Light/Dark

Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

7: The Book of the Sevens

III. The Vajji Seven — AN 7.28: Non-decline for a Mendicant Trainee

1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“These seven things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What seven? They relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They don’t guard the sense doors and they eat too much. And when there is Saṅgha business to be carried out, they don’t reflect: ‘There are senior mendicants in the Saṅgha of long standing, long gone forth, responsible. They’ll be known for taking care of this.’ So they try to do it themselves. These seven things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

2These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What seven? They don’t relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They guard the sense doors and don’t they eat too much. And when there is Saṅgha business to be carried out, they reflect: ‘There are senior mendicants in the Saṅgha of long standing, long gone forth, responsible. They’ll be known for taking care of this.’ So they don’t try to do it themselves. These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.”

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​   ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: 

"sattime, bhikkhave, dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattanti. Katame satta? Kammārāmatā, bhassārāmatā, niddārāmatā, saṅgaṇikārāmatā, indriyesu aguttadvāratā, bhojane amattaññutā, santi kho pana saṅghe saṅghakaraṇīyāni; tatra sekho bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:  ‘santi kho pana saṅghe therā rattaññū cirapabbajitā bhāravāhino, te tena paññāyissantī’ti attanā tesu yogaṁ āpajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattanti.

2Sattime, bhikkhave, dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti. Katame satta? Na kammārāmatā, na bhassārāmatā, na niddārāmatā, na saṅgaṇikārāmatā, indriyesu guttadvāratā, bhojane mattaññutā, santi kho pana saṅghe saṅghakaraṇīyāni; tatra sekho bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:  ‘santi kho pana saṅghe therā rattaññū cirapabbajitā bhāravāhino, te tena paññāyissantī’ti attanā na tesu yogaṁ āpajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.