7.
Second Discourse on Exhortation
150.
He was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove.
Then the Venerable Mahākassapa approached the Blessed One, etc.
To the Venerable Mahākassapa seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Exhort the monks, Kassapa;
give a talk on the Teaching to the monks, Kassapa.
Either I, Kassapa, should exhort the monks or you;
either I should give a talk on the Teaching to the monks or you."
"Venerable sir, the monks nowadays are difficult to admonish, endowed with qualities that make them difficult to admonish, impatient, not receiving instruction respectfully. For whoever, venerable sir, has no faith in wholesome mental states, has no shame in wholesome mental states, has no moral fear in wholesome mental states, has no energy in wholesome mental states, has no wisdom in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth.
Just as, venerable sir, during the dark fortnight of the moon, whatever night or day comes, it diminishes in beauty, diminishes in roundness, diminishes in radiance, diminishes in height and circumference. So too, venerable sir, for whoever has no faith in wholesome mental states, etc. has no shame, has no moral fear, has no energy, has no wisdom, in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth.
'A faithless person' - venerable sir, this is decline; 'a shameless person' - venerable sir, this is decline; 'a person having no moral fear' - venerable sir, this is decline; 'a lazy person' - venerable sir, this is decline; 'an unwise person' - venerable sir, this is decline; 'a person prone to wrath' - venerable sir, this is decline; 'a person who bears grudges' - venerable sir, this is decline; 'there are no monks who exhort' - venerable sir, this is decline.
For whoever, venerable sir, has faith in wholesome mental states, has shame in wholesome mental states, has moral fear in wholesome mental states, has energy in wholesome mental states, has wisdom in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline.
Just as, venerable sir, during the bright fortnight of the moon, whatever night or day comes, it grows in beauty, grows in roundness, grows in radiance, grows in height and circumference. So too, venerable sir, for whoever has faith in wholesome mental states, has shame, etc. has moral fear, has energy, has wisdom in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline.
"'A person with faith', venerable sir, this is non-decline; 'a person with shame', venerable sir, this is non-decline; 'a person with moral fear', venerable sir, this is non-decline; 'a person putting forth strenuous energy', venerable sir, this is non-decline; 'a wise person', venerable sir, this is non-decline; 'a person without wrath', venerable sir, this is non-decline; 'a person without resentment', venerable sir, this is non-decline; 'there are monks who are exhorters', venerable sir, this is non-decline."
"Good, good, Kassapa. For whoever, Kassapa, has no faith in wholesome mental states, etc. has no shame, has no moral fear, has no energy, has no wisdom in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth.
"Just as, Kassapa, during the dark fortnight of the moon, whatever night or day comes, it diminishes in beauty, etc. it diminishes in height and circumference. So too, Kassapa, for whoever has no faith in wholesome mental states, etc. has no shame, has no moral fear, has no energy, has no wisdom in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth. 'A faithless person', Kassapa, this is decline; shameless, etc. without moral fear, lazy, unwise, prone to wrath, 'a person who bears grudges', Kassapa, this is decline; 'there are no monks who are exhorters', Kassapa, this is decline.
"For whoever, Kassapa, has faith in wholesome mental states, etc. has shame, has moral fear, has energy, has wisdom in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline.
"Just as, Kassapa, during the bright fortnight of the moon, whatever night or day comes, it grows in beauty, grows in roundness, grows in radiance, grows in height and circumference. Even so, Kassapa, for whoever has faith in wholesome mental states, has shame... has moral fear, has energy, has wisdom in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline.
'A faithful person' - Kassapa, this is non-decline; one with shame... etc. one with moral fear... one putting forth strenuous energy... one who is wise... one without wrath... 'a person without resentment' - Kassapa, this is non-decline; 'there are monks who are exhorters' - Kassapa, this is non-decline." The seventh.