SUTRA: Final words of the Buddha (DN 16)

Sister Vajira and Francis Story (trans), Maha-Parinibbana Sutta: "Last Days of the Buddha" (DN 16 PTS: D ii 72), 1998; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Welfare of the Wandering Ascetic Order

6. Then, soon after Vassakara's departure, the Blessed One [the Buddha] addressed Venerable Ananda: "Go now, Ananda, and assemble in the main hall as many monastics as live around [the royal city of] Rajagaha."

"Very well, venerable sir." And Ven. Ananda did as requested and informed the Blessed One: "The monastic community is assembled, venerable sir. Let the Blessed One do as he wishes."

The Blessed One rose from his seat, went to the hall, took the seat prepared for him, and addressed those gathered:

"Seven conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the monastic community is to be expected, not its decline, meditators,

1. so long as they assemble frequently and in large numbers
2. [so long as they] meet and disperse peacefully and attend to the affairs of the Monastic Community (Sangha) in concord
3. so long as they appoint no new rules, and do not abolish the existing ones, but proceed in accordance with the Code of Training (Vinaya) laid down
4. so long as they show respect, honor, esteem, and veneration towards the elder meditators, those of long standing, long gone forth [as monastics], the fathers and leaders of the Monastic Community, and think it worthwhile to listen to them
5. so long as they do not come under the power of the craving that leads to fresh becoming [rebirth]
6. so long as they cherish the forest depths for their dwellings
7. so long as they establish themselves in mindfulness so that virtuous meditators of the Monastic Order who have not come yet might do so, and those already come might live in peace.

So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Siddhartha dwelled in the forest to awaken.

7. "Seven further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community to be expected, not its decline, meditators,

1. so long as they do not delight in, are not pleased with, and are not fond of activities,
2. talk,
3. sleep, and
4. company [socializing]
5. so long as they do not harbor and do not come under the spell of harmful desires
6. have no bad friends, associates, or companions
7. and so long as they do not stop halfway on account of some trifling achievement,

So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Seven Good Qualities [6]

8. "Seven further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community is to be expected, not their decline, meditators,

1. so long as they have faith [confidence, saddha]
2. so long as they have moral dread
3. and fear of misconduct,
4. are proficient in learning,
5. resolute,
6. mindful,
7. and wise.

"So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators, and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Seven Factors of Enlightenment [7]

9. "Seven further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, medtiators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community is to be expected, not their decline, meditators, so long as they cultivate the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, that is:

1. mindfulness,
2. investigation of phenomena,
3. energy,
4. bliss,
5. tranquility,
6. concentration, and
7. equanimity.

"So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators, and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Seven Perceptions

10. "Seven further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community is to be expected, not their decline, meditators, so long as they cultivate the

1. perception of impermanence,
2. of egolessness [the impersonal nature of all things, particularly the Five Aggregates clung to as self],
3. of (the body's) impurity,
4. of (the body's) wretchedness,
5. of relinquishment,
6. of dispassion,
7. and of cessation.

"So long, meditators, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators, and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Six Conditions to be Remembered [8]

11. "Six further conditions leading to welfare shall I set forth, meditators. Listen and pay heed to what I shall say."

"Indeed, venerable sir."

"The growth of the Monastic Community is to be expected, not their decline, meditators,

1. so long as they attend on each other with loving kindness in deed,
2. word,
3. and thought, both openly and in private
4. so long as in respect of what they receive as due offerings, even the contents of their alms bowls they do not make use of without sharing them with virtuous fellow members of the community
5. so long as, in company with their companions, they train themselves, openly and in private, in the rules of conduct (Patimokkha and Vinaya), which are complete and perfect, spotless and pure, liberating, praised by the wise, uninfluenced (by mundane concerns), and favorable to concentration [coherence] of mind
6. and in company with their companions, preserve, openly and in private, the insight [vipassana] that is noble and liberating, and leads one who acts upon it to the utter destruction of suffering.

"So long, meditators, as these six conditions leading to welfare endure among the meditators, and the meditators are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

Counsel to the Wandering Ascetics

12. And the Blessed One, dwelling in Rajagaha, on the hill called Vultures' Peak, often gave counsel to the meditators:

"Such and such is virtue; such and such is concentration; and such and such is wisdom. [9]

"Great becomes the fruit, great is the gain of concentration [coherence, samadhi] when it is fully developed by virtuous conduct (sila); great becomes the fruit, great is the gain of wisdom when it is fully developed by concentration (samma-samadhi).

"Utterly freed from the taints [10] of lust, becoming, and ignorance is the mind (heart) that is fully developed in wisdom." More