SN 47.23

Parihānasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca ānando āyasmā ca bhaddo pāṭaliputte viharanti kukkuṭārāme. Atha kho āyasmā bhaddo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena saddhammaparihānaṁ hoti? Ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena saddhammaaparihānaṁ hotī”ti?

Decline

At one time the venerables Ānanda and Bhadda were staying near Pāṭaliputta, in the Chicken Monastery. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Bhadda came out of retreat, went to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda: “What’s the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what’s the reason why the true teaching declines? And what’s the cause, what’s the reason why the true teaching doesn’t decline?”

“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda. Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā. Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi: ‘ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena saddhammaparihānaṁ hoti? Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena saddhammaaparihānaṁ hotī’”ti? “Evamāvuso”ti. “Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā saddhammaparihānaṁ hoti. Catunnañca kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā saddhammaaparihānaṁ hoti.

“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda! Your approach and eloquence are excellent, and it’s a good question. For you asked: ‘What’s the cause, what’s the reason why the true teaching declines? And what’s the cause, what’s the reason why the true teaching doesn’t decline?’” “Yes, reverend.” “It’s because of not developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching declines. It’s because of developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t decline.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā saddhammaparihānaṁ hoti. Imesañca kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā saddhammaaparihānaṁ hotī”ti.

What four? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. It’s because of not developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching declines. And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t decline.”