{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an10.55/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an10.55","id":"suttacentral_an10.55","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an10.55/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"There S\u0101riputta addressed the mendicants: \u201cReverends, mendicants!\u201d \u201cReverend,\u201d they replied. S\u0101riputta said this: \u201cReverends, they speak of an individual liable to decline, and one not liable to decline. But how did the Buddha define an individual liable to decline, and one not liable to decline?\u201d \u201cReverend, we would travel a long way to learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of Venerable S\u0101riputta. May Venerable S\u0101riputta himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.\u201d \u201cThen listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, reverend,\u201d they replied. S\u0101riputta said this: \u201cHow did the Buddha define an individual liable to decline? It\u2019s when a mendicant doesn\u2019t get to hear a teaching they haven\u2019t heard before. They forget those teachings they have heard. They don\u2019t keep exercising the teachings with which they are already familiar. And they don\u2019t come to understand what they haven\u2019t understood before. That\u2019s how the Buddha defined an individual liable to decline. And how did the Buddha define an individual not liable to decline? It\u2019s when a mendicant gets to hear a teaching they haven\u2019t heard before. They remember those teachings they have heard. They keep exercising the teachings with which they are already familiar. And they come to understand what they haven\u2019t understood before. That\u2019s how the Buddha defined an individual not liable to decline. If a mendicant isn\u2019t skilled in encompassing another\u2019s mind, then they should train themselves: \u2018I will be skilled in encompassing my own mind.\u2019 And how is a mendicant skilled in encompassing their own mind? Suppose there was a woman or man who was young, youthful, and fond of adornments, and they check their own reflection in a clean bright mirror or a clear bowl of water. If they see any dirt or blemish there, they\u2019d try to remove it. But if they don\u2019t see any dirt or blemish there, they\u2019re happy with that, as they\u2019ve got all they wished for: \u2018How fortunate that I\u2019m clean!\u2019 In the same way, checking is very helpful for a mendicant\u2019s skillful qualities. \u2018Is contentment often found in me or not? Is good will often found in me or not? Is freedom from dullness and drowsiness often found in me or not? Is calm often found in me or not? Is confidence often found in me or not? Is love often found in me or not? Is purity of mind often found in me or not? Is internal joy with the teaching found in me or not? Is internal serenity of heart found in me or not? Is the higher wisdom of discernment of principles found in me or not?\u2019 Suppose a mendicant, while checking, doesn\u2019t see any of these skillful qualities in themselves. In order to get them they should apply extraordinary enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness. Suppose your clothes or head were on fire. In order to extinguish it, you\u2019d apply extraordinary enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness. In the same way, they should apply extraordinary enthusiasm to get those skillful qualities \u2026 Suppose a mendicant, while checking, sees some of these skillful qualities in themselves, but doesn\u2019t see others. Grounded on the skillful qualities they see, they should apply extraordinary enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness in order to get the skillful qualities they don\u2019t see. Suppose your clothes or head were on fire. In order to extinguish it, you\u2019d apply extraordinary enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness. In the same way, grounded on the skillful qualities they see, they should apply extraordinary enthusiasm to get those skillful qualities they don\u2019t see. But suppose a mendicant, while checking, sees all of these skillful qualities in themselves. Grounded on all these skillful qualities they should practice meditation further to end the defilements.\u201d","title":"Decline","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":639}