Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

147. Times (2)

1"Bhikkhus, these four times, rightly developed and coordinated, gradually culminate in the destruction of the taints. What four? The time for listening to the Dhamma, the time for discussing the Dhamma, the time for serenity, and the time for insight. These four times, rightly developed and coordinated, gradually culminate in the destruction of the taints.

2"Just as, when it is raining and the rain pours down in thick droplets on a mountain top, the water flows down along the slope and fills the clefts, gullies, and creeks; these, becoming full, fill up the pools; these, becoming full, fill up the lakes; these, becoming full, fill up the streams; these, becoming full, fill up the rivers; and these, becoming full, fill up the great ocean; so too, these four times, rightly developed and coordinated, gradually culminate in the destruction of the taints."

1"Cattārome, bhikkhave, kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpenti. Katame cattāro? Kālena dhammassavanaṁ, kālena dhammasākacchā, kālena sammasanā, kālena vipassanā – ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpenti.

2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūreti; pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūrā kusobbhe paripūrenti; kusobbhā paripūrā mahāsobbhe paripūrenti; mahāsobbhā paripūrā kunnadiyo paripūrenti; kunnadiyo paripūrā mahānadiyo paripūrenti; mahānadiyo paripūrā samuddaṁ paripūrenti. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, ime cattāro kālā sammā bhāviyamānā sammā anuparivattiyamānā anupubbena āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpentī"ti.


Sattamaṁ.

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