SN 35.96

Parihānadhammasutta

“Parihānadhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi aparihānadhammañca cha ca abhibhāyatanāni. Taṁ suṇātha. Kathañca, bhikkhave, parihānadhammo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’. Parihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe….

Liable to Decline

“Mendicants, I will teach you who is liable to decline, who is not liable to decline, and the six fields of mastery. Listen … And how is someone liable to decline? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters. Suppose that mendicant tolerates them and doesn’t give them up, dispel them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. They should understand: ‘My skillful qualities are declining. For this is what the Buddha calls decline.’

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti …pe… puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’. Parihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, parihānadhammo hoti.

Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … encounters a touch … knows an idea with their mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters. If that mendicant tolerates them and doesn’t give them up, dispel them, eliminate them, and obliterate them, they should understand: ‘My skillful qualities are declining. For this is what the Buddha calls decline.’ That’s how someone is liable to decline.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, aparihānadhammo hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘na parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’. Aparihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe….

And how is someone not liable to decline? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters. Suppose that mendicant doesn’t tolerate them but gives them up, dispels them, eliminates them, and obliterates them. They should understand: ‘My skillful qualities are not declining. For this is what the Buddha calls non-decline.’

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti …pe… puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘na parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’. Aparihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aparihānadhammo hoti.

Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … encounters a touch … knows an idea with their mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters. Suppose that mendicant doesn’t tolerate them but gives them up, dispels them, eliminates them, and obliterates them. They should understand: ‘My skillful qualities are not declining. For this is what the Buddha calls non-decline.’ That’s how someone is not liable to decline.

Katamāni ca, bhikkhave, cha abhibhāyatanāni? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā nuppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘abhibhūtametaṁ āyatanaṁ’. Abhibhāyatanañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe… puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya nuppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā: ‘abhibhūtametaṁ āyatanaṁ’. Abhibhāyatanañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti. Imāni vuccanti, bhikkhave, cha abhibhāyatanānī”ti.

And what are the six fields of mastery? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters. They should understand: ‘This sense field has been mastered. For this is what the Buddha calls a field of mastery.’ … Furthermore, when a mendicant knows an idea with their mind, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters. They should understand: ‘This sense field has been mastered. For this is what the Buddha calls a field of mastery.’ These are the six fields of mastery.”