[68] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Naḷakapāna, in the Palāsa Grove. Now on that occasion, on the uposatha day, the Blessed One was seated surrounded by the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Then the Blessed One, having for much of the night instructed, urged, roused, and gladdened the bhikkhus with a talk on the Dhamma, surveying the utterly silent Saṅgha of bhikkhus, addressed the Venerable Sāriputta: "The Saṅgha of bhikkhus is free of dullness and drowsiness (thīnamiddha), Sāriputta. Let a talk on the Dhamma for the bhikkhus occur to you, Sāriputta. My back is aching; I shall stretch it." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Sāriputta replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having had his outer robe (saṅghāṭi) spread out folded in four, lay down in the lion's posture on his right side, placing one foot upon the other, with mindfulness and clearly comprehending, having attended to the perception of rising (uṭṭhānasaññā).
There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: "Friends, bhikkhus!" "Friend!" those bhikkhus replied to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this: "Whoever, friends, has no faith (saddhā) in wholesome dhammas (kusalā dhammā), has no moral shame (hiri) ... has no moral dread (ottappa) ... has no energy ... has no wisdom (paññā) ... has no lending of ear (sotāvadhāna) ... has no retention of the Dhamma (dhammadhāraṇā) ... has no examination of the meaning (atthūpaparikkhā) ... has no practice in accordance with the Dhamma (dhammānudhammapaṭipatti) ... has no heedfulness (appamāda) in wholesome dhammas — for him, whatever night or day comes, only decline in wholesome dhammas is to be expected, not growth. Just as, friends, in the dark fortnight, whatever night or day comes, the moon declines only in beauty, declines in its orb, declines in radiance, declines in breadth and circumference — even so, friends, whoever has no faith in wholesome dhammas, has no moral shame ... has no moral dread ... has no energy ... has no wisdom ... has no lending of ear ... has no retention of the Dhamma ... has no examination of the meaning ... has no practice in accordance with the Dhamma ... has no heedfulness in wholesome dhammas — for him, whatever night or day comes, only decline in wholesome dhammas is to be expected, not growth.
"Whoever, friends, has faith in wholesome dhammas, has moral shame ... has moral dread ... has energy ... has wisdom ... has lending of ear ... has retention of the Dhamma ... has examination of the meaning ... has practice in accordance with the Dhamma ... has heedfulness in wholesome dhammas — for him, whatever night or day comes, only growth in wholesome dhammas is to be expected, not decline. Just as, friends, in the bright fortnight, whatever night or day comes, the moon grows only in beauty, grows in its orb, grows in radiance, grows in breadth and circumference — even so, friends, whoever has faith in wholesome dhammas, has moral shame ... has moral dread ... has energy ... has wisdom ... has lending of ear ... has retention of the Dhamma ... has examination of the meaning ... has practice in accordance with the Dhamma ... has heedfulness in wholesome dhammas — for him, whatever night or day comes, only growth in wholesome dhammas is to be expected, not decline."
Then the Blessed One, having risen, addressed the Venerable Sāriputta: "Good, good, Sāriputta! Whoever, Sāriputta, has no faith in wholesome dhammas, has no moral shame ... has no moral dread ... has no energy ... has no wisdom ... has no lending of ear ... has no retention of the Dhamma ... has no examination of the meaning ... has no practice in accordance with the Dhamma ... has no heedfulness in wholesome dhammas — for him, whatever night or day comes, only decline in wholesome dhammas is to be expected, not growth. Just as, Sāriputta, in the dark fortnight, whatever night or day comes, the moon declines only in beauty, declines in its orb, declines in radiance, declines in breadth and circumference — even so, Sāriputta, whoever has no faith in wholesome dhammas … has no heedfulness in wholesome dhammas — for him, whatever night or day comes, only decline in wholesome dhammas is to be expected, not growth.
"Whoever, Sāriputta, has faith in wholesome dhammas, has moral shame ... has moral dread ... has energy ... has lending of ear ... has retention of the Dhamma ... has examination of the meaning ... has practice in accordance with the Dhamma ... has heedfulness in wholesome dhammas — for him, whatever night or day comes, only growth in wholesome dhammas is to be expected, not decline. Just as, Sāriputta, in the bright fortnight, whatever night or day comes, the moon grows only in beauty, grows in its orb, grows in radiance, grows in breadth and circumference — even so, Sāriputta, whoever has faith in wholesome dhammas … has heedfulness in wholesome dhammas — for him, whatever night or day comes, only growth in wholesome dhammas is to be expected, not decline."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.