Aparihaniya Dhamma: The Conditions of Welfare

Introduction

When our teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin was teaching at the International Meditation Centre in Yangon, he was very concerned at times about the welfare of his disciples. He would give Dhamma talks dealing with this subject very often to remind us of what we must do in order to work for our own welfare as well as to help us understand and master the subject thoroughly. We are recording here his talk based on the Buddha’s exposition of the aparihaniya dhamma (the Conditions of Welfare) so that serious students of the Buddha-Dhamma can refer to it whenever necessary.

Aparihaniya dhamma

The Licchavis were handsome and wore brilliantly coloured clothes and rode in brightly painted carriages. The Buddha compared them to the Devas of the Tavatimsa world.[3] They are described as being very prosperous and rich,[4] but they did not live in idleness and luxury. It is said that they slept on straw beds and were strenuous, diligent and zealous in their service.[5] And they practised the seven conditions for the welfare of a nation, the aparihaniya dhamma. The Pali word aparihaniya means "not causing decay or loss," or, stated positively, "working for one’s welfare."

The Seven Conditions for the Welfare of a Nation

1. Holding frequent meetings which are attended by many people.
2. Meeting together harmoniously and leaving together at the end, all going to fulfil their duties.
3. Not declaring new laws and not breaking with existing laws, and scrupulously conforming to the laws established in the past.
4. Honouring, revering, venerating and respecting elders and paying heed to their advice.
5. Not forcing girls or women to live with them.
6. Honouring, revering, venerating and respecting all their religious monuments.
7. Fully protecting Arahats, allowing them to enter the country and allowing them to remain there in comfort.

The Licchavis were so conscientious in performing their duties, the commentary says that even if they had to meet three times in a row, they would not say, "We met yesterday and the day before yesterday, so why are we meeting today?"

The Licchavis were greatly admired for their system of government. They held full and frequent assemblies at which problems affecting either the whole confederation or individual members were fully discussed.[6] They were on friendly terms with their neighbouring countries and rulers: Bimbisara, the king of Magadha; Pasenadi, the king of Kosala;[7] and the Mallas.

After the death of Bimbisara, his son Ajatasattu wanted to expand Magadha and he resolved to destroy the Licchavis. In order to find out if he could succeed, he sent his minister Vassakara to Rajagaha where the Buddha was residing at the Gijjakule (Vulture’s Peak) to ask about his chances. Vassakara exchanged the customary greetings and compliments of politeness and courtesy when he met the Buddha, then he sat down respectfully to one side to give his message.

The Buddha’s attendant, Ven. Ananda, was standing behind the Buddha fanning him. The Buddha did not answer the question sent by King Ajatasattu directly. Instead, he asked Ananda about the seven conditions for the welfare of a nation. "Ananda, have you not heard," the Buddha asked, "that the Vajjians hold frequent meetings which are attended by many people?" Venerable Ananda answered in the affirmative.

So the Buddha said, "Ananda, as long as the Vajjians hold frequent meetings and are numerous at the meetings it is to be expected that they will prosper and not decline." He made the same observation concerning all the seven conditions and stated that as long as the Licchavis maintained these conditions they were safe from their enemies. Vassakara, however, took a hint from what the Buddha said and decided to use criticism (upalapana) and enmity (mithu-bhada, "breaking, so as to cause opposition") to create dissension among the Licchavis. He contrived a plan and had Ajatasattu expel him from Magadha. He was then welcomed by the unsuspecting Licchavis and became the teacher of their children. This was the perfect position for Vassakara to make the children quarrel through the use of cunning and by questioning them in secret. The children’s quarrels soon spread to the adults and the Licchavis were no longer a united people. As a result, Ajatasattu was able to conquer them.[8]

Conditions of Welfare for the Sangha

After the visit from Vassakara, the Buddha had Venerable Ananda assemble all the bhikkhus around Rajagaha. When they were assembled, the Buddha gave them a discourse: "Bhikkhus," he said, "I will teach you seven conditions for the welfare (of the Sangha). Listen to them attentively, bear them in mind, and I will speak."

"Yes Lord," the bhikkhus said, agreeing to do so. And the Buddha enumerated several sets of conditions for the welfare of the Sangha.

The First Set of Seven Conditions for the Welfare of the Sangha

1. The bhikkhus should hold frequent meetings, attended by many.
2. The bhikkhus should meet together in harmony, leaving together at the end, all going to fulfil their duties.
3. The bhikkhus should not declare new rules, should not break the existing rules, and should scrupulously conform to the rules laid down in the past.
4. The bhikkhus should be devoted to the Elders (Theras) who have been bhikkhus for a long time, who are fathers of the Sangha, the guides of the Sangha. They should honour, revere, venerate and respect them, and pay heed to their advice.
5. The bhikkhus should not fall under the power of craving (tanha) which leads to continued rebirth.
6. The bhikkhus should delight in dwelling in solitude (literally: living in the forest).
7. The bhikkhus should each establish constant mindfulness (sati) in themselves so that their companions in leading the life of purity (sa-brahma-cari) who, like them, are of moral conduct may approach them and live comfortably with them.

For each of these conditions, the Buddha said that as long as they were observed and as long as the bhikkhus were instructed in them, the Sangha could be expected to grow and not decline. You will notice that the first four conditions are the same as in the list given for lay communities. The rules for the Sangha (number 3) were all given by the Buddha and to this day none has been deleted and none has been added. The Buddha then gave another seven conditions:

The Second Set of Seven Conditions for the Welfare of the Sangha (Conditions of Action)[9]

1. The bhikkhus should not be fond of work (appropriate to a layman), should not delight in business and should not be intent on delight in work (appropriate to a layman).
2. The bhikkhus should not be fond of unsuitable talk or gossip (bhassa), should not delight in unsuitable talk or gossip, and should not be intent on delight in unsuitable talk or gossip.
3. The bhikkhus should not be fond of sleeping, should not delight in sleeping, and should not be intent on delighting in sleeping.
4. The bhikkhus should not be fond of society, should not delight in society, and should not be intent on delighting in company.
5. The bhikkhus should not be fond of harbouring bad intentions or wishes (papiccha), and should not come under the control of evil.
6. The bhikkhus should not be a friend, companion or intimate of those who do evil.
7. The bhikkhus should not stop halfway (to the goal), after achieving an insignificant state. (Commentary: They should not stop halfway on the path to Arahatship.)

As long as these conditions are respected, the Buddha said, and as long as the bhikkhus are instructed in them, the Sangha could be expected to grow and not decline.

The Third Set of Conditions for the Welfare of the Sangha (Conditions of Believing)

1. Faith or Confidence (saddha)
2. Conscience (leading to modest conduct) (hiri)
3. Moral dread (of doing wrong) (ottappa)
4. Being very learned (bahu-ssuta)
5. Of firm energy (araddha-viriya)
6. Fully mindful (upatthita-sati)
7. Possessed of wisdom (pannavanta)

As long as these conditions are respected, as long as the bhikkhus are instructed in them, the bhikkhus could be expected to grow and not decline.

The Fourth Set of Conditions for the Welfare of the Sangha (Conditions of Awakening)[10]

1. Mindfulness (sati)
2. Investigation of the Dhamma (dhamma-vicaya)
3. Energy (viriya)
4. Happiness (piti)
5. Tranquillity (passaddhi)
6. Concentration (samadhi)
7. Equanimity (upekkha)

As long as these conditions are respected, as long as the bhikkhus are instructed in them, the bhikkhus could be expected to grow and not decline.

The Fifth Set of Conditions for the Welfare of the Sangha (Conditions of Awareness)

1. Awareness of Impermanence (anicca-sanna)
2. Awareness of Non-self (anatta-sanna)
3. Awareness of Impurity (asubha-sanna)
4. Awareness of Danger (adinava-sanna)
5. Awareness of Overcoming (pahana-sanna)
6. Awareness of Emancipation (viraga-sanna)
7. Awareness of Cessation (nirodha-sanna)

As long as these conditions are respected, as long as the bhikkhus are instructed in them, the bhikkhus could be expected to grow and not decline. (The first four of these will lead to making progress ["overcoming," number five] and to final liberation ["emancipation" and "cessation," numbers six and seven]. Even after final liberation they can all be maintained.)

In this same discourse, the Buddha gave three additional lists. One was another list of six conditions for the welfare of the Sangha, and the other two were lists of conditions contributing to decline: the first to the decline of bhikkhus when training and the second to the decline of lay disciples.

Six Conditions for the Welfare of the Sangha (Living Together in Harmony)

1. The bhikkhus should help their companions in the life of purity with loving kindness in all their actions.
2. The bhikkhus should help their companions in the life of purity with loving kindness in their speech.
3. The bhikkhus should help their companions in the life of purity with loving kindness in their thoughts.
4. The bhikkhus should share with their virtuous companions in the life of purity what is lawfully received according to the rules--even as little as the contents of their bowl, (not eating) without sharing with others. (Commentary: Sharing material possessions--especially food--and personal possessions without thinking, "I will give only so much," or, "I will give to a certain person but not to another person.")
5. The bhikkhus should live united in virtue (sila) with their companions in the life of purity, both in private and in public--virtue that is conducive to concentration (samadhi), untarnished, undisturbed, liberating, unblemished, without defect, unbroken.
6. The bhikkhus should live united in right view (ditthi) with their companions in the life of purity, both in private and in public--the noble right view that leads to the complete extinction of suffering (dukkha), that leads to liberation and to escape (from rebirth) for the one who puts it into practice.

Seven Conditions Leading to the Decline of a Monk When Training

1. Delight in action
2. Delight in talk
3. Delight in sleeping
4. Delight in company
5. Delight in sensual pleasures
6. Lack of moderation in eating
7. Failure to respect the wisdom of experienced monks

Seven Conditions Leading to a Lay Disciple’s Decline

1. He fails to visit the monks.
2. He neglects to listen to the teaching.
3. He does not train in higher morality.
4. He puts little trust in elder, novice or midterm monks.
5. He listens to the Dhamma with a critical mind, looking for faults.
6. He looks for someone outside the Order to venerate and respect.
7. He serves someone outside the Order.

Sayagyi U Ba Khin commented on this discourse of the Buddha by asking us: "Now, what do you all want? Prosperity or decline? Prosperity, of course!"

In Myanmar (Burma), Buddhists know the Pali texts of the five Nikayas which give the stories from the days of the Buddha. They know the way in which Vassakara did not benefit from the Buddha’s discourse, but rather distorted the teachings to serve his selfish desires. How unfortunate he was--so close to the Dhamma, and yet so far! When Buddhists in Myanmar see a person acting like Vassakara, they will call him by Vassakara’s name. This is a hint to the person who sows dissension among those around him, so that he may have a chance to correct himself before he has gone too far. When such actions are brought to the attention of the elders and teachers or presiding bhikkhus of the Sangha, they give a talk on the aparihaniya dhamma, just as Sayagyi instructed us at the International Meditation Centre in Yangon.

We should do our best to fulfil these conditions that work for our welfare--observing them scrupulously in order to grow in the Dhamma rather than retrogress. This discourse by Sayagyi, which faithfully gives the Buddha’s instructions, should be passed on by us so that our fellow meditators and those who follow in our footsteps can prosper as well.

Today is an auspicious occasion: October 12,1983, is the fifth anniversary of Mother Sayamagyi’s and Sayagyi U Chit Tin’s coming out of Myanmar to teach the Buddha-Dhamma in the West. This Dhamma discourse has been chosen as the Dhamma message for all students in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.

May you all grow in the Dhamma and be happy!
May you all be able to fulfil the conditions for welfare!
May the Pure Dhamma long endure!

Mother Sayamagyi and Sayagyi U Chit Tin
October 12, 1983
Mervelier, Switzerland (Meditation Camp)

1. THIH, pp. 231-277 (for the story of the Licchavis, see pp. 231-234; also found at GS IV 15-16); DB II 78-191.
2. See the commentary on the Maha-Parinibbana-sutta (Sv II 519) and DPPN.
3. See, for example, DB III 102.
4. See Dhp-a (BL III 168).
5. Sv II 519.
6. Sv II 517f.
7. MLS II 287.
8. Sv II 522. (The commentary explains that there was a port on the Ganges River the same distance from Ajatasattu’s country as from the Licchavis’, and a rich consignment of perfumes was brought there. Both prepared to attack, but the Licchavis stole a march on Ajatasattu and twice made off with everything, and the latter was very angry.)
9. Cf. the list of six conditions at A III 310 (GS III 221).
10. These conditions are also found at S V 85 (KS V 72).

• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Buddhism As a Way of Life
• Some Aspects of How Sayagyi U Ba Khin Began His Mission
• Theravada Buddhist Meditation As Taught By Sayagyi U Ba Khin
• Leading Virtuous Lives As Laymen
• Making the Most of This Life
• The Two Guardians of the World: A Sense of Shame, A Fear of Blame (hiri-ottappa)
• The Triple Refuge (ti-sarana)
• Right Motivation and Right Action
• The Warning of the Deva-Messengers
• Floods of Merit
• The Story of Pacceka Buddha Matanga
• The Person the Buddha Would Not Admonish
• Inevitable Suffering and the Hope of Nibbana
• The Three Traditional Destroyers
• The Five Best Opportunities That Are Difficult to Obtain
• Four Ways of Practising the Buddha-Dhamma
• The Light of the Dhamma
• Concerning Nibbana-dathu
• Honour to Whom Honour is Due, Examples to be Followed
• Being Assured of Attaining Nibbana
• The Good Friend
• Insight Meditation: The Benefits to be Derived from Developing Vipassana
• The Middle Practice
• Practising the Buddha-Dhamma as Laymen
• Practising What We Preach
• Teaching the Buddha Dhamma
• The Life of the Buddha by Ven. Ledi Sayadaw

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