Paṭhamasaddhammasammosasutta — Saddhammavagga — the sixteenth chapter of the Fives
Setting
None stated; the discourse continues from AN 5.1, whose setting at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove is understood to hold
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
two paired five-item lists, on the collective survival of the teaching
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — short, opening this chapter's title concern
Why this discourse
A shift in scale: from an individual listener's disposition (AN 5.151–153) to the true teaching's collective, historical survival — naming a five-stage chain from hearing through memorization through comprehension through practice, each link a separate point of possible failure.
Reading guide
From individual to institutional
The previous three discourses concerned one listener's internal state. This discourse and its two companions (AN 5.155–156) concern something larger: the true teaching's (saddhamma) survival across time, as a collective, historical matter rather than a personal listening experience.
A five-stage transmission chain
Mendicants not carefully listening, not memorizing, not remembering, not examining the meaning, and not practicing in line with the understood meaning and teaching — five sequential stages, each a distinct point where transmission can fail.
Why sequence matters
The five items build on each other: one must first listen carefully to memorize accurately; memorize to remember; remember to examine meaning; understand meaning to practice accordingly. A break at any stage propagates forward.
The mirrored positive
Careful listening, memorizing, remembering, examining meaning, and practicing accordingly — the clean negation, framed as what sustains the teaching.
Two more decline-discourses to come
AN 5.155 names a second decline-formula, concerning engagement with the ninefold teaching genres; AN 5.156 gives the fullest version, including textual corruption and Saṅgha schism.
Key terms
saddhammasammosa — “the decline/confusion of the true teaching” — this trio of discourses' shared title concern.
suṇanti — “they listen” — the first stage of the transmission chain.
pariyāpuṇanti — “they memorize” — the second stage.
atthaṁ upaparikkhanti — “they examine the meaning” — the fourth stage, comprehension.
dhammānudhammaṁ paṭipajjanti — “they practice in line with the teaching” — the fifth and final stage.
The text
The discourse in full: the five-stage transmission chain, and its breakdown. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Causing the true teaching's decline
§1“Mendicants, these five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching. What five? It’s when mendicants don’t carefully listen to the teachings, memorize them, and remember them. They don’t carefully examine the meaning of teachings that they remember. And they don’t carefully practice in line with the meaning and the teaching they’ve understood. These five things lead to the decline and disappearance of the true teaching.
Sustaining the true teaching
§2These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching. What five? It’s when mendicants carefully listen to the teachings, memorize them, and remember them. They carefully examine the meaning of teachings that they remember. And they carefully practice in line with the meaning and the teaching they’ve understood. These five things lead to the continuation, persistence, and enduring of the true teaching.”
· · ·
Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What shift does this discourse mark, compared to AN 5.151-153?
Correct: A. A move in scale from personal to institutional.
Question 2 of 10
What are the five stages of this discourse's transmission chain, in order?
Correct: A. Five sequential transmission stages.
Question 3 of 10
Why does sequence matter in this five-stage chain?
Correct: A. Listening enables memorizing, memorizing enables remembering, and so on.
Question 4 of 10
What does 'saddhammasammosa' name?
Correct: A. This trio of discourses' shared concern.
Question 5 of 10
What does 'pariyāpuṇanti' mean?
Correct: A. The second stage of the transmission chain.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'dhammānudhammaṁ paṭipajjanti' mean?
Correct: A. The fifth and final stage.
Question 7 of 10
How many discourses in this chapter concern the teaching's decline?
Correct: A. A trio, of which this is the first.
Question 8 of 10
What does AN 5.155's decline-formula concern?
Correct: A. The second of the three decline discourses.
Question 9 of 10
What does AN 5.156 add that the other two decline-discourses don't?
Correct: A. The fullest, most serious of the three.
Question 10 of 10
What is the positive list in this discourse?
Correct: A. Careful listening, memorizing, remembering, examining, and practicing.
