Firstly, a mendicant trainee has many duties and responsibilities, and is competent in many tasks. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. This is the first thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee spends too much time doing trivial work. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. This is the second thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee mixes closely with laypeople and renunciates, socializing inappropriately like a layperson. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. This is the third thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee enters the town at the wrong time, and returns too late in the day. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. This is the fourth thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

Furthermore, a mendicant trainee doesn’t get to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart, when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is, talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, aloofness, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom. They neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart. This is the fifth thing that leads to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

These five things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

These five things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What five?