4.
The First Discourse on the Decline of the Good Teaching
154.
"Monks, these five things lead to the decay and disappearance of the Good Teaching.
Which five?
Here, monks, monks do not listen to the Teaching attentively, do not learn the Teaching thoroughly attentively, do not retain the Teaching attentively, do not investigate the meaning of the teachings retained attentively, do not proceed in accordance with the Teaching having understood the meaning and having understood the Teaching attentively.
These, monks, are the five things that lead to the decay and disappearance of the Good Teaching.
"Monks, these five things lead to the presence, non-decay, and non-disappearance of the Good Teaching. Which five? Here, monks, monks listen to the Teaching attentively, learn the Teaching thoroughly attentively, retain the Teaching attentively, investigate the meaning of the teachings retained attentively, proceed in accordance with the Teaching having understood the meaning and having understood the Teaching attentively. These, monks, are the five things that lead to the presence, non-decay, and non-disappearance of the Good Teaching." The fourth.