[445] "And what, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, is decay of relatives (ñātipārijuñña)? Here, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, someone has many friends and companions, relatives and blood-kin. But those relatives of his gradually dwindle away. He reflects thus: 'Formerly I had many friends and companions, relatives and blood-kin; but those relatives of mine have gradually dwindled away. It is not easy for me to acquire wealth not yet acquired, or to increase wealth already acquired. Suppose I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the home life into homelessness.' Possessed of that decay of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the home life into homelessness. This, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, is called decay of relatives. But the worthy Raṭṭhapāla has many friends and companions, relatives and blood-kin right here in Thullakoṭṭhita; the worthy Raṭṭhapāla has no decay of relatives. What, then, did the worthy Raṭṭhapāla know, or see, or hear, that he went forth from the home life into homelessness?
"These, Raṭṭhapāla, are the four kinds of decay, possessed of which some people here shave off their hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the home life into homelessness. The worthy Raṭṭhapāla has none of these. What, then, did the worthy Raṭṭhapāla know, or see, or hear, that he went forth from the home life into homelessness?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.