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sn.35.96 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Decline

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you about one who is subject to decline, about one who is not subject to decline, and about the six mastered bases. Listen to that….

“And how, bhikkhus, is one subject to decline? Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has seen a form with the eye, there arise in him evil unwholesome states, memories and intentions connected with the fetters. If the bhikkhu tolerates them and does not abandon them, dispel them, put an end to them, and obliterate them, he should understand this thus: ‘I am declining away from wholesome states. For this has been called decline by the Blessed One.’

“Further, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has heard a sound with the ear … cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, there arise in him evil unwholesome states, memories and intentions connected with the fetters. If the bhikkhu tolerates them and does not abandon them, dispel them, put an end to them, and obliterate them, he should understand this thus: ‘I am declining away from wholesome states. For this has been called decline by the Blessed One.’

“It is in such a way, bhikkhus, that one is subject to decline.

“And how, bhikkhus, is one not subject to decline? Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has seen a form with the eye, there arise in him evil unwholesome states, memories and intentions connected with the fetters. If the bhikkhu does not tolerate them, but abandons them, dispels them, puts on end to them, and obliterates them, he should understand this thus: ‘I am not declining away from wholesome states. For this has been called nondecline by the Blessed One.’

“Further, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has heard a sound with the ear … cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, there arise in him evil unwholesome states, memories and intentions connected with the fetters. If the bhikkhu does not tolerate them, but abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, and obliterates them, he should understand this thus: ‘I am not declining away from wholesome states. For this has been called nondecline by the Blessed One.’

“It is in such a way, bhikkhus, that one is not subject to decline.

“And what, bhikkhus, are the six mastered bases? Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has seen a form with the eye, there do not arise in him evil unwholesome states, nor any memories and intentions connected with the fetters. The bhikkhu should understand this thus: ‘This base has been mastered. For this has been called a mastered base by the Blessed One.’

“Further, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has heard a sound with the ear … cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, there do not arise in him evil unwholesome states, nor any memories and intentions connected with the fetters. The bhikkhu should understand this thus: ‘This base has been mastered. For this has been called a mastered base by the Blessed One.’ These, bhikkhus, are called the six mastered bases.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Liable to Decline

“Mendicants, I will teach you who is liable to decline, who is not liable to decline, and the six fields of mastery.
Listen …
And how is someone liable to decline?
When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
Suppose that mendicant tolerates them and doesn’t give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. They should understand:
‘My skillful qualities are declining.
For this is what the Buddha calls decline.’
Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … feels a touch …
knows a thought with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
If that mendicant tolerates them and doesn’t give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them, they should understand:
‘My skillful qualities are declining.
For this is what the Buddha calls decline.’
That’s how someone is liable to decline.
And how is someone not liable to decline?
When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
Suppose that mendicant doesn’t tolerate them but gives them up, gets rid of them, eliminates them, and obliterates them. They should understand:
‘My skillful qualities are not declining.
For this is what the Buddha calls non-decline.’
Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … feels a touch …
knows a thought with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
Suppose that mendicant doesn’t tolerate them but gives them up, gets rid of them, eliminates them, and obliterates them. They should understand:
‘My skillful qualities are not declining.
For this is what the Buddha calls non-decline.’
That’s how someone is not liable to decline.
And what are the six fields of mastery?
When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
They should understand:
‘This sense field has been mastered.
For this is what the Buddha calls a field of mastery.’ …
Furthermore, when a mendicant knows a thought with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
They should understand:
‘This sense field has been mastered.
For this is what the Buddha calls a field of mastery.’
These are the six fields of mastery.”