[90] Bhikkhus, these five dhammas lead to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner (sekha). What five?
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a learner has many tasks and many duties, and is incompetent in the various things that have to be done; he neglects seclusion (paṭisallāna) and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind (cetosamatha). This, bhikkhus, is the first dhamma that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a learner passes the day with some trifling piece of work; he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the second dhamma that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a learner dwells in close association with householders and those gone forth, in an unbecoming association with laypeople; he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the third dhamma that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a learner enters the village too early and returns too late in the day; he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the fourth dhamma that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, as to that talk which is effacing and conducive to the opening of the mind — that is, talk on wanting little, talk on contentment, talk on seclusion, talk on non-association, talk on the arousing of energy (vīriya), talk on virtue, talk on concentration (samādhi), talk on wisdom, talk on deliverance, and talk on the knowledge and vision of deliverance — a bhikkhu who is a learner is not one who gains such talk at will; he gains it with difficulty, he gains it with trouble; he neglects seclusion and does not devote himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the fifth dhamma that leads to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
These five dhammas, bhikkhus, lead to the decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Bhikkhus, these five dhammas lead to the non-decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner. What five?
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a learner does not have many tasks nor many duties, and is competent in the various things that have to be done; he does not neglect seclusion and devotes himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the first dhamma that leads to the non-decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a learner does not pass the day with some trifling piece of work; he does not neglect seclusion and devotes himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the second dhamma that leads to the non-decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a learner does not dwell in close association with householders and those gone forth, in an unbecoming association with laypeople; he does not neglect seclusion and devotes himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the third dhamma that leads to the non-decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a learner does not enter the village too early and does not return too late in the day; he does not neglect seclusion and devotes himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the fourth dhamma that leads to the non-decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, as to that talk which is effacing and conducive to the opening of the mind — that is, talk on wanting little, talk on contentment, talk on seclusion, talk on non-association, talk on the arousing of energy, talk on virtue, talk on concentration, talk on wisdom, talk on deliverance, and talk on the knowledge and vision of deliverance — a bhikkhu who is a learner is one who gains such talk at will; he gains it without difficulty, he gains it without trouble; he does not neglect seclusion and devotes himself to internal serenity of mind. This, bhikkhus, is the fifth dhamma that leads to the non-decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
These five dhammas, bhikkhus, lead to the non-decline of a bhikkhu who is a learner.
The Chapter on Elders, the Fourth.
Its summary (uddāna):
That which is enticing, the one devoid of lust, the deceiver, the faithless, the impatient,
the analytic insights (paṭisambhidā) and by virtue, the elder, and two further on the learner.
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The Kakudha Chapter, the Fifth
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.