Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka-Nipāta
III: Anuttariya-Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sixes
Chapter III: Above All

Sutta 28

Dutiya Samaya Suttaṃ

The Times (b)

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[226]

[1] Thus have I heard:

Once, when many elders dwelt at the Deer Park in Isipatana, near Benares,
there arose by chance this talk among them,
as they sat assembled in the round hall,^[1]
after breakfast,
on their return from alms-collecting:

'What's the proper time, reverend sirs,
to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind?'

■

Now having stated this,
a certain monk said to the elders:

'When, reverend sirs, a monk,
a student of mind,
has returned from alms-collecting,
breakfasted,
washed his feet,
seated himself,
crossed his legs,
straightened his body
and made mindfulness stand up,
as it were,
before him;
then is the time to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind.'

■

And after he had thus spoken, another said:

'Nay, reverend sirs,
that is not the time to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind;
for when he has returned from alms-collecting,
breakfasted,
washed his feet,
seated himself,
crossed his legs,
straightened his body
and made mindfulness stand up,
as it were,
before him;
he is languid from his walk
and is not then completely at ease;
or he is languid after his meal
and is not then completely at ease.

Wherefore that is not the time,
to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind.

But when, sirs, in the evening
he has risen from seclusion
and is seated in the shade of his lodging,
cross-legged,
with body erect,
with mindfulness set before him;
then is the time to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind.'

■

Then said another:

'Nay, verily, reverend sirs,
that is not the time to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind; for when, reverend sirs, in the evening
he has risen from seclusion
and is seated in the shade of his lodging,
cross-legged,
with body erect,
with mindfulness set before him
whatsoever concentration-image
he has by day concentrated on,
just that will then beset him.

Wherefore that is not the time
to go and see that monk.

But when, sirs, night recedes
and day dawns
and he is seated cross-legged
with body erect
with mindfulness set before him;
then is the time to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind.'

■

But another monk said:

'Indeed, neither is that the time
to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind;
for when night recedes
and day dawns
and he is seated cross-legged
with body erect
[227] with mindfulness set before him,
then is his body endued with strength^[2]
and he finds comfort in pondering
on the teaching of the Buddhas.

Wherefore that is not the time
to go and see a monk
who is a student of mind.'

 

§

 

And when he had thus spoken,
the venerable Mahā Kaccāna said this to the elders:

'Erom the mouth of the Exalted One, reverend sirs,
have I heard this;
from his own mouth have I received this:

"There are these six times
for a monk to go and see
a monk who is a student of mind.

What six?

Herein, monk, when a monk is obsessed in heart by passionate lust,
overwhelmed by passionate lust
and knows no refuge,
as there really is,
from the surge of passionate lust;
then let him visit a monk,
who has made a study of mind,
and say this to him:

'Good sir, I am indeed obsessed in heart by passionate lust,
overwhelmed thereby,
nor know I any refuge from the surge thereof.

Well were it for me,
if the venerable one would teach me Dhamma
to rid me of this lusting.'

Then the monk will teach him Dhamma
to rid him of that lust.

This, monk, is the first time
to go and see a monk
who has made a study of mind.

■

Again, when in heart he is obsessed by ill-will
overwhelmed by ill-will
and knows no refuge,
as there really is,
from the surge of ill-will;
then let him visit a monk,
who has made a study of mind,
and say this to him:

'Good sir, I am indeed obsessed in heart by ill-will,
overwhelmed by ill-will,
nor know I any refuge from the surge of ill-will.

Well were it for me,
if the venerable one would teach me Dhamma
to rid me of this ill-will.'

Then the monk will teach him Dhamma
to rid him of that ill-will.

This, monk, is the second time
to go and see a monk
who has made a study of mind.

■

Again, when in heart he is obsessed by sloth and torpor
overwhelmed by sloth and torpor
and knows no refuge,
as there really is,
from the surge of sloth and torpor;
then let him visit a monk,
who has made a study of mind,
and say this to him:

'Good sir, I am indeed obsessed in heart by sloth and torpor,
overwhelmed by sloth and torpor,
nor know I any refuge from the surge of sloth and torpor.

Well were it for me,
if the venerable one would teach me Dhamma
to rid me of this sloth and torpor.'

Then the monk will teach him Dhamma
to rid him of that sloth and torpor.

This, monk, is the third time
to go and see a monk
who has made a study of mind.

■

Again, when in heart he is obsessed by flurry and worry
overwhelmed by flurry and worry
and knows no refuge,
as there really is,
from the surge of flurry and worry;
then let him visit a monk,
who has made a study of mind,
and say this to him:

'Good sir, I am indeed obsessed in heart by flurry and worry,
overwhelmed by flurry and worry,
nor know I any refuge from the surge of flurry and worry.

Well were it for me,
if the venerable one would teach me Dhamma
to rid me of this flurry and worry.'

Then the monk will teach him Dhamma
to rid him of that flurry and worry.

This, monk, is the fourth time
to go and see a monk
who has made a study of mind.

■

Again, when in heart he is obsessed by or by doubt,
overwhelmed by doubt
and knows no refuge,
as there really is,
from the surge of doubt;
then let him visit a monk,
who has made a study of mind,
and say this to him:

'Good sir, I am indeed obsessed in heart by doubt,
overwhelmed by doubt,
nor know I any refuge from the surge of doubt.

Well were it for me,
if the venerable one would teach me Dhamma
to rid me of this doubt.'

Then the monk will teach him Dhamma
to rid him of that doubt.

This, monk, is the fifth time
to go and see a monk
who has made a study of mind.

■

Moreover, monk, when from some image,
as he concentrates thereon,
there comes not to him at intervals
canker-destruction,
nor knows he that image
nor realizes it;
then let him visit a monk,
who has made a study of mind, and say:

'Good sir, from this image,
as I concentrate thereon,
there comes not to me at intervals
canker-destruction,
nor know I that image
nor realize it.

Well were it for me, if the venerable one would teach me Dhamma
to the end that I may destroy the cankers.'

Then the monk will teach him Dhanāna to destroy the cankers.

This, monk, is the sixth time
to go and see a monk
who has made a study of mind."

From the mouth of the Exalted One
have I heard this;
from his very mouth have I received this.'

 

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^[1] Maṇḍala-māḷe. Comy. bhojana-sālāya.

^[2] Oja-ṭṭhāyi Comy. ojāya ṭhtto, patiṭṭhito.