Teachings¶
Principles of Non-Decline
Aparihāniya-dhammā
[AN 7.23]
katame ca bhikkhave satta aparihāniyā dhammā?
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| katame | pron | masc.acc.pl | what? which (of the many)? |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| satta | adj | x.nom.pl | seven |
| aparihāniyā | adj | masc.nom.pl | not connected with loss, deterioration, decrease decline |
| dhammā | noun | masc.nom.pl | principles, laws |
and what bhikkhus are the seven principles, not connected with loss?
yāvakīvañca bhikkhave bhikkhū abhiṇhaṃ sannipātā bhavissanti sannipātabahulā
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yāvakīvañca | ind | and as long as | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| abhiṇhaṃ | ind | continuously, repeatedly, regularly, often | |
| sannipātā | noun | masc.nom.pl | assembly, congregation, gathering |
| bhavissanti | verb | pr.3.pl | will be |
| sannipāta- | noun | masc | assembly, congregation, gathering |
| bahulā | adj | masc.nom.pl | abundant, full of, frequent |
o monks, and as long as monks will have regularly gathering, frequent assembly.
vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā no parihāni
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| vuddhi- | noun | fem.nom.sg | growth, increase |
| yeva | ind | just, only, even, even so, yet, also | |
| pāṭikaṅkhā | adj | fem.nom.sg | to be expected (for), certain (for), should be expected, can be anticipated |
| no | ind | not | |
| parihāni | noun | fem.nom.sg | loss, deterioration, decrease, decline |
only growth is to be expected not decline.
yāvakīvañca bhikkhave bhikkhū samaggā sannipatissanti, samaggā vuṭṭhahissanti, samaggā saṅghakaraṇīyāni karissanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yāvakīvañca | ind | and as long as | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| samaggā | adj | masc.nom.pl | unified, in concord, harmonious |
| sannipatissanti, | verb | fut.3.pl | will gather together, assemble |
| samaggā | adj | masc.nom.pl | unified, in concord, harmonious |
| vuṭṭhahissanti, | verb | fut.3.pl | will stand above, rise above, withdraw (from) emerge (from) |
| samaggā | adj | masc.nom.pl | unified, in concord, harmonious |
| saṅgha- | noun | Community, assembly of monks | |
| karaṇīyāni | noun | nt.acc.pl | duties, obligations, what should be done, which should have been done |
| karissanti | verb | fut.3.pl | will make, do, perform |
o monks, and as long as monks will gather together harmoniously, will emerge (from gathering) harmoniously, will perferm duties of Community harmoniously
vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā no parihāni
only growth is to be expected not decline.
yāvakīvañca bhikkhave bhikkhū apaññattaṃ na paññāpessanti, paññattaṃ na samucchindissanti, yathāpaññattesu sikkhāpadesu vattissanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yāvakīvañca | ind | and as long as | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| apaññattaṃ | pp | masc.acc.sg | not formulated, not prescribed, not decreed not declared |
| na | ind | not | |
| paññāpessanti, | verb | fut.3.pl | define as, assert, declare |
| paññattaṃ | pp | masc.acc.sg | formulated, prescribed, decreed, declared |
| na | ind | not | |
| samucchindissanti, | verb | fut.3.pl | cut off completely, uproot, eradicate |
| yathā- | ind | like, as, according to, on account of, because of | how |
| paññattesu | pp | masc.loc.pl | in formulated, prescribed, decreed, declared |
| sikkhāpadesu | noun | nt.loc.pl | in precepts, instructions, training rules |
| samādāya | verb | ger | accepting, undertaking, taking up |
| vattissanti | verb | fut.3.pl | proceed, continue, go forward, practice |
o monks, and as long as monks will not assert what has not been declared, will not eradicate what has been declared, undertaking training rules as they has beed formulated will practice (them).
vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā no parihāni
only growth is to be expected not decline.
yāvakīvañca bhikkhave bhikkhū ye te bhikkhū therā rattaññū cirapabbajitā saṅgha-pitaro saṅgha-pariṇāyakā te sakkarissanti garuṃ karissanti mānessanti pūjessanti tesañca sotabbaṃ maññissanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yāvakīvañca | ind | and as long as | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| ye | pron | masc.nom.pl | that which, whoever |
| te | pron | masc.nom.pl | those |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| therā | adj | masc.nom.pl | old, elderly, senior |
| rattaññū | adj | masc.nom.pl | of long standing |
| cirapabbajitā | adj | masc.nom.pl | having long since become a monk |
| saṅgha-pitaro | noun | masc.nom.pl | fathers of the Community |
| saṅgha-pariṇāyakā | noun | masc.nom.pl | leaders, guides, advisers of Community |
| te | pron | masc.acc.pl | them |
| sakkarissanti | verb | fut.3.pl | will honour, esteem, respect |
| garuṃ karissanti | idiom | fut.3.pl | will respects; reveres. |
| mānessanti | verb | fut.3.pl | will honour; revere; think highly. |
| pūjessanti | verb | fut.3.pl | will honour; respect; worship, revere |
| tesaṃ | pron | masc.gen.pl | of them |
| ca | ind | and | |
| sotabbaṃ | ptp | masc.acc.sg | should be heard |
| maññissanti | verb | fut.3.pl | will consider (to be), take, regard, view (as) |
as long as the bhikkhus will honour those monks - who senior, of long standing, having long since become a monk, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community - will make respect, revere, and will consider that what should be heard from them
vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā no parihāni
only growth is to be expected not decline.
yāvakīvañca bhikkhave bhikkhū uppannāya taṇhāya ponobhavikāya na vasaṃ gacchissanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yāvakīvañca | ind | and as long as | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| uppannāya | adj | fem.gen.sg | arisen, appeared, come into existence |
| taṇhāya | noun | fem.gen.sg | craving (for), wanting, desire (for), lit. thirst (for) |
| ponobhavikāya | adj | fem.gen.sg | repeated existence, leading to rebirth |
| na | ind | not | |
| vasaṃ | noun | masc.acc.sg | control, authority, power, mastery |
| gacchissanti | verb | fut.3.pl | will go, walk, move |
o monks, and as long as monks will not come under the control of arisen craving, which leading to rebirth
vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā no parihāni
only growth is to be expected not decline.
yāvakīvañca bhikkhave bhikkhū āraññakesu senāsanesu sāpekkhā bhavissanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yāvakīvañca | ind | and as long as | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| āraññakesu | adj | nt.loc.pl | in belonging to or living in a forest. |
| senāsanesu | noun | nt.loc.pl | in housings, living places, lodgings |
| sāpekkhā | adj | masc.nom.pl | hopeful; expecting; looking for. |
| bhavissanti | verb | fut.3.pl | they will be |
o monks, and as long as monks will be looking for living places belonging to a forest
vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā no parihāni
only growth is to be expected not decline.
yāvakīvañca bhikkhave bhikkhū paccattaññeva satiṃ upaṭṭhāpessanti: kinti anāgatā ca pesalā sabrahmacārī āgaccheyyuṃ āgatā ca pesalā sabrahmacārī phāsuṃ vihareyyun'ti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yāvakīvañca | ind | and as long as | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks |
| paccattaṃ- | ind | for oneself, individually, personally, exclusively | |
| yeva | ind | just, only, even, even so, yet, also | |
| satiṃ | noun | fem.acc.sg | mindfulness, presence, recollection, awareness |
| upaṭṭhāpessanti: | verb | fut.3.pl | will cause to attend, set up, make sure is present |
| kinti | ind | inter | how then? in what way? |
| anāgatā | adj | masc.nom.pl | not yet come, future |
| ca | ind | and | |
| pesalā | adj | masc.nom.pl | lovable, pleasant, well-behaved amiable |
| sabrahmacārī | noun | masc.nom.pl | fellow monks, spiritual companions |
| āgaccheyyuṃ | verb | opt.3.pl | they would come |
| āgatā | adj | masc.nom.pl | come, arrived |
| ca | ind | and | |
| pesalā | adj | masc.nom.pl | lovable, pleasant, well-behaved amiable |
| sabrahmacārī | noun | masc.nom.pl | fellow monks, spiritual companions |
| phāsuṃ | noun | masc.acc.sg | ease, comfort |
| vihareyyun'ti | verb | opt.3.pl | they would stay, live |
o monks, and as long as monks just individually will set up mindfulness: how then not yet come well-behaved fellow monks would come? And (how then) arrived well-behaved fellow monks would stay at ease?”
vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā no parihāni
only growth is to be expected not decline.
yāvakīvañca bhikkhave ime satta aparihāniyā dhammā bhikkhūsu ṭhassanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yāvakīvañca | ind | and as long as | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.sg | o monks! |
| ime | pron | masc.nom.pl | these |
| satta | adj | x.nom.pl | seven |
| aparihāniyā | adj | masc.nom.pl | not connected with loss, deterioration, decrease decline |
| dhammā | noun | masc.nom.pl | principles, law |
| bhikkhūsu | noun | masc.loc.pl | in monks, among monks |
| ṭhassanti | verb | fut.3.pl | will last, remain, persist, lit. stand |
o monks, and as long as these seven principles, not connected with loss, will remain among monks
imesu ca sattasu aparihāniyesu dhammesu bhikkhū sandississanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| imesu | pron | masc.loc.pl | in these |
| ca | ind | and | |
| sattasu | adj | x.loc.pl | in seven |
| aparihāniyesu | adj | masc.loc.pl | in not connected with loss, deterioration decrease, decline |
| dhammesu | noun | masc.loc.pl | in principles, law |
| bhikkhū | noun | masc.nom.pl | monks, among monks |
| sandississanti | verb | fut.3.pl | will be seen together with, will be engaged in agree with, live conformably to |
and monks will live conformably in these seven seven principles, not connected with loss
vuddhiyeva bhikkhave bhikkhūnaṃ pāṭikaṅkhā no parihānī ti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| vuddhi- | noun | fem.nom.sg | growth, increase |
| yeva | ind | just, only, even, even so, yet, also | |
| bhikkhave | noun | masc.voc.pl | o monks |
| bhikkhūnaṃ | noun | masc.dat.pl | for monks |
| pāṭikaṅkhā | adj | f.n.s to be expected (for), certain (for), should be expected, can be anticipated | |
| no | ind | not | |
| parihāni | noun | fem.nom.sg | loss, deterioration, decrease, decline |
o monks, only growth is to be expected for monks, not decline.
[AN 7.27]
yāvakīvañ'ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhū aniccasaññaṃ bhāvessanti; anattasaññaṃ bhāvessanti; asubhasaññaṃ bhāvessanti; ādīnavasaññaṃ bhāvessanti; pahānasaññaṃ bhāvessanti; virāgasaññaṃ bhāvessanti; nirodhasaññaṃ bhāvessanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| aniccasaññaṃ | noun | fem.acc.sg | recognition of impermanence, perception of instability |
| bhāvessanti | verb | fut.3.pl | they will cultivate, develop |
| anattasaññaṃ | noun | fem.acc.sg | recognition of impersonality; perception of not self |
| asubhasaññaṃ | noun | fem.acc.sg | recognition of unattractiveness, perception of ugliness |
| ādīnavasaññaṃ | noun | fem.acc.sg | recognition of danger, perception of disadvantages |
| pahānasaññaṃ | noun | fem.acc.sg | recognition of giving up, perception of letting go |
| virāgasaññaṃ | noun | fem.acc.sg | recognition of fading away of passion, perception of absence of desire |
| nirodhasaññaṃ | noun | fem.acc.sg | recognition of termination, perception of cessation |
As long as the monks develop the perception of impermanence, the perception of not-self, the perception of ugliness; the perception of danger; the perception of letting go; the perception of fading away of passion; the perception of cessation
vuddhiy'eva, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṃ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
Monks, only growth is to be expected for monks, not decline.
[AN 7.25]
yāvakīvañ'ca bhikkhave bhikkhū hirimanto bhavissanti; ottappino bhavissanti; bahussutā bhavissanti; āraddhavīriyā bhavissanti; satimanto bhavissanti; paññavanto bhavissanti;
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| hirimanto | adj | masc.nom.pl | has a conscience, conscientious |
| ottappino | adj | masc.nom.pl | afraid of wrong, feeling shame |
| bahussutā | adj | masc.nom.pl | well learned; knowledgeable |
| āraddhavīriyā | adj | masc.nom.pl | vigorous, with energy aroused, applying energy making an effort |
| satimanto | adj | masc.nom.pl | mindful; fully present; attentive |
| paññavanto | adj | masc.nom.pl | wise; intelligent; insightful; percipient |
As long as the monks develop conscience, shame of wrong; learnedness; aroused energy; mindfulness and wisdom;
[AN 7.24]
na oramattakena vises'ādhigamena antarāvosānaṃ āpajjissanti
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| na | ind | not | |
| oramattakena | adj | masc.ins.sg | lesser; insignificant; of small value or importance |
| visesa- | noun | distinction, attainment | |
| adhigamena | noun | masc.ins.sg | with discovery (of); finding (of); attainment (of); achievement (of) |
| antarā- | ind | in between, mid-way, along the way | |
| vosānaṃ | noun | nt.acc.sg | stopping, ceasing |
| āpajjissanti | verb | fut.3.pl | they will come to, reach; enter upon, fall into |
Do not come to a stop midway because of some minor achievement of distinction
vuddhiy'eva, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṃ pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
Monks, only growth is to be expected for monks, not decline.
[AN 8.79]
ime bhikkhave dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṃvattanti.
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| sekhassa | noun | masc.gen.sg | of trainee, belonging to training |
| bhikkhuno | noun | masc.gen.sg | of monk |
| aparihānāya | noun | nt.dat.sg | to the non-decline, not deterioration, not decrease |
| saṃvattanti | verb | pr.3.pl | they lead (to), conduce to |
Monks, these qualities lead to the non-decline of a monk who is a trainee.
na kamm'ārāmatā, na bhass'ārāmatā, na nidd'ārāmatā, na saṅgaṇik'ārāmatā, indriyesu guttadvāratā, bhojane mattaññutā, asaṃsagg'ārāmatā, nippapañc'ārāmatā.
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| kamm'ārāmatā | noun | fem.nom.sg | pleasure of work; enjoyment of activity |
| bhass'ārāmatā | noun | fem.nom.sg | pleasure of speech; enjoyment of talk |
| nidd'ārāmatā | noun | fem.nom.sg | pleasure of sleep |
| saṅgaṇik'ārāmatā | noun | fem.nom.sg | pleasure of company; enjoyment of society |
| indriyesu | noun | masc.loc.pl | in senses, faculties |
| guttadvāratā | noun | fem.nom.sg | control over one's senses |
| bhojane | noun | nt.loc.sg | in eating, taking food |
| mattaññutā | noun | fem.nom.sg | moderation (in), knowing the measure or limit |
| asaṃsagg'ārāmatā | noun | fem.nom.sg | pleasure of non-association; enjoyment of detachment |
| nippapañc'ārāmatā | noun | fem.nom.sg | pleasure of non-proliferation, enjoyment of non- manifoldness (opinions, thoughts) |
not taking pleasure in work, in talk, in sleep, in company, guarding the doors of the sense faculties, moderation in eating, delight in non-association, pleasure of non-proliferation.
[AN 6.22]
sovacassatā, kalyāṇamittatā
| Pāli | POS | Grammar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| sovacassatā | noun | fem.nom.sg | suavity, gentleness (in speech), obedience |
| kalyāṇamittatā | noun | fem.nom.sg | beneficial friendship, spiritual companionship |
obedience and beneficial friendship
[AN 8.79]
ime kho bhikkhave dhammā sekhassa bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṃvattantī"ti
Monks, these qualities lead to the non-decline of a monk who is a trainee.