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Future Perils (4th)

AN 5.80 · Catutthaanāgatabhayasutta

Pale pink wild roses open along a green woodland hedge.

“Mendicants, these five future perils have not currently arisen, but they will arise in the future. You should look out for them and try to give them up.

What five? In a future time there will be mendicants who like nice robes. They will neglect the practice of wearing rag robes and the practice of frequenting remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. They will come down to the villages, towns, and capital cities and make their homes there. And they will employ many kinds of improper solicitation for the sake of a robe. This is the first future peril that has not currently arisen, but will arise in the future …

Furthermore, in a future time there will be mendicants who like nice almsfood. They will neglect the practice of walking for almsfood and the practice of frequenting remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. They will come down to the villages, towns, and capital cities and make their home there. And they will employ many kinds of improper solicitation for the sake of almsfood. This is the second future peril that has not currently arisen, but will arise in the future …

Furthermore, in a future time there will be mendicants who like nice lodgings. They will neglect the practice of staying at the root of a tree and the practice of frequenting remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. They will come down to the villages, towns, and capital cities and make their home there. And they will employ many kinds of improper solicitation for the sake of lodgings. This is the third future peril that has not currently arisen, but will arise in the future …

Furthermore, in a future time there will be mendicants who mix closely with nuns, trainee nuns, and novice nuns. In such conditions, it can be expected that they will lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, or commit one of the corrupt offenses, or resign the training and return to a lesser life. This is the fourth future peril that has not currently arisen, but will arise in the future …

Furthermore, in a future time there will be mendicants who mix closely with monastery attendants and novices. In such conditions it can be expected that they will engage in storing up goods for their own use, and making obvious hints about digging the earth and cutting plants. This is the fifth future peril that has not currently arisen, but will arise in the future …

These are the five future perils that have not currently arisen, but will arise in the future. You should look out for them and try to give them up.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.