[448] What are the eight dhammas that conduce to decline? The eight grounds of laziness (kusītavatthu).
Here, friends, a bhikkhu has work to be done. He thinks thus: 'There is work I shall have to do; but while I am doing the work my body will grow tired. Well then, let me lie down.' He lies down; he does not arouse energy (vīriya) for the attaining of what has not been attained, for the achieving of what has not been achieved, for the realizing of what has not been realized. This is the first ground of laziness.
Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu has done some work. He thinks thus: 'I have done work; but while I was doing the work my body grew tired. Well then, let me lie down.' He lies down; he does not arouse energy … for the realizing of what has not been realized. This is the second ground of laziness.
Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu has a journey to go on. He thinks thus: 'There is a journey I shall have to go on; but while I am going on the journey my body will grow tired. Well then, let me lie down.' He lies down; he does not arouse energy … for the realizing of what has not been realized. This is the third ground of laziness.
Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu has gone on a journey. He thinks thus: 'I have gone on a journey; but while I was going on the journey my body grew tired. Well then, let me lie down.' He lies down; he does not arouse energy … for the realizing of what has not been realized. This is the fourth ground of laziness.
Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu, walking for alms in a village or town, does not obtain his fill of food, whether coarse or fine, as much as he needs. He thinks thus: 'Walking for alms in a village or town, I did not obtain my fill of food, whether coarse or fine, as much as I need; this body of mine is tired and unfit for work. Well then, let me lie down.' He lies down; he does not arouse energy … for the realizing of what has not been realized. This is the fifth ground of laziness.
Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu, walking for alms in a village or town, obtains his fill of food, whether coarse or fine, as much as he needs. He thinks thus: 'Walking for alms in a village or town, I obtained my fill of food, whether coarse or fine, as much as I need; this body of mine is heavy and unfit for work — like a load of soaked beans, methinks. Well then, let me lie down.' He lies down; he does not arouse energy … for the realizing of what has not been realized. This is the sixth ground of laziness.
Furthermore, friends, a slight illness has arisen in a bhikkhu. He thinks thus: 'This slight illness has arisen in me; there is reason enough to lie down. Well then, let me lie down.' He lies down … for the realizing of what has not been realized. This is the seventh ground of laziness.
Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu has recovered from illness, not long risen from sickness. He thinks thus: 'I have recovered from illness, not long risen from sickness; this body of mine is weak and unfit for work. Well then, let me lie down.' He lies down; he does not arouse energy for the attaining of what has not been attained, for the achieving of what has not been achieved, for the realizing of what has not been realized. This is the eighth ground of laziness.
These are the eight dhammas that conduce to decline.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.