Linked Discourses 35.96 10. The Sixes Liable to Decline (SN35.96)

1.1

“Parihānadhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi aparihānadhammañca cha ca abhibhāyatanāni.

“Mendicants, I will teach you who is liable to decline, who is not liable to decline, and the six fields of mastery.

1.2

Taṁ suṇātha.

Listen …

1.3

Kathañca, bhikkhave, parihānadhammo hoti?

And how is someone liable to decline?

1.4

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters.

1.5

Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

Suppose that mendicant tolerates them and doesn’t give them up, dispel them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. They should understand:

1.6

‘parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’.

‘My skillful qualities are declining.

1.7

Parihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe….

For this is what the Buddha calls decline.’

2.1

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti …pe…

Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … encounters a touch …

2.2

puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

knows an idea with their mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters.

2.3

Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

If that mendicant tolerates them and doesn’t give them up, dispel them, eliminate them, and obliterate them, they should understand:

2.4

‘parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’.

‘My skillful qualities are declining.

2.5

Parihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti.

For this is what the Buddha calls decline.’

2.6

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, parihānadhammo hoti.

That’s how someone is liable to decline.

3.1

Kathañca, bhikkhave, aparihānadhammo hoti?

And how is someone not liable to decline?

3.2

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters.

3.3

Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

Suppose that mendicant doesn’t tolerate them but gives them up, dispels them, eliminates them, and obliterates them. They should understand:

3.4

‘na parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’.

‘My skillful qualities are not declining.

3.5

Aparihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe….

For this is what the Buddha calls non-decline.’

4.1

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjanti …pe…

Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … encounters a touch …

4.2

puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

knows an idea with their mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters.

4.3

Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

Suppose that mendicant doesn’t tolerate them but gives them up, dispels them, eliminates them, and obliterates them. They should understand:

4.4

‘na parihāyāmi kusalehi dhammehi’.

‘My skillful qualities are not declining.

4.5

Aparihānañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti.

For this is what the Buddha calls non-decline.’

4.6

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aparihānadhammo hoti.

That’s how someone is not liable to decline.

5.1

Katamāni ca, bhikkhave, cha abhibhāyatanāni?

And what are the six fields of mastery?

5.2

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā nuppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters.

5.3

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

They should understand:

5.4

‘abhibhūtametaṁ āyatanaṁ’.

‘This sense field has been mastered.

5.5

Abhibhāyatanañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti …pe…

For this is what the Buddha calls a field of mastery.’ …

5.6

puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya nuppajjanti pāpakā akusalā dhammā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā.

Furthermore, when a mendicant knows an idea with their mind, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts that tighten the fetters.

5.7

Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā:

They should understand:

5.8

‘abhibhūtametaṁ āyatanaṁ’.

‘This sense field has been mastered.

5.9

Abhibhāyatanañhetaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatāti.

For this is what the Buddha calls a field of mastery.’

5.10

Imāni vuccanti, bhikkhave, cha abhibhāyatanānī”ti.

These are the six fields of mastery.”

5.11

Tatiyaṁ.