Sattakanipāta 28

Numbered Discourses 7.28

3. The Vajji Seven

Non-decline for a Mendicant Trainee

1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“These seven things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What seven? They relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They don’t guard the sense doors and they eat too much. And when there is Saṅgha business to be carried out, they don’t reflect: ‘There are senior mendicants in the Saṅgha of long standing, long gone forth, responsible. They’ll be known for taking care of this.’ So they get involved in that. These seven things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

2 These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What seven? They don’t relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They guard the sense doors and don’t eat too much. And when there is Saṅgha business to be carried out, they reflect: ‘There are senior mendicants in the Saṅgha of long standing, long gone forth, responsible. They’ll be known for taking care of this.’ So they don’t get involved in that. These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.”