Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows : —

[78] ' So long as the brethren shall not engage in, or be fond of, or be connected with business — so long as the brethren shall not be in the habit of, or be fond of, or be partakers in idle talk — so long as the brethrenp. 83 shall not be addicted to, or be fond of, or indulge in slothfulness — so long as the brethren shall not frequent, or be fond of, or indulge in society — so long as the brethren shall neither have, nor fall under the influence of, wrong desires * — so long as the brethren shall not become the friends, companions, or intimates of evildoers— so long as the brethren shall not come to a stop on their way (to Nirvana in Arahantship 2) because they have attained to any lesser thing — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

1 So long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the brethren — so long as they are instructed in these conditions — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

8. ' Other seven conditions of welfare will I teach you, O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak.'

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows : —

4 So long as the brethren shall be full of faith, modest in heart, afraid of wrong- doing 3, full of learning-, [79] strong in energy, active in mind, and full of wisdom — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

' So long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the brethren — so long as they are instructed in

1 The blundering misstatement that Buddhism teaches the suppression of desire (not of wrong desire) is still occasionally met with. The question is fully discussed in Mrs. Rhys Davids's article on ' The Will in Buddhism' (J.R.A.S., 1898).

2 This is an interesting analogue to Philippians iii. 13 : — ' I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark,' &c. See also below, Chap. V, §68.

s The exact distinction between hiri and ottappa is here explained by Buddhaghosa as loathing sin as contrasted with fear of sin. But this is rather a gloss than an exact and exclusive definition. Ahirika is shamelessness, anotappa;/* frowardness. At Jat. I, 207 we find hiri described as subjective, and ottappa as objective, modesty of heart as contrasted with decency in outward behaviour. See further Mrs. Rhys Davids in 'Buddhist Psychology,' p. 20.

p. 84

these conditions — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

9. ' Other seven conditions of welfare will I teach you, O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak.'

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows : —

' So long as the brethren shall exercise themselves in the sevenfold higher wisdom, that is to say, in mental activity, search after truth, energy, joy, peace, earnest contemplation, and equanimity of mind — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

' So lonsf as these conditions shall continue to exist among the brethren — so long as they are instructed in these conditions — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

10. ' Other seven conditions of welfare will I teach you, O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak.'

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows : —

' So long as the brethren shall exercise themselves in the realization of the ideas of the impermanency of all phenomena, bodily or mental, the absence [in them of any abiding principle] of any " soul," of corruption, of the danger of wrong thoughts, of the necessity of getting rid of them, of purity of heart, of Nirvana — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

[so] ' So long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the brethren — so long as they are instructed in these conditions — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline but to prosper.

11. 'Six conditions of welfare will I teach you,
O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will
speak.'

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows : —

1 So long as the brethren shall persevere in kindness

p. 85