Numbered Discourses 5.154 16. The True Teaching The Decline of the True Teaching (1st) (AN5.154)

1.1

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

“Mendicants, these five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

1.2

Katame pañca?

What five?

1.3

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū na sakkaccaṁ dhammaṁ suṇanti, na sakkaccaṁ dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇanti, na sakkaccaṁ dhammaṁ dhārenti, na sakkaccaṁ dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhanti, na sakkaccaṁ atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammaṁ paṭipajjanti.

It’s when mendicants don’t carefully listen to the teachings, memorize them, and remember them. They don’t carefully examine the meaning of teachings that they remember. And they don’t carefully practice in line with the meaning and the teaching they’ve understood.

1.4

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

These five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.

2.1

Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.

2.2

Katame pañca?

What five?

2.3

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sakkaccaṁ dhammaṁ suṇanti, sakkaccaṁ dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇanti, sakkaccaṁ dhammaṁ dhārenti, sakkaccaṁ dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhanti, sakkaccaṁ atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammaṁ paṭipajjanti.

It’s when mendicants carefully listen to the teachings, memorize them, and remember them. They carefully examine the meaning of teachings that they remember. And they carefully practice in line with the meaning and the teaching they’ve understood.

2.4

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattantī”ti.

These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.”

2.5

Catutthaṁ.