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Numbered Discourses · AN 5.90

  • Numbered Discourses 5.90Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.90
  • 9. Senior Mendicants9. Theravagga

A Trainee (2nd)Dutiyasekhasutta

“These five things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.“Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattanti. What five?Katame pañca?

Firstly, a mendicant trainee has many duties and responsibilities, and is competent in many tasks.Idha, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu bahukicco hoti bahukaraṇīyo viyatto kiṅkaraṇīyesu; They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the first thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee spends too much time doing trivial work.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu appamattakena kammena divasaṁ atināmeti; They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the second thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee mixes closely with laypeople and renunciates, socializing inappropriately like a layperson.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu saṁsaṭṭho viharati gahaṭṭhapabbajitehi ananulomikena gihisaṁsaggena; They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the third thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee enters the town at the wrong time, and returns too late in the day.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu akālena gāmaṁ pavisati, atidivā paṭikkamati; They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the fourth thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee doesn’t get to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart, when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is,Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu yāyaṁ kathā ābhisallekhikā cetovivaraṇasappāyā, seyyathidaṁ— talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, aloofness, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom.appicchakathā santuṭṭhikathā pavivekakathā asaṁsaggakathā vīriyārambhakathā sīlakathā samādhikathā paññākathā vimuttikathā vimuttiñāṇadassanakathā, evarūpiyā kathāya na nikāmalābhī hoti na akicchalābhī na akasiralābhī; They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the fifth thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattati.

These five things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno parihānāya saṁvattanti.

These five things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti. What five?Katame pañca?

Firstly, a mendicant trainee doesn’t have many duties and responsibilities, even though they are competent in many tasks.Idha, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu na bahukicco hoti na bahukaraṇīyo viyatto kiṅkaraṇīyesu; They don’t neglect retreat, and are committed to internal serenity of heart.na riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, anuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the first thing that doesn’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee doesn’t waste their day doing trivial work.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu na appamattakena kammena divasaṁ atināmeti; They don’t neglect retreat, and are committed to internal serenity of heart.na riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, anuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the second thing that doesn’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee doesn’t mix closely with laypeople and renunciates, socializing inappropriately like a layperson.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu asaṁsaṭṭho viharati gahaṭṭhapabbajitehi ananulomikena gihisaṁsaggena; They don’t neglect retreat, and are committed to internal serenity of heart.na riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, anuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the third thing that doesn’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee doesn’t enter the village too early or return too late in the day.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu na atikālena gāmaṁ pavisati, nātidivā paṭikkamati; They don’t neglect retreat, and are committed to internal serenity of heart.na riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, anuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the fourth thing that doesn’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee gets to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart, when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is,Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu yāyaṁ kathā ābhisallekhikā cetovivaraṇasappāyā, seyyathidaṁ— talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, aloofness, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom.appicchakathā santuṭṭhikathā pavivekakathā asaṁsaggakathā vīriyārambhakathā sīlakathā samādhikathā paññākathā vimuttikathā vimuttiñāṇadassanakathā, evarūpiyā kathāya nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī; They don’t neglect retreat, and are committed to internal serenity of heart.na riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, anuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ. This is the fifth thing that doesn’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattati.

These five things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.”Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 5.89 A Trainee (1st) 0.85near 0.1Numbered Discourses 5.89 9. Senior Mendicants A Trainee (1st) “These five things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What five? They relish work, talk, sleep, and company. And they don’t review the extent of thei…
  2. AN 6.31 A Trainee 0.61near 0.1Numbered Discourses 6.31 4. Deities A Trainee “These six things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What six? They relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They don’t guard the sense doors, and they eat too much. T…
  3. AN 8.79 Decline 0.60near 0.1Numbered Discourses 8.79 8. Pairs Decline “These eight things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What eight? They relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They don’t guard the sense doors and they eat too much. Th…
  4. AN 5.8 Failure 0.59near 0.1Numbered Discourses 5.8 1. Powers of a Trainee Failure “Mendicants, a mendicant with five qualities fails, and doesn’t establish themselves in the true teaching. What five? A mendicant who is faithless … shameless … impr…
  5. AN 9.1 Awakening 0.57near 9.1Furthermore, a mendicant gets to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart, when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is, talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, aloofness,…
  6. AN 5.88 Senior Mendicants 0.57near 0.1Numbered Discourses 5.88 9. Senior Mendicants Senior Mendicants “Mendicants, a senior mendicant who has five qualities is acting for the detriment and unhappiness of the people, against the people, for the harm, detrimen…
  7. AN 10.12 Five Factors 0.53near 5.2Numbered Discourses 10.12 2. A Protector Five Factors “Mendicants, in this teaching and training a mendicant who has given up five factors and possesses five factors is called consummate, accomplished, a supreme person.…
  8. AN 5.73 One Who Lives by the Teaching (1st) 0.52near 9.1Furthermore, a mendicant thinks about and considers the teaching in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized it. They spend too much time thinking about that teaching. They neglect retreat, a…