AN 7.31

Parābhavasutta

“Sattime, bhikkhave, upāsakassa parābhavā …pe… sattime, bhikkhave, upāsakassa sambhavā. Katame satta? Bhikkhudassanaṁ na hāpeti, saddhammassavanaṁ nappamajjati, adhisīle sikkhati, pasādabahulo hoti, bhikkhūsu theresu ceva navesu ca majjhimesu ca anupārambhacitto dhammaṁ suṇāti na randhagavesī, na ito bahiddhā dakkhiṇeyyaṁ gavesati, idha ca pubbakāraṁ karoti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta upāsakassa sambhavāti.

Downfalls for a Lay Follower

“Mendicants, there are these seven downfalls for a lay follower … There are these seven successes for a lay follower. What seven? They don’t miss out on seeing the mendicants. They don’t neglect listening to the true teaching. They train in higher ethical conduct. They’re very confident about mendicants, whether senior, junior, or middle. They don’t listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind. They don’t seek outside of the Buddhist community for those worthy of religious donations. And they serve the Buddhist community first. These are the seven successes for a lay follower.

Dassanaṁ bhāvitattānaṁ, Yo hāpeti upāsako; Savanañca ariyadhammānaṁ, Adhisīle na sikkhati.

A lay follower misses out on seeing those who are evolved and listening to the teachings of the Noble One. They don’t train in higher ethical conduct,

Appasādo ca bhikkhūsu, bhiyyo bhiyyo pavaḍḍhati; Upārambhakacitto ca, saddhammaṁ sotumicchati.

and their suspicion about mendicants just grows and grows. They want to listen to the true teaching with a fault-finding mind.

Ito ca bahiddhā aññaṁ, dakkhiṇeyyaṁ gavesati; Tattheva ca pubbakāraṁ, yo karoti upāsako.

They seek outside the Buddhist community for someone else worthy of religious donations, and that lay follower serves them first.

Ete kho parihāniye, satta dhamme sudesite; Upāsako sevamāno, saddhammā parihāyati.

These seven principles leading to decline have been well taught. A lay follower who practices these falls away from the true teaching.

Dassanaṁ bhāvitattānaṁ, Yo na hāpeti upāsako; Savanañca ariyadhammānaṁ, Adhisīle ca sikkhati.

A lay follower doesn’t miss out on seeing those who are evolved and listening to the teachings of the Noble One. They train in higher ethical conduct,

Pasādo cassa bhikkhūsu, bhiyyo bhiyyo pavaḍḍhati; Anupārambhacitto ca, saddhammaṁ sotumicchati.

and their confidence in mendicants just grows and grows. They want to listen to the true teaching without a fault-finding mind.

Na ito bahiddhā aññaṁ, dakkhiṇeyyaṁ gavesati; Idheva ca pubbakāraṁ, yo karoti upāsako.

They don’t seek outside the Buddhist community for someone else worthy of religious donations, and that lay follower serves the Buddhist community first.

Ete kho aparihāniye, Satta dhamme sudesite; Upāsako sevamāno, Saddhammā na parihāyatī”ti.

These seven principles that prevent decline have been well taught. A lay follower who practices them doesn’t fall away from the true teaching.”