Something to share about Buddhism and Prosperity
PARABHAVA-SUTTA.Thus I heard: when Buddha was once residing at Jetavana, the vihâra of Anâthapi.n.dika, in the vicinity of the city of Sâvatthi, a certain deva possessed of pleasing appearance, approached Buddha, after the expiration of the first ten hours of the night (in the middle of the night), illuminating the whole Jetavana with his splendour, and having worshipped him, stood on one side of him (at a respectful distance) and spoke to him in this stanza:
1. Who is the person that declines (in prosperity)? Lord Buddha of the family of Gotama, we have come to you for the purpose of proposing the question: what is the cause that leads to the decline of prosperity?
2. The person who advances in prosperity may be easily known, and so is the person who declines. He who delights (in the performance of the) ten meritorious acts1 will attain to prosperity, while he that entertains an aversion thereto will decline in prosperity.
3. We know that this is the first cause which leads men to decline in prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the second cause which leads to that result.
4. If any individual takes delight in wicked men and has an aversion towards the righteous, and delights in the doings of wicked men, that will be a cause to bring about his decline in prosperity.
5. We know that this is the second cause which leads to the decline of prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the third cause. What is it that leads to the decline of prosperity?
6. If any individual should be habitually sleepy (whether sitting, walking, or standing, etc.), be addicted to company, be of malicious temper, or would not exert himself, that would operate as a cause towards the decline of his prosperity.
7. We know that this is the third cause which leads to the decline of prosperity. Please declare the fourth, O Bhagavâ! What is it that leads to that result?
8. If any individual should not support and maintain either of his parents in their old age, having it in his power to do so, that would cause the decline of his prosperity.
9. We know that this is the fourth cause which leads to the decline of prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the fifth. What is it that brings about that result?
10. If any individual utter a falsehood and thereby impose upon a Samana, a brâhman, or any other description of mendicants, that will operate as a cause towards a decline of his prosperity.
11. We know that this is the fifth cause which leads men to decline in prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the sixth: what is it that brings about that result?
12. If any individual possessed of gold in abundance, plenty of kahapanas, and various kinds of viands, should himself alone enjoy his wealth, that would be a cause to the decline of his prosperity.
13. We know that this is the sixth cause which will lead men to decline in prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the seventh: what is it that leads to that result?
14. If any individual disrespect his relations, actuated by too high an opinion of himself, founded on his superiority in birth, wealth, or family, it will operate as a cause towards a decline of his prosperity.
15. We know that this is the seventh cause which leads men to decline in prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the eighth: what is it that tends to a decline of prosperity?
16. If any individual becomes a debauchee, a drunkard, or a gambler, and thereby entirely squanders away his earnings, that will be a cause to the decline of his prosperity.
17. We know that this is the eighth cause which leads to the decline of men' s prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the ninth: what is it that brings about the decline of prosperity?
18. If a man not pleased with his wife be constantly seen in the company of prostitutes and among the wives of others, that is a cause which would lead to the decline of his prosperity.
19. We know that this is the ninth cause which leads to the decline of prosperity of men. O Bhagavâ! please declare the tenth: what is it that leads to that result?
20. If any old man take a young woman, with breasts like unto timba-fruits, for his wife, and break rest from motives of jealousy, that will operate as a cause towards the decline of his prosperity.
21. We know that this is the tenth cause which leads men to decline in prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the eleventh: what is it that brings about that result?
22. Should any individual entrust the management of his affairs to a gluttonous and prodigal woman or man, or place him or her at the head of his household, that would be a cause to bring about the decline of his prosperity.
23. We know that this is the eleventh cause which leads men to decline in prosperity. O Bhagavâ! please declare the twelfth: what is it that leads to the said decline?
24. If any individual is born of royal race, but is deficient in wealth and full of ambition, aspire to sovereignty here, that is a cause which will lead to a decline of his prosperity.
25. Therefore the wise man who has seen well the causes which in this world lead to the decline of men's prosperity will lead such a life here as will entitle him to a birth in heaven.
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