CAUSES OF DOWNFALL

CAUSES OF DOWNFALL

(The Buddha and His Teaching - the basic level)

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1. To love and abide by the ten kinds of good conduct (sucarita) is the cause of one's prosperity whereas to hate and disobey the ten kinds of good conduct is the cause of one's downfall.

2. To love the ignoble persons and associate with them, and also to dislike the noble persons and dissociate with them are the causes of one's downfall.

3. To indulge in excessive sleep, to indulge in companionship, to lack in effort, to be lazy and to be easily angry are the causes of one's downfall.

4. Not to support and attend to old parents although one has the ability to support and attend to them is the cause of one's downfall.

5. To deceive monks or other donees with false speech is a cause of one's down­fall.

6. to enjoy one's great fortune only for one's benefit without sharing it with others is a cause of one's downfall.

7. To be proud of one's birth, wealth and lineage, and to despise and disrespect one's own kinsmen is a cause of one's downfall.

8. To indulge in womanizing, drinking and to squander whatever one possesses are the causes of one's downfall.

9. To indulge in sexual misconduct with courtesans and other's spouses is a cause of one's downfall.

10. To marry a young person inspite of ones old age is a cause of one's downfall.

11. To give authority to a person who in­dulges excessively in food and dress and who is also a spendthrift is a cause of one's downfall.

12 To aspire to possess something or some position which is out of one's reach or ability is a cause of one's downfall.

 Conclusion

A wise person, considering these causes of deterioration carefully, shapes the course of life to free from these bad causes and attain peace and prosperity in the present life as well as in future lives.