A mendicant with two qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves. What two? A mendicant is not quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings. And they don’t readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard. Nor do they examine the meaning of teachings they’ve memorized. Not understanding the meaning and the teaching, they don’t practice in line with the teaching. They’re a good speaker who enunciates well. Their voice is polished, clear, articulate, and expresses the meaning. They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire their spiritual companions. A mendicant with these two qualities is good enough for others but not for themselves.”
Numbered Discourses 8.79 8. Pairs Decline
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These eight things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What eight? They relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They don’t guard the sense doors and they eat too much. They relish closeness and proliferation. These eight things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.
These eight things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What eight? They don’t relish work, talk, sleep and company. They guard the sense doors, and they don’t eat too much. They don’t relish closeness and proliferation. These eight things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.”
Numbered Discourses 8.80 8. Pairs Grounds for Laziness and Arousing Energy
“Mendicants, there are eight grounds for laziness. What eight?
Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do. They think: ‘I have some work to do. But while doing it my body will get tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the first ground for laziness.