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an.10.55 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Decline

There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, bhikkhus!”

“Friend!” those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Sāriputta said this:

“Friends, it is said: ‘A person subject to decline, a person subject to decline.’ In what way has the Blessed One said that a person is subject to decline, and in what way that a person is not subject to decline?”

“We would come from far away, friend, to learn the meaning of this statement from the Venerable Sāriputta. It would be good if he would clear up the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the bhikkhus will retain it in mind.”

“Well then, friends, listen and attend closely. I will speak.”

“Yes, friend,” those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Sāriputta said this:

“In what way, friends, has the Blessed One said that a person is subject to decline? Here, a bhikkhu does not get to hear a teaching he has not heard before, forgets those teachings he has already heard, does not bring to mind those teachings with which he is already familiar, and does not understand what he has not understood. It is in this way that the Blessed One has said a person is subject to decline.

“And in what way, friends, has the Blessed One said that a person is not subject to decline? Here, a bhikkhu gets to hear a teaching he has not heard before, does not forget those teachings he has already heard, brings to mind those teachings with which he is already familiar, and understands what he has not understood. It is in this way that the Blessed One has said a person is not subject to decline.

“Friends, a bhikkhu who is not skilled in the ways of others’ minds should train: ‘I will be skilled in the ways of my own mind.’ It is in this way that you should train yourselves.

“And how, friends, is a bhikkhu skilled in the ways of his own mind? It is just as if a woman or a man—young, youthful, and fond of ornaments—would look at her or his own facial reflection in a clean and bright mirror or in a bowl of clear water. If they see any dust or blemish there, they will make an effort to remove it. But if they do not see any dust or blemish there, they will be glad about it; and their wish fulfilled, they will think, ‘How fortunate for me that I’m clean!’ So too, self-examination is very helpful for a bhikkhu to grow in wholesome qualities.

“One should ask oneself: (1) ‘Am I often without longing? Does this quality exist in me or not? (2) Am I often without ill will? Does this quality exist in me or not? (3) Am I often free from dullness and drowsiness? Does this quality exist in me or not? (4) Am I often calm? Does this quality exist in me or not? (5) Am I often free from doubt? Does this quality exist in me or not? (6) Am I often without anger? Does this quality exist in me or not? (7) Is my mind often undefiled? Does this quality exist in me or not? (8) Do I gain internal joy of the Dhamma? Does this quality exist in me or not? (9) Do I gain internal serenity of mind? Does this quality exist in me or not? (10) Do I gain the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena? Does this quality exist in me or not?’

“If, by such self-examination, a bhikkhu does not see any of these wholesome qualities present in himself, then he should put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to obtain those wholesome qualities. Just as one whose clothes or head had caught fire would put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to extinguish the fire on his clothes or head, so that bhikkhu should put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to obtain those wholesome qualities.

“But if, by such self-examination, a bhikkhu sees some wholesome qualities present in himself but not others, he should base himself on those wholesome qualities that he sees in himself and put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to obtain those wholesome qualities that he does not see in himself. Just as one whose clothes or head had caught fire would put forth extraordinary desire … to extinguish the fire on his clothes or head, so that bhikkhu should base himself on the wholesome qualities that he sees in himself and put forth extraordinary desire … to obtain those wholesome qualities that he does not see in himself.

“But if, by such self-examination, a bhikkhu sees all these wholesome qualities present in himself, he should base himself on those same wholesome qualities and make a further effort to reach the destruction of the taints.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Decline

There Sāriputta addressed the mendicants:
“Reverends, mendicants!”
“Reverend,” they replied.
Sāriputta said this:
“Reverends, they speak of a person liable to decline,
and one not liable to decline.
But how did the Buddha define a person liable to decline, and one not liable to decline?”
“Reverend, we would travel a long way to learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of Venerable Sāriputta.
May Venerable Sāriputta himself please clarify the meaning of this.
The mendicants will listen and remember it.”
“Then listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, reverend,” they replied.
Sāriputta said this:
“How did the Buddha define a person liable to decline?
It’s when a mendicant doesn’t get to hear a teaching they haven’t heard before. They forget those teachings they have heard. They don’t keep rehearsing the teachings they’ve already got to know. And they don’t come to understand what they haven’t understood before.
That’s how the Buddha defined a person liable to decline.
And how did the Buddha define a person not liable to decline?
It’s when a mendicant gets to hear a teaching they haven’t heard before. They remember those teachings they have heard. They keep rehearsing the teachings they’ve already got to know. And they come to understand what they haven’t understood before.
That’s how the Buddha defined a person not liable to decline.
If a mendicant isn’t skilled in the ways of another’s mind, then they should train themselves: ‘I will be skilled in the ways of my own mind.’

And how is a mendicant skilled in the ways of their own mind?
Suppose there was a woman or man who was young, youthful, and fond of adornments, and they check their own reflection in a clean bright mirror or a clear bowl of water. If they see any dirt or blemish there, they’d try to remove it.
But if they don’t see any dirt or blemish there, they’re happy with that, as they’ve got all they wished for:
‘How fortunate that I’m clean!’
In the same way, checking is very helpful for a mendicant’s skillful qualities.
‘Is contentment often found in me or not? Is kind-heartedness often found in me or not? Is freedom from dullness and drowsiness often found in me or not? Is calm often found in me or not? Is confidence often found in me or not? Is love often found in me or not? Is purity of mind often found in me or not? Is internal joy with the teaching found in me or not? Is internal serenity of heart found in me or not? Is the higher wisdom of discernment of principles found in me or not?’
Suppose a mendicant, while checking, doesn’t see any of these skillful qualities in themselves. In order to get them they should apply intense enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness.
Suppose your clothes or head were on fire. In order to extinguish it, you’d apply intense enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness.

In the same way, they should apply intense enthusiasm to get those skillful qualities …
Suppose a mendicant, while checking, sees some of these skillful qualities in themselves, but doesn’t see others. Grounded on the skillful qualities they see, they should apply intense enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness in order to get the skillful qualities they don’t see.
Suppose your clothes or head were on fire. In order to extinguish it, you’d apply intense enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness.

In the same way, grounded on the skillful qualities they see, they should apply intense enthusiasm to get those skillful qualities they don’t see.
But suppose a mendicant, while checking, sees all of these skillful qualities in themselves. Grounded on all these skillful qualities they should practice meditation further to end the defilements.”