Parābhavasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.31

Numbered Discourses 7.31

3. Vajjisattakavagga

3. The Vajji Seven

Parābhavasutta

Downfalls for a Lay Follower

“Sattime, bhikkhave, upāsakassa parābhavā …pe…

“Mendicants, there are these seven downfalls for a lay follower …

sattime, bhikkhave, upāsakassa sambhavā.

There are these seven successes for a lay follower.

Katame satta?

What seven?

Bhikkhudassanaṁ na hāpeti,

They don’t miss out on seeing the mendicants.

saddhammassavanaṁ nappamajjati,

They don’t neglect listening to the true teaching.

adhisīle sikkhati,

They train in higher ethical conduct.

pasādabahulo hoti,

They’re very confident about mendicants, whether senior, junior, or middle.

bhikkhūsu theresu ceva navesu ca majjhimesu ca anupārambhacitto dhammaṁ suṇāti na randhagavesī,

They don’t listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind.

na ito bahiddhā dakkhiṇeyyaṁ gavesati,

They don’t seek outside of the Buddhist community for those worthy of religious donations.

idha ca pubbakāraṁ karoti.

And they serve the Buddhist community first.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta upāsakassa sambhavāti.

These are the seven successes for a lay follower.

Dassanaṁ bhāvitattānaṁ,

A lay follower misses out on seeing

Yo hāpeti upāsako;

those who are evolved

Savanañca ariyadhammānaṁ,

and listening to the teachings of the Noble One.

Adhisīle na sikkhati.

They don’t train in higher ethical conduct,

Appasādo ca bhikkhūsu,

and their suspicion about mendicants

bhiyyo bhiyyo pavaḍḍhati;

just grows and grows.

Upārambhakacitto ca,

They want to listen to the true teaching

saddhammaṁ sotumicchati.

with a fault-finding mind.

Ito ca bahiddhā aññaṁ,

They seek outside the Buddhist community

dakkhiṇeyyaṁ gavesati;

for someone else worthy of religious donations,

Tattheva ca pubbakāraṁ,

and that lay follower

yo karoti upāsako.

serves them first.

Ete kho parihāniye,

These seven principles leading to decline

satta dhamme sudesite;

have been well taught.

Upāsako sevamāno,

A lay follower who practices these

saddhammā parihāyati.

falls away from the true teaching.

Dassanaṁ bhāvitattānaṁ,

A lay follower doesn’t miss out on seeing

Yo na hāpeti upāsako;

those who are evolved

Savanañca ariyadhammānaṁ,

and listening to the teachings of the Noble One.

Adhisīle ca sikkhati.

They train in higher ethical conduct,

Pasādo cassa bhikkhūsu,

and their confidence in mendicants

bhiyyo bhiyyo pavaḍḍhati;

just grows and grows.

Anupārambhacitto ca,

They want to listen to the true teaching

saddhammaṁ sotumicchati.

without a fault-finding mind.

Na ito bahiddhā aññaṁ,

They don’t seek outside the Buddhist community

dakkhiṇeyyaṁ gavesati;

for someone else worthy of religious donations,

Idheva ca pubbakāraṁ,

and that lay follower

yo karoti upāsako.

serves the Buddhist community first.

Ete kho aparihāniye,

These seven principles that prevent decline

Satta dhamme sudesite;

have been well taught.

Upāsako sevamāno,

A lay follower who practices them

Saddhammā na parihāyatī”ti.

doesn’t fall away from the true teaching.”

Ekādasamaṁ.

Vajjisattakavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sāranda vassakāro ca,

tisattakāni bhikkhukā;

Bodhisaññā dve ca hāni,

vipatti ca parābhavoti.