AN · an3.56
Decline
0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.56
The Numerical Discourses 3.56
0.26. Brāhmaṇavagga
6. The Brahmin Chapter
0.3Palokasutta
Decline
1.1Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇamahāsālo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then a certain wealthy brahmin approached the Bhagavā … and sitting to one side, that wealthy brahmin said this to the Bhagavā:
1.2“sutaṁ metaṁ, bho gotama, pubbakānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vuddhānaṁ mahallakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ:
"I have heard this, Master Gotama, from elderly brahmins, aged and senior, teachers and teachers' teachers, speaking thus:
1.3‘pubbe sudaṁ ayaṁ loko avīci maññe phuṭo ahosi manussehi, kukkuṭasaṁpātikā gāmanigamarājadhāniyo’ti.
'In former times this world was teeming with people, one might say, packed like a chicken-coop — villages, towns, and royal capitals.'
1.4Ko nu kho, bho gotama, hetu ko paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti, tanuttaṁ paññāyati, gāmāpi agāmā honti, nigamāpi anigamā honti, nagarāpi anagarā honti, janapadāpi ajanapadā hontī”ti?
What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which nowadays there is a decline in people, a thinning out is evident — villages become non-villages, towns become non-towns, cities become non-cities, districts become non-districts?"
2.1“Etarahi, brāhmaṇa, manussā adhammarāgarattā visamalobhābhibhūtā micchādhammaparetā.
"Nowadays, brahmin, people are inflamed with wrongful lust, overcome by unrighteous greed, and gone astray into wrongful conduct.
2.2Te adhammarāgarattā visamalobhābhibhūtā micchādhammaparetā tiṇhāni satthāni gahetvā aññamaññaṁ jīvitā voropenti, tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti.
Inflamed with wrongful lust, overcome by unrighteous greed, and gone astray into wrongful conduct, they take up sharp weapons and deprive one another of life; thus many people perish.
2.3Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti, tanuttaṁ paññāyati, gāmāpi agāmā honti, nigamāpi anigamā honti, nagarāpi anagarā honti, janapadāpi ajanapadā honti.
This too, brahmin, is a cause, this is a condition, by which nowadays there is a decline in people, a thinning out is evident — villages become non-villages, towns become non-towns, cities become non-cities, districts become non-districts.
3.1Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etarahi manussā adhammarāgarattā visamalobhābhibhūtā micchādhammaparetā.
Furthermore, brahmin, nowadays people are inflamed with wrongful lust, overcome by unrighteous greed, and gone astray into wrongful conduct.
3.2Tesaṁ adhammarāgarattānaṁ visamalobhābhibhūtānaṁ micchādhammaparetānaṁ devo na sammādhāraṁ anuppavecchati.
For those inflamed with wrongful lust, overcome by unrighteous greed, and gone astray into wrongful conduct, the deity does not send proper rainfall.
3.3Tena dubbhikkhaṁ hoti dussassaṁ setaṭṭhikaṁ salākāvuttaṁ.
Thus there is famine, poor harvest, a withering blight, and people must live on gleaned scraps.
3.4Tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti.
Thus many people perish.
3.5Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti, tanuttaṁ paññāyati, gāmāpi agāmā honti, nigamāpi anigamā honti, nagarāpi anagarā honti, janapadāpi ajanapadā honti.
This too, brahmin, is a cause, this is a condition, by which nowadays there is a decline in people, a thinning out is evident — villages become non-villages, towns become non-towns, cities become non-cities, districts become non-districts.
4.1Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etarahi manussā adhammarāgarattā visamalobhābhibhūtā micchādhammaparetā.
Furthermore, brahmin, nowadays people are inflamed with wrongful lust, overcome by unrighteous greed, and gone astray into wrongful conduct.
4.2Tesaṁ adhammarāgarattānaṁ visamalobhābhibhūtānaṁ micchādhammaparetānaṁ yakkhā vāḷe amanusse ossajjanti, tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti.
For those inflamed with wrongful lust, overcome by unrighteous greed, and gone astray into wrongful conduct, yakkhas unleash fierce non-human beings; thus many people perish.
4.3Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti, tanuttaṁ paññāyati, gāmāpi agāmā honti, nigamāpi anigamā honti, nagarāpi anagarā honti, janapadāpi ajanapadā hontī”ti.
This too, brahmin, is a cause, this is a condition, by which nowadays there is a decline in people, a thinning out is evident — villages become non-villages, towns become non-towns, cities become non-cities, districts become non-districts."
5.1“Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…
"Excellent, Master Gotama …
5.2upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
Let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for as long as life lasts."
5.3Chaṭṭhaṁ.
The sixth.