[28] Bhikkhus, there are these seven failures (vipatti) of a lay follower (upāsaka). Bhikkhus, there are these seven accomplishments (sampadā) of a lay follower. Bhikkhus, there are these seven declines (asambhavā) of a lay follower. Bhikkhus, there are these seven successes (sambhavā) of a lay follower. What seven? He does not neglect seeing bhikkhus; he is not heedless about hearing the true Dhamma (saddhamma); he trains in the higher virtue (adhisīla); he is full of confidence in bhikkhus—the elders, the newly ordained, and those of middle standing; he listens to the Dhamma with a mind free of fault-finding, not seeking flaws; he does not seek one worthy of offerings (dakkhiṇeyya) outside of here; and he does his first service (pubbakāra) here. These, bhikkhus, are the seven successes of a lay follower.
The lay follower who neglects the seeing of those who have developed themselves,
and the hearing of the noble Dhamma; who does not train in the higher virtue;
whose distrust of bhikkhus grows more and more;
who wishes to hear the true Dhamma with a mind bent on fault-finding;
who seeks another worthy of offerings outside of here,
and who, being a lay follower, does his first service right there—
that lay follower, resorting to these seven well-taught dhammas
that conduce to decline, falls away from the true Dhamma.
The lay follower who does not neglect the seeing of those who have developed themselves,
and the hearing of the noble Dhamma; who trains in the higher virtue;
whose confidence in bhikkhus grows more and more;
who wishes to hear the true Dhamma with a mind free of fault-finding;
who does not seek another worthy of offerings outside of here,
and who, being a lay follower, does his first service right here—
that lay follower, resorting to these seven well-taught dhammas
that conduce to non-decline, does not fall away from the true Dhamma.
The Vajjī Chapter, the third.
Its summary (uddāna):
Sārandada, Vassakāra, Bhikkhu, and Kamma, Saddhiya,
Bodhiya, Saññā, and Sekha, Hāni, and Vipatti-Sambhava.
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The Devatā Chapter, the fourth
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.