sunikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi sunayo hoti.

When the words and phrases are well organized, the meaning is correctly interpreted.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the first thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suvacā honti sovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā, khamā padakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ.

Furthermore, the mendicants are easy to admonish, having qualities that make them easy to admonish. They’re patient, and take instruction respectfully.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the second thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti;

Furthermore, the mendicants who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—carefully make others recite the discourses.

tesaṁ accayena na chinnamūlako suttanto hoti sappaṭisaraṇo.

When they pass away, the discourses aren’t cut off at the root, and they have someone to preserve them.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the third thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū na bāhulikā honti na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā; vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

Furthermore, the senior mendicants are not indulgent and slack, leaders in backsliding, neglecting seclusion. They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.

Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati.

Those who come after them follow their example.

Sāpi hoti na bāhulikā na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā, vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

They too are not indulgent or slack …

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the fourth thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅgho samaggo sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsuṁ viharati.

Furthermore, the Saṅgha lives comfortably, in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, with one recitation.

Saṅghe kho pana, bhikkhave, samagge na ceva aññamaññaṁ akkosā honti, na ca aññamaññaṁ paribhāsā honti, na ca aññamaññaṁ parikkhepā honti, na ca aññamaññaṁ pariccajanā honti.

When the Saṅgha is in harmony, they don’t abuse, insult, block, or forsake each other.

Tattha appasannā ceva pasīdanti, pasannānañca bhiyyobhāvo hoti.

This inspires confidence in those without it, and increases confidence in those who have it.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

This is the fifth thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattantī”ti.

These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.