4.
The Chapter on the Elders
1.
The Discourse on the Enticing
81. "Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed. Which five? He finds pleasure in what is enticing, he becomes corrupted towards what leads to hate, he becomes deluded towards what leads to infatuation, he becomes agitated towards what leads to agitation, he becomes intoxicated towards what is intoxicating - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed.
"Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed. Which five? He does not find pleasure in what is enticing, he does not become corrupted towards what leads to hate, he does not become deluded towards what leads to infatuation, he does not become agitated towards what leads to agitation, he does not become intoxicated towards what is intoxicating - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed." The first.
2.
The Discourse on the One Without Lust
82. "Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed. Which five? He is not free from lust, he is not free from hate, he is not free from delusion, and he is one who depreciates another's worth and is spiteful. Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed.
"Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed. Which five? He is free from lust, he is free from hate, he is free from delusion, and he is without depreciation and without spite. Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed." The second.
3.
The Discourse on the Deceitful
83. "Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed. Which five? He is fraudulent, deceitful, a fortune-teller, dishonest, and one who seeks to gain profit from profit - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed.
"Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed. Which five? He is not fraudulent, not deceitful, not a fortune-teller, not dishonest, and not one who seeks to gain profit from profit - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed." The third.
4.
The Discourse on the Faithless
84. "Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed. Which five? He is faithless, is shameless, has no moral fear, is lazy, is unwise - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed.
"Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed. Which five? He has faith, has shame, has moral fear, is putting forth strenuous energy, is wise - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed." The fourth.
5.
The Discourse on the Unforgiving
85. "Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed. Which five? He is not patient with forms, not patient with sounds, not patient with odours, not patient with flavours, not patient with tangible objects - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is not dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, not agreeable, not respected and not esteemed.
"Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed. Which five? He is patient with forms, patient with sounds, patient with odours, patient with flavours, patient with tangible objects - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed." The fifth.
6.
The Discourse on the One Who Has Attained Analytical Knowledge
86. "Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed. Which five? He has attained analytical knowledge of meaning, he has attained analytical knowledge of phenomena, he has attained analytical knowledge of language, he has attained analytical knowledge of discernment, regarding whatever high and low duties there are to be done for his fellows in the holy life, therein he is skilled, not lazy, endowed with investigation into the means for that, able to do and able to arrange - Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed." The sixth.
7.
The Discourse about the Virtuous One
87. "Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed. Which five? He is virtuous, he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha. Accomplished in good conduct and lawful resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, having accepted the training rules he trains in them; he is very learned, remembering what has been learnt, having great accumulation of learning; whatever teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, that reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure - such teachings are very learned by him, retained, practised in speech, contemplated in mind, thoroughly penetrated by view; he is of good speech, of good conversation, endowed with polished speech, distinct, free from drooling, capable of making the meaning clear; he is one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, the four meditative absorptions pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant abidings in the present life; with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions. Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is dear to his fellow monks in the holy life, agreeable, respected and esteemed." The seventh.
8.
The Discourse on the Elder
88. "Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is practising for the harm of many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the harm, detriment, and suffering of many people, of gods and humans.
"Which five? He is an elder of long standing, long gone forth; he is well-known and famous, with a large retinue among householders and those gone forth; he is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick; he is very learned, remembering what has been learnt, having great accumulation of learning; whatever teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, that reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure - such teachings are very learned by him, retained, practised in speech, contemplated in mind, not penetrated by view; he holds wrong view, has perverted vision; he, having turned many people away from the Good Teaching, establishes them in what is not the Good Teaching. 'The elder monk is of long standing, long gone forth' - thus they follow the example of what they have seen in him; 'the elder monk is well-known and famous, with a large retinue among householders and those gone forth' - thus they follow the example of what they have seen in him; 'the elder monk is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick' - thus they follow the example of what they have seen in him; 'the elder monk is very learned, remembering what has been learnt, having great accumulation of learning' - thus they follow the example of what they have seen in him. Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is practising for the harm of many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the harm, detriment, and suffering of many people, of gods and humans.
"Monks, an elder monk possessed of five qualities is practising for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, for the good, welfare, and happiness of many people, of gods and humans.
"Which five? He is an elder of long standing, long gone forth; he is well-known and famous, with a large retinue among householders and those gone forth; he is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick; he is very learned, remembering what has been learnt, having great accumulation of learning; whatever teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, that reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure - such teachings are very learned by him, retained, practised in speech, contemplated in mind, thoroughly penetrated by view; he holds right view, has undistorted vision; he, having turned many people away from what is not the Good Teaching, establishes them in the Good Teaching. 'The elder monk is of long standing, long gone forth' - thus they follow the example of what they have seen in him; 'the elder monk is well-known and famous, with a large retinue among householders and those gone forth' - thus they follow the example of what they have seen in him; 'the elder monk is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick' - thus they follow the example of what they have seen in him; 'the elder monk is very learned, remembering what has been learnt, having great accumulation of learning' - thus they follow the example of what they have seen in him. Monks, an elder monk possessed of these five qualities is practising for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, for the good, welfare, and happiness of many people, of gods and humans." The eighth.
9.
The First Discourse on the Learner
89. "Monks, these five things lead to the decline of a monk who is a learner. Which five? Taking pleasure in work, taking pleasure in talk, taking pleasure in sleep, taking pleasure in company, and he does not review the mind as it is liberated - these, monks, are the five things that lead to the decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Monks, these five things lead to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner. Which five? Not taking pleasure in work, not taking pleasure in talk, not taking pleasure in sleep, not taking pleasure in company, and he reviews the mind as it is liberated - these, monks, are the five things that lead to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner." The ninth.
10.
The Second Discourse on the Learner
90. "Monks, these five things lead to the decline of a monk who is a learner. Which five? Here, monks, a trainee monk has much to do, has many duties, is accomplished in what is to be done; he neglects seclusion, he does not engage in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the first thing that leads to the decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk passes the day with trifling work; he neglects seclusion, he does not engage in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the second thing that leads to the decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk dwells in company with householders and those gone forth, with not becoming association with laypeople; he neglects seclusion, he does not engage in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the third thing that leads to the decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk enters the village at the wrong time, returns too late in the day; he neglects seclusion, he does not engage in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the fourth thing that leads to the decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk - whatever talk is exceedingly conducive to effacement, suitable for opening the mind, as follows - talk about fewness of wishes, talk about contentment, talk about solitude, talk about aloofness from society, talk about arousal of energy, talk about morality, talk about concentration, talk about wisdom, talk about liberation, talk about knowledge and vision of liberation - of such talk he is not one who obtains at will, not one who obtains without difficulty, not one who obtains without trouble; he neglects seclusion, he does not engage in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the fifth thing that leads to the decline of a monk who is a learner. These, monks, are the five things that lead to the decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Monks, these five things lead to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner. Which five? Here, monks, a trainee monk does not have much to do, does not have many duties, is accomplished in what is to be done; he does not neglect seclusion, he engages in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the first thing that leads to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk does not pass the day with trifling work; he does not neglect seclusion, he engages in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the second thing that leads to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk dwells not in company with householders and those gone forth, with not becoming association with laypeople; he does not neglect seclusion, he engages in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the third thing that leads to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk does not enter the village too early, nor does he return too late in the day; he does not neglect seclusion, he engages in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the fourth thing that leads to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner.
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk - whatever talk is exceedingly conducive to effacement, suitable for opening the mind, as follows - talk about fewness of wishes, talk about contentment, talk about solitude, talk about aloofness from society, talk about arousal of energy, talk about morality, talk about concentration, talk about wisdom, talk about liberation, talk about knowledge and vision of liberation - of such talk he is one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble; he does not neglect seclusion, he engages in internal serenity of mind. This, monks, is the fifth thing that leads to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner. These, monks, are the five things that lead to the non-decline of a monk who is a learner." The tenth.
The Chapter on Elders is fourth.
Its summary:
Analytical knowledge and with morality, elder, learners, the other two.