8.
The Second Discourse on Naḷakapāna
68.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Naḷakapāna in a palāsa grove.
Now at that time, on the uposatha day, the Blessed One was seated surrounded by the Community of monks.
Then the Blessed One, having for much of the night instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened the monks with a talk on the Teaching, having surveyed the Community of monks who were silent, completely silent, addressed the Venerable Sāriputta -
"The Community of monks is free from sloth and torpor, Sāriputta. Let a talk on the Teaching occur to you, Sāriputta, for the monks. My back aches; I will stretch it." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Sāriputta assented to the Blessed One.
Then the Blessed One, having prepared the double robe folded in four, lay down in the lion's posture on his right side, overlapping foot upon foot, mindful and fully aware, having attended to the perception of rising. There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks: "Friends, monks!" "Friend," those monks assented to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this -
"For whoever, friends, has no faith in wholesome mental states, has no shame, has no moral fear, has no energy, has no wisdom, has no giving ear... has no retaining of the Teaching... has no investigation of the meaning... has no practice in accordance with the Teaching... has no diligence 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, friends, 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, friends, whoever has no faith in wholesome mental states, has no shame, has no moral fear, has no energy, has no wisdom, has no giving ear... has no retaining of the Teaching... has no investigation of the meaning... has no practice in accordance with the Teaching... has no diligence in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth.
"For whoever, friend, has faith in wholesome mental states, has shame... has moral fear, has energy, has wisdom... has giving ear... has retaining of the Teaching... has investigation of the meaning... has practice in accordance with the Teaching... has diligence 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, friend, 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, friend, for whoever has faith in wholesome mental states, etc. has diligence in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline."
Then the Blessed One, having risen, addressed the Venerable Sāriputta - "Good, good, Sāriputta! For whoever, Sāriputta, has no faith in wholesome mental states, has no shame... has no moral fear, has no wisdom, has no energy, has no giving ear... has no retaining of the Teaching... has no investigation of the meaning... has no practice in accordance with the Teaching... has no diligence 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, Sāriputta, 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, Sāriputta, for whoever has no faith in wholesome mental states, etc. has no diligence in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only deterioration is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not growth.
"For whoever, Sāriputta, has faith in wholesome mental states, has shame... has moral fear, has energy, has wisdom... has giving ear... has retaining of the Teaching... has investigation of the meaning... has practice in accordance with the Teaching... has diligence 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, Sāriputta, 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, Sāriputta, for whoever has faith in wholesome mental states, etc. has diligence in wholesome mental states, for him whatever night or day comes, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline." The eighth.