“Mendicants, these five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching. “Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti. What five? Katame pañca?

It’s when the mendicants memorize discourses that they learned incorrectly, with misplaced words and phrases. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū duggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti dunnikkhittehi padabyañjanehi. When the words and phrases are misplaced, the meaning is misinterpreted. Dunnikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi dunnayo hoti. This is the first thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, the mendicants are hard to admonish, having qualities that make them hard to admonish. They’re impatient, and don’t take instruction respectfully. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū dubbacā honti, dovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā, akkhamā appadakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ. This is the second thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, the mendicants who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—don’t carefully make others recite the discourses. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te na sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti; When they pass away, the discourses are cut off at the root, with no-one to preserve them. tesaṁ accayena chinnamūlako suttanto hoti appaṭisaraṇo. This is the third thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, the senior mendicants are indulgent and slack, leaders in backsliding, neglecting seclusion, not rousing energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū bāhulikā honti sāthalikā okkamane pubbaṅgamā paviveke nikkhittadhurā, na vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Those who come after them follow their example. Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati. They too are indulgent and slack … Sāpi hoti bāhulikā sāthalikā okkamane pubbaṅgamā paviveke nikkhittadhurā, na vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. This is the fourth thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, there’s a schism in the Saṅgha. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅgho bhinno hoti. When the Saṅgha is split, they abuse, insult, block, and forsake each other. Saṅghe kho pana, bhikkhave, bhinne aññamaññaṁ akkosā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ paribhāsā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ parikkhepā ca honti, aññamaññaṁ pariccajanā ca honti. This doesn’t inspire confidence in those without it, and it causes some with confidence to change their minds. Tattha appasannā ceva nappasīdanti, pasannānañca ekaccānaṁ aññathattaṁ hoti. This is the fifth thing that leads to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattati.

These five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā saddhammassa sammosāya antaradhānāya saṁvattanti.

These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching. Pañcime, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattanti. What five? Katame pañca? It’s when the mendicants memorize discourses that have been learned correctly, with well placed words and phrases. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suggahitaṁ suttantaṁ pariyāpuṇanti sunikkhittehi padabyañjanehi. When the words and phrases are well organized, the meaning is correctly interpreted. Sunikkhittassa, bhikkhave, padabyañjanassa atthopi sunayo hoti. This is the first thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, the mendicants are easy to admonish, having qualities that make them easy to admonish. They’re patient, and take instruction respectfully. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū suvacā honti sovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā, khamā padakkhiṇaggāhino anusāsaniṁ. This is the second thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, the mendicants who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—carefully make others recite the discourses. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ye te bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā, te sakkaccaṁ suttantaṁ paraṁ vācenti; When they pass away, the discourses aren’t cut off at the root, and they have someone to preserve them. tesaṁ accayena na chinnamūlako suttanto hoti sappaṭisaraṇo. This is the third thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, the senior mendicants are not indulgent and slack, leaders in backsliding, neglecting seclusion. They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, therā bhikkhū na bāhulikā honti na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā; vīriyaṁ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Those who come after them follow their example. Tesaṁ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati. They too are not indulgent or slack … Sāpi hoti na bāhulikā na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā, vīriyaṁ ārabhati appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. This is the fourth thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, the Saṅgha lives comfortably, in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, with one recitation. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅgho samaggo sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsuṁ viharati. When the Saṅgha is in harmony, they don’t abuse, insult, block, or forsake each other. Saṅghe kho pana, bhikkhave, samagge na ceva aññamaññaṁ akkosā honti, na ca aññamaññaṁ paribhāsā honti, na ca aññamaññaṁ parikkhepā honti, na ca aññamaññaṁ pariccajanā honti. This inspires confidence in those without it, and increases confidence in those who have it. Tattha appasannā ceva pasīdanti, pasannānañca bhiyyobhāvo hoti. This is the fifth thing that leads to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattati.

These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.” Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca dhammā saddhammassa ṭhitiyā asammosāya anantaradhānāya saṁvattantī”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.