AN 5.156

Tatiyasaddhammasammosasutta

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti. Katame pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū duggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti dunnikkhittehi padabyañjanehi. Dunnikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi dunnayo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

The Decline of the True Teaching (3rd)

“Mendicants, these five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching. What five? It’s when the mendicants memorize discourses that they learned incorrectly, with misplaced words and phrases. When the words and phrases are misplaced, the meaning is misinterpreted. 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. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

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

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te na sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti; tesaṁ accayena chinnamūlako suttanto hoti appaṭisaraṇo. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

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. When they pass away, the discourses are cut off at the root, with no one to preserve them. 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. Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati. Sāpi hoti bāhulikā sāthalikā okkamane pubbaṅgamā paviveke nikkhittadhurā, na vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

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. Those who come after them follow their example. They too are indulgent and slack … This is the fourth thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅgho bhinno hoti. Saṅghe kho pana, bhikkhave, bhinne aññamaññaṁ akkosā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ paribhāsā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ parikkhepā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ pariccajanā ca honti. Tattha appasannā ceva nappasīdanti, pasannānañca ekaccānaṁ aññathattaṁ hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

Furthermore, there’s a schism in the Saṅgha. When the Saṅgha is split, they abuse, insult, block, and forsake each other. This doesn’t inspire confidence in those without it, and it causes some with confidence to change their minds. This is the fifth thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching. These five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattanti. Katame pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti sunikkhittehi padabyañjanehi. Sunikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi sunayo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching. What five? It’s when the mendicants memorize discourses that have been learned correctly, with well placed words and phrases. When the words and phrases are well organized, the meaning is correctly interpreted. 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. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

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

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti; tesaṁ accayena na chinnamūlako suttanto hoti sappaṭisaraṇo. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

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. When they pass away, the discourses aren’t cut off at the root, and they have someone to preserve them. 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. Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati. Sāpi hoti na bāhulikā na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā, vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

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. Those who come after them follow their example. They too are not indulgent or slack … This is the fourth thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅgho samaggo sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsuṁ viharati. 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. Tattha appasannā ceva pasīdanti, pasannānañca bhiyyobhāvo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattantī”ti.

Furthermore, the Saṅgha lives comfortably, in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, with one recitation. When the Saṅgha is in harmony, they don’t abuse, insult, block, or forsake each other. This inspires confidence in those without it, and increases confidence in those who have it. This is the fifth thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching. These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.”