Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha traveled to the country of Śrāvastī and stayed at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove.

It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “I’ll discuss retreating from skillful qualities and not abiding in or increasing them. I’ll discuss abiding in skillful qualities and not retreating from or increasing them. I’ll also discuss increasing skillful qualities and not retreating from or abiding in them.

“How does one retreat from skillful qualities and not abide in or increase them? Suppose a monk has faith, precepts, learning, generosity, wisdom, eloquence, scriptures, and his attainments. That man retreats from these qualities and doesn’t abide in or increase them. This is called retreating from skillful qualities and not abiding in or increasing them.

“How does one abide in skillful qualities and not retreat from or increase them? Suppose a monk has faith, precepts, learning, generosity, wisdom, eloquence, scriptures, and his attainments. That man abides in these qualities and doesn’t retreat from or increase them. This is called abiding in skillful qualities and not retreating from or increasing them.

“How does one increase skillful qualities and not retreat from or abide in them? Suppose a monk has faith, precepts, learning, generosity, wisdom, eloquence, scriptures, and his attainments. That man increases these qualities and doesn’t retreat from or abide in them. This is called increasing skillful qualities and not retreating from or abiding in them.

“A monk who contemplates in this way will surely be greatly benefited by it: ‘Do I often practice with longing, or do I often practice without longing? Do I often practice with hateful thoughts, or do I often practice without hateful thoughts? Do I often practice wrapped in sleepiness, or do I often practice without being wrapped in sleepiness? Do I often practice with agitated arrogance, or do I often practice without agitated arrogance? Do I often practice with perplexity, or do I often practice without perplexity? Do I often practice with physical violence, or do I often practice without physical violence? Do I often practice with filthy thoughts, or do I often practice without filthy thoughts? Do I often practice with faith, or do I often practice unfaithfully? Do I often practice with diligence, or do I often practice with laziness? Do I often practice with mindfulness, or do I often practice without mindfulness? Do I often practice while settled, or do I often practice while unsettled? Do I often practice with poor wisdom, or do I often practice without poor wisdom?’

“Suppose that when he contemplates this, a monk knows, ‘I often practice with longing … hateful thoughts … wrapped in sleepiness … agitated arrogance … perplexity … physical violence … filthy thoughts … unfaithfully … laziness … without mindfulness … while unsettled … often practice with poor wisdom.’ Because he wants to cease these bad and unskillful things, that monk then quickly pursues the method to do that, training with the utmost effort. He endures and doesn’t let himself retreat using right mindfulness and knowledge. He’s like a man with his hair or clothes on fire who instantly seeks to put them out. Thus, because he wants to cease these bad and unskillful things, this monk quickly pursues the method to do that and trains with the utmost effort. He endures and doesn’t let himself retreat using right mindfulness and knowledge.

“Suppose that when he contemplates this, a monk knows, ‘I often practice without longing … without hateful thoughts … without being wrapped in sleepiness … without agitated arrogance … without perplexity … without physical violence … without filthy thoughts … with faith … with diligence … with mindfulness … while settled … often practice without poor wisdom.’ Because he wants to abide in these skillful things and not forget or retreat from cultivating and disseminating them, that monk quickly seeks the method to do that, training with the utmost effort. He endures and doesn’t let himself retreat using right mindfulness and knowledge. He’s like a man with his hair or clothes on fire who instantly seeks to put them out. Thus, because he wants to abide in these skillful things and not forget or retreat from cultivating and disseminating them, this monk quickly seeks the method to do that, training with the utmost effort. He endures and doesn’t let himself retreat using right mindfulness and knowledge.”

This is what the Buddha said. Those monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.