AN 7.32

Appamādagāravasutta

Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Respect for Diligence

Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

“Sattime, bhante, dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti. Katame satta? Satthugāravatā, dhammagāravatā, saṅghagāravatā, sikkhāgāravatā, samādhigāravatā, appamādagāravatā, paṭisanthāragāravatā. Ime kho, bhante, satta dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī”ti. Idamavoca sā devatā. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho sā devatā “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

“Sir, these seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant. What seven? Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training, for immersion, for diligence, and for hospitality. These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.” That is what that deity said, and the Teacher concurred. Then that deity, knowing that the Teacher concurred, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi: “imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhikkhave, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca: ‘sattime, bhante, dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti. Katame satta? Satthugāravatā, dhammagāravatā, saṅghagāravatā, sikkhāgāravatā, samādhigāravatā, appamādagāravatā, paṭisanthāragāravatā— ime kho, bhante, satta dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī’ti. Idamavoca, bhikkhave, sā devatā. Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened, adding:

Satthugaru dhammagaru, saṅghe ca tibbagāravo; Samādhigaru ātāpī, sikkhāya tibbagāravo.

“Respect for the Teacher and the teaching, and keen respect for the Saṅgha; respect for immersion, being energetic, and keen respect for the training.

Appamādagaru bhikkhu, paṭisanthāragāravo; Abhabbo parihānāya, nibbānasseva santike”ti.

A mendicant who respects diligence and hospitality can’t decline, and has drawn near to extinguishment.”