1On one occasion a number of elder bhikkhus were dwelling at Bārāṇasī in the deer park at Isipatana. Then, after their meal, on returning from their alms round, those elder bhikkhus assembled and were sitting together in the pavilion hall when this conversation arose among them: "What, friends, is the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu?"

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?

2When this was said, one bhikkhu told those elders: "Friends, after his meal, when an esteemed bhikkhu has returned from his alms round, washed his feet, and is sitting with his legs crossed, holding his body straight, having established mindfulness before him: that is the proper occasion for going to see him."

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.

3When he had spoken, another bhikkhu told him: "Friend, that isn’t the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu. After his meal, when an esteemed bhikkhu has returned from his alms round, washed his feet, and is sitting with his legs crossed, holding his body straight, having established mindfulness before him, his fatigue on account of his walking for alms and his meal has not yet subsided. Therefore that is not the proper occasion for going to see him. But in the evening, when an esteemed bhikkhu has emerged from seclusion and is sitting in the shade of his dwelling with his legs crossed, holding his body straight, having established mindfulness before him: that is the proper occasion for going to see him."

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.

4When he had spoken, another bhikkhu told him: "Friend, that isn’t the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu. In the evening, when an esteemed bhikkhu has emerged from seclusion and is sitting in the shade of his dwelling with his legs crossed, holding his body straight, having established mindfulness before him, the object of concentration that he attended to during the day is still present to him.[n.1298] Mp: "On that occasion when he is sitting in his daytime dwelling it occurs in his mind door." Therefore that is not the proper occasion for going to see him. But when an esteemed bhikkhu has risen as the night begins to fade and is sitting with his legs crossed, holding his body straight, having established mindfulness before him: that is the proper occasion for going to see him."

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.

5When he had spoken, another bhikkhu told him: "Friend, that isn’t the proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu. When an esteemed bhikkhu has risen as the night begins to fade and he is sitting with his legs crossed, holding his body straight, having established mindfulness before him, on that occasion his body is fresh; it is easy for him to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas. Therefore that is not the proper occasion for going to see him."

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.

6When this was said, the Venerable Mahākaccāna said to those elder bhikkhus: "Friends, in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learned this:

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

"‘There are, bhikkhu, these six proper occasions for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.

‘chayime, bhikkhu, samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

7What six? (1) "Here, bhikkhu, when a bhikkhu's mind is obsessed and oppressed by sensual lust, and he does not understand as it really is the escape from arisen sensual lust, on that occasion he should approach an esteemed bhikkhu and say to him: ‘Friend, my mind is obsessed and oppressed by sensual lust, and I do not understand as it really is the escape from arisen sensual lust. Please teach me the Dhamma for abandoning sensual lust.’ The esteemed bhikkhu then teaches him the Dhamma for abandoning sensual lust. This is the first proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu. …

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)

8(2) … obsessed and oppressed by ill will …

9(3) … obsessed and oppressed by dullness and drowsiness …

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

10(4) … obsessed and oppressed by restlessness and remorse …

9Thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati …. (3)

10Uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati …. (4)

11(5) … obsessed and oppressed by doubt …

11Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati …. (5)

12(6) … when a bhikkhu does not know and see what object to rely on and attend to in order to attain the immediate destruction of the taints …. The esteemed bhikkhu then teaches him the Dhamma for the destruction of the taints. This is the sixth proper occasion for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.’

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)

13"Friends, in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learned this: ‘These, bhikkhu, are the six proper occasions for going to see an esteemed bhikkhu.’"

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

Aṭṭhamaṁ.