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SN 16.7PTS SN 2.2052 min read

Advice (2nd)

Dutiyaovādasutta

The Buddha invites Kassapa to teach the mendicants, but he is reluctant, saying that the mendicants have become stubborn and their good qualities are declining.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 16.7Linked Discourses 16.7
  • 0.21. Kassapavagga1. Kassapa

0.3DutiyaovādasuttaAdvice (2nd)

1.1PTS 2.206Rājagahe viharati veḷuvane.Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove.1.2Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe…Then Venerable Mahākassapa went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

1.3ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ mahākassapaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:The Buddha said to him,1.4“ovada, kassapa, bhikkhū;“Kassapa, advise the mendicants!1.5karohi, kassapa, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiṁ kathaṁ.Give them a Dhamma talk!1.6Ahaṁ vā, kassapa, bhikkhū ovadeyyaṁ tvaṁ vā;Either you or I should advise the mendicants1.7ahaṁ vā bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiṁ kathaṁ kareyyaṁ tvaṁ vā”ti.and give them a Dhamma talk.”

2.1“Dubbacā kho, bhante, etarahi bhikkhū, dovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā akkhamā appadakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ.“Sir, the mendicants these days are hard to admonish, having qualities that make them hard to admonish. They’re impatient, and don’t take instruction respectfully.

2.2Yassa kassaci, bhante, saddhā natthi kusalesu dhammesu, hirī natthi kusalesu dhammesu, ottappaṁ natthi kusalesu dhammesu, vīriyaṁ natthi kusalesu dhammesu, paññā natthi kusalesu dhammesu, tassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, hāniyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no vuddhi.Sir, whoever has no faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities can expect decline, not growth, in skillful qualities, whether by day or by night.1

3.1Seyyathāpi, bhante, kāḷapakkhe candassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, hāyateva vaṇṇena, hāyati maṇḍalena, hāyati ābhāya, hāyati ārohapariṇāhena.It’s like the moon in the waning fortnight. Whether by day or by night, its beauty, roundness, luminosity, and diameter and circumference only decline.

3.2Evameva kho, bhante, yassa kassaci saddhā natthi kusalesu dhammesu …pe…In the same way, whoever has no faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities can expect decline, not growth, in skillful qualities, whether by day or by night.3.3hirī natthi …3.4ottappaṁ natthi …3.5vīriyaṁ natthi …3.6paññā natthi … kusalesu dhammesu tassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, hāniyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no vuddhi.

4.1‘Assaddho purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, parihānametaṁ;A faithless individual is in decline.4.2‘ahiriko purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, parihānametaṁ;An individual with no conscience is in decline.4.3‘anottappī purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, parihānametaṁ;An imprudent individual is in decline.4.4‘kusīto purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, parihānametaṁ;A lazy individual is in decline.4.5‘duppañño purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, parihānametaṁ;A witless individual is in decline.4.6‘kodhano purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, parihānametaṁ;An irritable individual is in decline.4.7‘upanāhī purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, parihānametaṁ;An acrimonious individual is in decline.4.8‘na santi bhikkhū ovādakā’ti, bhante, parihānametaṁ.When there are no mendicant advisers there is decline.

5.1Yassa kassaci, bhante, saddhā atthi kusalesu dhammesu, hirī atthi kusalesu dhammesu, ottappaṁ atthi kusalesu dhammesu, vīriyaṁ atthi kusalesu dhammesu, paññā atthi kusalesu dhammesu, tassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no parihāni.Sir, whoever has faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities can expect growth, not decline, in skillful qualities, whether by day or by night.

6.1PTS 2.207Seyyathāpi, bhante, juṇhapakkhe candassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, vaḍḍhateva vaṇṇena, vaḍḍhati maṇḍalena, vaḍḍhati ābhāya, vaḍḍhati ārohapariṇāhena.It’s like the moon in the waxing fortnight. Whether by day or by night, its beauty, roundness, luminosity, and diameter and circumference only grow.

6.2Evameva kho, bhante, yassa kassaci saddhā atthi kusalesu dhammesu …In the same way, whoever has faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities can expect growth, not decline, in skillful qualities, whether by day or by night.6.3hirī atthi …pe…6.4ottappaṁ atthi …6.5vīriyaṁ atthi …6.6paññā atthi kusalesu dhammesu tassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no parihāni.

7.1‘Saddho purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, aparihānametaṁ;A faithful individual doesn’t decline.7.2‘hirimā purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, aparihānametaṁ;An individual with a conscience doesn’t decline.7.3‘ottappī purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, aparihānametaṁ;A prudent individual doesn’t decline.7.4‘āraddhavīriyo purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, aparihānametaṁ;An energetic individual doesn’t decline.7.5‘paññavā purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, aparihānametaṁ;A wise individual doesn’t decline.7.6‘akkodhano purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, aparihānametaṁ;A loving individual doesn’t decline.7.7‘anupanāhī purisapuggalo’ti, bhante, aparihānametaṁ;A kind individual doesn’t decline.7.8‘santi bhikkhū ovādakā’ti, bhante, aparihānametan”ti.When there are mendicant advisers there is no decline.”

8.1“Sādhu sādhu, kassapa.“Good, good, Kassapa!8.2Yassa kassaci, kassapa, saddhā natthi kusalesu dhammesu …pe…Whoever has no faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities can expect decline, not growth …8.3hirī natthi …8.4ottappaṁ natthi …8.5vīriyaṁ natthi …8.6paññā natthi kusalesu dhammesu tassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, hāniyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no vuddhi.

9.1Seyyathāpi, kassapa, kāḷapakkhe candassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, hāyateva vaṇṇena …pe…9.2hāyati ārohapariṇāhena.

9.3Evameva kho, kassapa, yassa kassaci saddhā natthi kusalesu dhammesu …pe…9.4hirī natthi …9.5ottappaṁ natthi …9.6vīriyaṁ natthi …9.7paññā natthi kusalesu dhammesu tassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, hāniyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no vuddhi.9.8‘Assaddho purisapuggalo’ti, kassapa, parihānametaṁ;9.9ahiriko …pe…9.10anottappī …9.11kusīto …9.12duppañño …9.13kodhano …9.14‘upanāhī purisapuggalo’ti, kassapa, parihānametaṁ;9.15‘na santi bhikkhū ovādakā’ti, kassapa, parihānametaṁ.When there are no mendicant advisers there is decline.

10.1Yassa kassaci, kassapa, saddhā atthi kusalesu dhammesu …pe…Whoever has faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities can expect growth, not decline …10.2hirī atthi …10.3ottappaṁ atthi …10.4vīriyaṁ atthi …10.5paññā atthi kusalesu dhammesu tassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no parihāni.

11.1PTS 2.208Seyyathāpi, kassapa, juṇhapakkhe candassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, vaḍḍhateva vaṇṇena, vaḍḍhati maṇḍalena, vaḍḍhati ābhāya, vaḍḍhati ārohapariṇāhena.

11.2Evameva kho, kassapa, yassa kassaci saddhā atthi kusalesu dhammesu hirī atthi …11.3ottappaṁ atthi …11.4vīriyaṁ atthi …11.5paññā atthi kusalesu dhammesu tassa yā ratti vā divaso vā āgacchati, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no parihāni.

12.1‘Saddho purisapuggalo’ti, kassapa, aparihānametaṁ;12.2hirimā …pe…12.3ottappī …12.4āraddhavīriyo …12.5paññavā …12.6akkodhano …12.7‘anupanāhī purisapuggalo’ti, kassapa, aparihānametaṁ;12.8‘santi bhikkhū ovādakā’ti, kassapa, aparihānametan”ti.When there are mendicant advisers there is no decline.”

12.9Sattamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. See similar teachings at AN 10.67 and AN 10.68.

    ↩ sn16.7:2.2