At one time the Blessed One was wandering in the land of the Kosalans with a large group of monks. The Buddha arrived at a town of the Kosalans named Naḷakapāna where the Buddha stayed in the Palasa grove. At that time, it was the full moon uposatha day, and the Blessed One was sitting there, surrounded by an assembly of monks. Having instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened the group of monks with a dhamma talk for much of the night, the Blessed One surveyed that group of monks, who were so very silent. Having seen this, the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Sāriputta:
“Sāriputta, this assembly of monks is free from dullness and drowsiness. Give them a Dhamma talk as you feel inspired. My back is sore, I’ll stretch it.”
“Yes, Bhante.” The venerable Sāriputta replied.
And then the Buddha spread out his double robe folded in four and laid down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up. Then the venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks: “Venerable friends,”
“Venerable friend,” those monks replied. The Venerable Sāriputta said this:
“Venerable friends, whoever has no faith in wholesome qualities, no shame of wrongdoing, no fear of wrongdoing, no energy, and no wisdom, whether by day or by night, can expect decline in wholesome qualities, not growth.
Just as during the dark fortnight, whether by day or by night, the moon only declines in beauty, declines in roundness, declines in brightness, declines in diameter, and declines in size. In the same way, Venerable friends, whoever has no faith in wholesome qualities, no shame of wrongdoing, no fear of wrongdoing, no energy, and no wisdom, whether by day or by night, can expect decline in wholesome qualities, not growth.
Venerable friends, a faithless person declines. A person without shame of wrongdoing declines. A person without fear of wrongdoing declines. A lazy person declines. A person without wisdom declines. A short-tempered person declines. A hostile person declines. A person with evil desires declines. A person with bad friends declines. A person with wrong view declines.
Venerable friends, whoever has faith in wholesome qualities, shame of wrongdoing, fear of wrongdoing, energy, and wisdom, whether by day or by night can expect growth in wholesome qualities, not decline.
Venerable friends, just as the moon in the bright fortnight, whether by day or by night, only increases in beauty, increases in roundness, increases in light, increases in diameter, and increases in size. In the same way, Venerable friends, whoever has faith in wholesome qualities, shame of wrongdoing, fear of wrongdoing, energy, and wisdom, whether by day or by night can expect growth in wholesome qualities, not decline.
Venerable friends, a faithful person does not decline. A person with shame of wrongdoing does not decline. A person with fear of wrongdoing does not decline. An energetic person does not decline. A wise person does not decline. A kind person does not decline. A person free of hostility does not decline. A person without evil desires does not decline. A person with good friends does not decline. A person with right view does not decline.”
Then the Blessed one got up and addressed the venerable Sāriputta:
“Good, good, Sāriputta! Whoever has no faith in wholesome qualities, no shame of wrongdoing, no fear of wrongdoing, no energy, and no wisdom, whether by day or by night, can expect decline in wholesome qualities, not growth. It is just as the moon in the dark fortnight, whether by day or by night, only decreases in beauty, decreases in roundness, decreases in light, decreases in diameter, and decreases in size. In the same way, whoever has no faith in wholesome qualities, no shame of wrongdoing, no fear of wrongdoing, no energy, and no wisdom, whether by day or by night can expect decline in wholesome qualities, not growth.
Sāriputta, a faithless person declines. A person without shame of wrongdoing declines. A person without fear of wrongdoing declines. A lazy person declines. A person without wisdom declines. A short-tempered person declines. A hostile person declines. A person with evil desires declines. A person with bad friends declines. A person with wrong view declines.
Sāriputta, whoever has faith in wholesome qualities, shame of wrongdoing, fear of wrongdoing, energy, and wisdom, whether by day or by night, can expect growth in wholesome qualities, not decline.
Sāriputta, it is just as the moon in the bright fortnight, whether by day or by night, only increases in beauty, increases in roundness, increases in light, increases in diameter, and increases in size. Sāriputta, in the same way, whoever has faith in wholesome qualities, shame of wrongdoing, fear of wrongdoing, energy, and wisdom, whether by day or by night can expect growth in wholesome qualities, not decline.
Sāriputta, a faithful person does not decline. A person with shame of wrongdoing does not decline. A person with fear of wrongdoing does not decline. An energetic person does not decline. A wise person does not decline. A kind person does not decline. A person free of hostility does not decline. A person without evil desires does not decline. A person with good friends does not decline. A person with right view does not decline.”
