1On one occasion the Venerable Mahākassapa was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. There the Venerable Mahākassapa addressed the bhikkhus: "Friends, bhikkhus!"

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahākassapo rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tatra kho āyasmā mahākassapo bhikkhū āmantesi:  "āvuso bhikkhave"ti.

"Friend," those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Mahākassapa said this:

"Āvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahākassapassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahākassapo etadavoca: 

2"Here, friends, a bhikkhu declares final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: "Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being."’

2"Idhāvuso, bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti:  ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

The Tathāgata or his disciple who is a jhāna-attainer—skilled in attainment, skilled in others’ minds, skilled in the ways of others’ minds—questions him, interrogates him, and cross-examines him. When he is being questioned, interrogated, and cross-examined by the Tathāgata or his disciple, he comes to an impasse and is flustered. He meets with calamity, meets with disaster, meets with calamity and disaster.

Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo samanuyuñjati samanuggāhati samanubhāsati. So tathāgatena vā tathāgatasāvakena vā jhāyinā samāpattikusalena paracittakusalena paracittapariyāyakusalena samanuyuñjiyamāno samanuggāhiyamāno samanubhāsiyamāno irīṇaṁ āpajjati vicinaṁ āpajjati anayaṁ āpajjati byasanaṁ āpajjati anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.

3"The Tathāgata or his disciple who is a jhāna-attainer … encompasses his mind with his own mind and considers: ‘Why does this venerable one declare final knowledge thus: "I understand: ‘Destroyed is birth … there is no more coming back to any state of being’"?’

3Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karoti:  ‘kiṁ nu kho ayamāyasmā aññaṁ byākaroti – khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

4The Tathāgata or his disciple, having encompassed his mind with his own mind, understands:

4Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti: 

5‘This venerable one overestimates himself, imagines that his estimate of himself is valid, thinks that he has attained what he has not attained, accomplished what he has not accomplished, and achieved what he has not achieved, and by overestimation of himself he declares final knowledge thus: "I understand: ‘Destroyed is birth … there is no more coming back to any state of being.’"’

5‘Adhimāniko kho ayamāyasmā adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti – khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

6"The Tathāgata or his disciple who is a jhāna-attainer … encompasses his mind with his own mind and considers: ‘Why does this venerable one overestimate himself and imagine that his estimate of himself is valid; why does he think that he has attained what he has not attained, accomplished what he has not accomplished, and achieved what he has not achieved; and why, by overestimation of himself, does he declare final knowledge thus: "I understand: ‘Destroyed is birth … there is no more coming back to any state of being’"?’

6Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karoti:  ‘kiṁ nu kho ayamāyasmā nissāya adhimāniko adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti – khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

7"The Tathāgata or his disciple who is a jhāna-attainer … having encompassed his mind with his own mind, understands:

7Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti: 

8‘This venerable one has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and accumulates what he has learned. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, which proclaim the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life—such teachings as these he has learned much of, retained in mind, recited verbally, investigated mentally, and penetrated well by view. Therefore this venerable one overestimates himself and imagines that his estimate of himself is valid; he thinks that he has attained what he has not attained, accomplished what he has not accomplished, and achieved what he has not achieved; and by overestimation of himself he declares final knowledge thus: "I understand: ‘Destroyed is birth … there is no more coming back to any state of being.’"’

8‘Bahussuto kho pana ayamāyasmā sutadharo sutasannicayo, ye te dhammā ādikalyāṇā majjhekalyāṇā pariyosānakalyāṇā sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ abhivadanti, tathārūpāssa dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā. Tasmā ayamāyasmā adhimāniko adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti – khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

9"The Tathāgata or his disciple who is a jhāna-attainer … having encompassed his mind with his own mind, understands:

9Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti: 

10(1) "‘This venerable one is full of longing and his mind is often obsessed by longing. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, obsession by longing is a case of decline.

10‘Abhijjhālu kho pana ayamāyasmā; abhijjhāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Abhijjhāpariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (1)

11(2) "‘This venerable one is full of ill will and his mind is often obsessed by ill will. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, obsession by ill will is a case of decline.

11Byāpanno kho pana ayamāyasmā; byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Byāpādapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (2)

12(3) "‘This venerable one is given to dullness and drowsiness and his mind is often obsessed by dullness and drowsiness. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, obsession by dullness and drowsiness is a case of decline.

12Thinamiddho kho pana ayamāyasmā; thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (3)

13(4) "‘This venerable one is restless and his mind is often obsessed by restlessness. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, obsession by restlessness is a case of decline.

13Uddhato kho pana ayamāyasmā; uddhaccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Uddhaccapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (4)

14(5) "‘This venerable one is given to doubt and his mind is often obsessed by doubt. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, obsession by doubt is a case of decline.

14Vicikiccho kho pana ayamāyasmā; vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (5)

15(6) "‘This venerable one delights in work, takes delight in work, is devoted to delight in work. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, delight in work is a case of decline.

15Kammārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā kammarato kammārāmataṁ anuyutto. Kammārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (6)

16(7) "‘This venerable one delights in talk, takes delight in talk, is devoted to delight in talk. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, delight in talk is a case of decline.

16Bhassārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā bhassarato bhassārāmataṁ anuyutto. Bhassārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (7)

17(8) "‘This venerable one delights in sleep, takes delight in sleep, is devoted to delight in sleep. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, delight in sleep is a case of decline.

17Niddārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā niddārato niddārāmataṁ anuyutto. Niddārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (8)

18(9) "‘This venerable one delights in company, takes delight in company, is devoted to delight in company. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, delight in company is a case of decline.

18Saṅgaṇikārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā saṅgaṇikarato saṅgaṇikārāmataṁ anuyutto. Saṅgaṇikārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (9)

19(10) "‘When there is something further to be done,[n.2104] As with AN10.84 §10, I prefer the Be reading. this venerable one comes to a stop along the way on account of some lower achievement of distinction. But in the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, coming to a stop along the way is a case of decline.’

19Sati kho pana ayamāyasmā uttari karaṇīye oramattakena visesādhigamena antarā vosānaṁ āpanno. Antarā vosānagamanaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ’. (10)

20"Truly, friends, it is impossible for a bhikkhu who has not abandoned these ten things to achieve growth, progress, and maturity in this Dhamma and discipline. But it is possible for a bhikkhu who has abandoned these ten things to achieve growth, progress, and maturity in this Dhamma and discipline."

20So vatāvuso, bhikkhu ‘ime dasa dhamme appahāya imasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. So vatāvuso, bhikkhu ‘ime dasa dhamme pahāya imasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī"ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.