1:6 Decline

- suttas - - evening talks - short morning talks - lectures - guided meditations - talk collections - other themes - chants - - - - à¹à¸à¸¢ - Franā§ais - Espaā±ol - - Portuguāªs - РÑÑÑкий - - - УкÑаÑнÑÑка Submit Search - Home - Suttas - KN - Sn - Sn 1:6 Decline ## Browse Suttas Go to Sutta Nipṅta index Sn index ## 1:6  Decline I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying near Sṅvatthī in Jetaâs Grove, Anṅthapiṃṇikaâs monastery. Then a certain deva, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jetaâs Grove, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she addressed him with a verse: About the man in decline we ask Gotama, having come to question the Blessed One: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: Easily known     is the one of good prospects; easily known,1     the one in decline. The one of good prospects loves the Dhamma, the one in decline detests it. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the first one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the second: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: The wicked are dear to him, the good he doesnât hold dear. He approves of the ideas of the wicked: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the second one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the third: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: Prone to sleep, prone to company, the man with no initiative, lazy & known for his anger: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the third one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the fourth: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: Though capable, one doesnât support oneâs mother or father —old, their youth over & done: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the fourth one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the fifth: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: Whoever deceives with a lie a brahman, contemplative, or other mendicant: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the fifth one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the sixth: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: The man of great wealth, with gold & food, enjoys his luxuries alone: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the sixth one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the seventh: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: The man proud of his birth, proud of his wealth, proud of his clan, despises his own relatives: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the seventh one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the eighth: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: The man debauched with women, debauched in drink, debauched in gambling, squanders his earnings: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the eighth one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the ninth: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: One uncontent with his own wives, misbehaves with prostitutes & the wives of others2: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the ninth one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the tenth: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: His youth past, a man takes a young woman with timbara-fruit breasts, and, jealous of her, doesnât sleep: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the tenth one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the eleventh: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: To place in authority a woman given to drink & squandering or a man of that sort: That is the way leading to decline. The deva: We know, indeed, that that is so. Thatâs the eleventh one in decline. May the Blessed One tell the twelfth: What is the way leading to decline? The Buddha: One of meager means but great craving, born into a noble family, who aspires to kingship: That is the way leading to decline. Contemplating these ones in decline in the world, the wise one, consummate in noble view, heads to a world auspicious. vv. 91–115 Notes 1. Suvijṅno. The Thai edition reads, duvijṅno, "hard to know," which doesnât fit with the meaning or with SnAâs explanation of the verse. 2. Reading padussati and dussati with the Thai edition. The PTS and Sri Lankan editions read padissati/dissati, "he is seen." See also: AN 5:129; AN 5:175; AN 8:54; AN 10:165 - --> - - - -