1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Sārandada Tree-shrine. Then several Licchavis went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and the Buddha said to these Licchavis:

“Licchavis, I will teach you these seven principles that prevent decline. Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

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2“And what are the seven principles that prevent decline?

As long as the Vajjis meet frequently and have many meetings, they can expect growth, not decline.

3As long as the Vajjis meet in harmony, leave in harmony, and carry on their business in harmony, they can expect growth, not decline.

4As long as the Vajjis don’t make new decrees or abolish existing decrees, but undertake and follow the traditional Vajjian principles as they have been decreed, they can expect growth, not decline.

5As long as the Vajjis honor, respect, esteem, and venerate Vajjian elders, and think them worth listening to, they can expect growth, not decline.

6As long as the Vajjis don’t rape or abduct women or girls from their families and force them to live with them, they can expect growth, not decline.

7As long as the Vajjis honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the Vajjian shrines, whether inner or outer, not neglecting the proper spirit-offerings that were given and made in the past, they can expect growth, not decline.

8As long as the Vajjis arrange for proper protection, shelter, and security for perfected ones, so that more perfected ones might come to the realm and those already here may live in comfort, they can expect growth, not decline.

9As long as these seven principles that prevent decline last among the Vajjis, and as long as the Vajjis are seen following them, they can expect growth, not decline.”

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​   ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati sārandade cetiye. Atha kho sambahulā licchavī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te licchavī bhagavā etadavoca: 

"satta vo, licchavī, aparihāniye dhamme desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.

"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te licchavī bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

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2"Katame ca, licchavī, satta aparihāniyā dhammā?

Yāvakīvañca, licchavī, vajjī abhiṇhaṁ sannipātā bhavissanti sannipātabahulā; vuddhiyeva, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni. (1)

3Yāvakīvañca, licchavī, vajjī samaggā sannipatissanti, samaggā vuṭṭhahissanti, samaggā vajjikaraṇīyāni karissanti; vuddhiyeva, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni. (2)

4Yāvakīvañca, licchavī, vajjī apaññattaṁ na paññāpessanti, paññattaṁ na samucchindissanti, yathāpaññatte porāṇe vajjidhamme samādāya vattissanti; vuddhiyeva, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni. (3)

5Yāvakīvañca, licchavī, vajjī ye te vajjīnaṁ vajjimahallakā te sakkarissanti garuṁ karissanti mānessanti pūjessanti, tesañca sotabbaṁ maññissanti; vuddhiyeva, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni. (4)

6Yāvakīvañca, licchavī, vajjī yā tā kulitthiyo kulakumāriyo tā na okassa pasayha vāsessanti; vuddhiyeva, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni. (5)

7Yāvakīvañca, licchavī, vajjī yāni tāni vajjīnaṁ vajjicetiyāni abbhantarāni ceva bāhirāni ca tāni sakkarissanti garuṁ karissanti mānessanti pūjessanti, tesañca dinnapubbaṁ katapubbaṁ dhammikaṁ baliṁ no parihāpessanti; vuddhiyeva, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni. (6)

8Yāvakīvañca, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ arahantesu dhammikā rakkhāvaraṇagutti susaṁvihitā bhavissati:  ‘Kinti anāgatā ca arahanto vijitaṁ āgaccheyyuṁ, āgatā ca arahanto vijite phāsuṁ vihareyyun’ti; vuddhiyeva, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni. (7)

9Yāvakīvañca, licchavī, ime satta aparihāniyā dhammā vajjīsu ṭhassanti, imesu ca sattasu aparihāniyesu dhammesu vajjī sandississanti; vuddhiyeva, licchavī, vajjīnaṁ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihānī"ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.