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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

6: The Book of the Sixes

III. Unsurpassable — AN 6.27: Proper Occasions (1st)

1Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Sir, how many occasions are there for going to see an esteemed mendicant?”


“Mendicant, there are six occasions for going to see an esteemed mendicant.


2What six? Firstly, there’s a time when a mendicant’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 mendicant and say: ‘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 mendicant teaches them how to give up sensual desire. This is the first occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.


3Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in ill will … This is the second occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.


4Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in dullness and drowsiness … This is the third occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.

5Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in restlessness and remorse … This is the fourth occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.


6Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in doubt … This is the fifth occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.


7Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant 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 mendicant 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 mendicant teaches them how to end the defilements. This is the sixth occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.


8These are the six occasions for going to see an esteemed mendicant.”

1Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: 

"kati nu kho, bhante, samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun"ti?


"Chayime, bhikkhu, samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.


2Katame cha? Idha, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:  ‘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. (1)


3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati byāpādaparetena, uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:  ‘Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharāmi byāpādaparetena, uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Sādhu vata me āyasmā byāpādassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu byāpādassa pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, dutiyo samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. (2)


4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati thinamiddhaparetena, uppannassa ca thinamiddhassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:  ‘Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharāmi thinamiddhaparetena, uppannassa ca thinamiddhassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Sādhu vata me āyasmā thinamiddhassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu thinamiddhassa pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, tatiyo samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. (3)

5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati uddhaccakukkuccaparetena, uppannassa ca uddhaccakukkuccassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:  ‘Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharāmi uddhaccakukkuccaparetena, uppannassa ca uddhaccakukkuccassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Sādhu vata me āyasmā uddhaccakukkuccassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu uddhaccakukkuccassa pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, catuttho samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. (4)


6Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:  ‘Ahaṁ, āvuso, vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharāmi vicikicchāparetena, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Sādhu vata me āyasmā vicikicchāya pahānāya dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu vicikicchāya pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, pañcamo samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. (5)


7Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti taṁ nimittaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:  ‘Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, taṁ nimittaṁ nappajānāmi. Sādhu vata me āyasmā āsavānaṁ khayāya dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayāya dhammaṁ deseti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, chaṭṭho samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. (6)


8Ime kho, bhikkhu, cha samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun"ti.

Sattamaṁ.