1At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Benares, in the deer park at Isipatana. Then after the meal, on their return from alms-round, this discussion came up among them while sitting together in the pavilion.

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

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2When this was said, one of the mendicants said to the senior mendicants:

“Reverends, there’s a time after an esteemed mendicant’s meal when they return from alms-round. Having washed their feet they sit down cross-legged, with their body straight, and establish mindfulness right there. That is the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.”

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3When this was said, one of the mendicants said to that mendicant:

“Reverend, that’s not the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant. 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 mendicant comes out of retreat. They sit in the shade of their porch cross-legged, with their body straight, and establish mindfulness right there. That is the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.”

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4When this was said, one of the mendicants said to that mendicant:

“Reverend, that’s not the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant. 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 mendicant has risen at the crack of dawn. They sit down cross-legged, with their body straight, and establish mindfulness right there. That is the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.”

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5When this was said, one of the mendicants said to that mendicant:

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

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6When this was said, Venerable Mahākaccāna said to those senior mendicants:

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

7What 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.

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8-11Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in ill will … dullness and drowsiness … restlessness and remorse … doubt …

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12Furthermore, 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.’

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13Reverends, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘These are the six occasions for going to see an esteemed mendicant.’”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye. Atha kho tesaṁ therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:  "ko nu kho, āvuso, samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun"ti?

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2Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu there bhikkhū etadavoca: 

"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.

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3Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: 

"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.

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4Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: 

"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.

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5Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: 

"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.

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6Evaṁ vutte āyasmā mahākaccāno there bhikkhū etadavoca:  "sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: 

‘chayime, bhikkhu, samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

7Katame 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)

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8Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati … pe … . (2)

9Thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati … . (3)

10Uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati … . (4)

11Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati … . (5)

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12Yaṁ 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’. (6)

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13Sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:  ‘ime kho, bhikkhu, cha samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun’"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.