Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.28

Numbered Discourses 6.28

3. Anuttariyavagga

3. Unsurpassable

Dutiyasamayasutta

Proper Occasions (2nd)

Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye. Atha kho tesaṁ therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

At one time several senior bhikkhus were staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. Then after the meal, on their return from almsround, this discussion came up among them while sitting together in the pavilion.

“ko nu kho, āvuso, samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun”ti?

“Friends, how many occasions are there for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu?”

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu there bhikkhū etadavoca:

When this was said, one of the bhikkhus said to the senior bhikkhus:

“yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto pāde pakkhāletvā nisinno hoti pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā, so samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun”ti.

“Friends, there’s a time after an esteemed bhikkhu’s meal when they return from almsround. Having washed their feet they sit down cross-legged, set their body straight, and establish mindfulness in front of them. That is the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.”

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

When this was said, one of the bhikkhus said to that bhikkhu:

“na kho, āvuso, so samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto pāde pakkhāletvā nisinno hoti pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā, cārittakilamathopissa tasmiṁ samaye appaṭippassaddho hoti, bhattakilamathopissa tasmiṁ samaye appaṭippassaddho hoti. Tasmā so asamayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito vihārapacchāyāyaṁ nisinno hoti pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā, so samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun”ti.

“Friend, that’s not the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu. For at that time the fatigue from walking and from eating has not faded away. There’s a time late in the afternoon when an esteemed bhikkhu comes out of retreat. They sit cross-legged in the shade of their porch , set their body straight, and establish mindfulness in front of them. That is the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.”

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

When this was said, one of the bhikkhus said to that bhikkhu:

“na kho, āvuso, so samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito vihārapacchāyāyaṁ nisinno hoti pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā, yadevassa divā samādhinimittaṁ manasikataṁ hoti tadevassa tasmiṁ samaye samudācarati. Tasmā so asamayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya nisinno hoti pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā, so samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun”ti.

“Friend, that’s not the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu. For at that time they are still practicing the same meditation subject as a foundation of immersion that they focused on during the day. There’s a time when an esteemed bhikkhu has risen at the crack of dawn. They sit down cross-legged, set their body straight, and establish mindfulness in front of them. That is the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.”

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

When this was said, one of the bhikkhus said to that bhikkhu:

“na kho, āvuso, so samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya nisinno hoti pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā, ojaṭṭhāyissa tasmiṁ samaye kāyo hoti phāsussa hoti buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ manasi kātuṁ. Tasmā so asamayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun”ti.

“Friend, that’s not the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu. For at that time their body is full of vitality and they find it easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas.”

Evaṁ vutte āyasmā mahākaccāno there bhikkhū etadavoca:

When this was said, Venerable Mahākaccāna said to those senior bhikkhus:

“sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘chayime, bhikkhu, samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

“Friends, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘Bhikkhus, there are six occasions for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.

Katame cha? Idha, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:

What six? Firstly, there’s a time when a bhikkhu’s heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire, and they don’t truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. On that occasion they should go to an esteemed bhikkhu and say:

“ahaṁ kho, āvuso, kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharāmi kāmarāgaparetena, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Sādhu vata me āyasmā kāmarāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetū”ti. Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu kāmarāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, paṭhamo samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

“My heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire, and I don’t truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. Venerable, please teach me how to give up sensual desire.” Then that esteemed bhikkhu teaches them how to give up sensual desire. This is the first occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati …pe…. Thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati …. Uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati …. Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati ….

Furthermore, there’s a time when a bhikkhu’s heart is overcome and mired in ill will … dullness and drowsiness … restlessness and remorse … doubt …

Yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, taṁ nimittaṁ na jānāti na passati, tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: “ahaṁ kho, āvuso, yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti taṁ nimittaṁ na jānāmi na passāmi. Sādhu vata me āyasmā āsavānaṁ khayāya dhammaṁ desetū”ti. Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayāya dhammaṁ deseti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, chaṭṭho samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ’.

Furthermore, there’s a time when a bhikkhu doesn’t understand what kind of meditation they need to focus on in order to end the defilements in the present life. On that occasion they should go to an esteemed bhikkhu and say, “I don’t understand what kind of meditation to focus on in order to end the defilements in the present life. Venerable, please teach me how to end the defilements.” Then that esteemed bhikkhu teaches them how to end the defilements. This is the sixth occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.’

Sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘ime kho, bhikkhu, cha samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun’”ti.

Friends, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘These are the six occasions for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.’”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.