8.
The Second Discourse on Protection
18.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Monks."
"Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"Monks, dwell with a protector, do not be without a protector. Monks, one without a protector dwells in suffering. Monks, there are these ten phenomena that make for protection. What are the ten? Here, monks, a monk is virtuous, etc. having accepted the training rules he trains in them. 'This monk is indeed virtuous, he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in good conduct and lawful resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, having accepted the training rules he trains in them' - elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also, etc. new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is very learned, etc. thoroughly penetrated by view. 'This monk is indeed very learned, remembering what has been learnt, having great accumulation of learning; whatever teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, that reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure - such teachings are very learned by him, retained, practised in speech, contemplated in mind, thoroughly penetrated by view' - elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also, etc. new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk has good friends, good companions, good associates. 'This monk indeed has good friends, good companions, good associates' - elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also, etc. new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is easy to admonish, endowed with qualities that make for being easy to admonish, patient, receiving instruction respectfully. 'This monk is indeed easy to admonish, endowed with qualities that make for being easy to admonish, patient, receiving instruction respectfully' - elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also, etc. new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk, regarding whatever high and low duties there are to be done for his fellows in the holy life, therein he is skilled, not lazy, endowed with investigation into the means for that, able to do and able to arrange. 'Regarding whatever high and low duties there are to be done for his fellows in the holy life, therein this monk is indeed skilled, not lazy, endowed with investigation into the means for that, able to do and able to arrange' - thus elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also... new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is a lover of the Teaching, of amiable conversation, having great gladness in the higher teaching and higher discipline. 'This monk is indeed a lover of the Teaching, of amiable conversation, having great gladness in the higher teaching and higher discipline' - thus elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also... new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk dwells putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states. 'This monk indeed dwells putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states' - thus elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also... new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is content with any requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. 'This monk is indeed content with any requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick' - thus elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also... new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is mindful, endowed with the highest mindfulness and discretion, remembering and recollecting what was done long ago and what was said long ago. 'This monk is indeed mindful, endowed with the highest mindfulness and discretion, remembering and recollecting what was done long ago and what was said long ago' - thus elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also... new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders, shown compassion by middling monks, shown compassion by new monks, only growth is to be expected in wholesome mental states, not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading rightly to the complete elimination of suffering. 'This monk is indeed wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading rightly to the complete elimination of suffering' - thus elder monks think he should be spoken to and instructed, middling monks also... new monks also think he should be spoken to and instructed. For him who is shown compassion by elders... etc. not decline. This too is a phenomenon that makes for protection.
"Monks, dwell with a protector, do not be without a protector. Monks, one without a protector dwells in suffering. These, monks, are the ten phenomena that make for protection." This is what the Blessed One said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said. The eighth.