1Then, in the morning, a number of bhikkhus dressed and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms … as in §52 down to: … [n.104] Quoted at Vism 130–31, 133 (Ppn 4:51, 57). Cp. AN6.55 (AN III 375,18–22), which compares the balancing of the faculties to the tuning of a lute: for the pitch to be right the strings must be neither too tight nor too loose. The Blessed One said:

2"Bhikkhus, when wanderers of other sects speak thus, they should be asked: ‘Friends, when the mind becomes sluggish, which factors of enlightenment is it untimely to develop on that occasion, and which factors of enlightenment is it timely to develop on that occasion? Then, friends, when the mind becomes excited, which factors of enlightenment is it untimely to develop on that occasion, and which factors of enlightenment is it timely to develop on that occasion?’ Being asked thus, those wanderers would not be able to reply and, further, they would meet with vexation. For what reason? Because that would not be within their domain.

3I do not see anyone, bhikkhus, in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, who could satisfy the mind with an answer to these questions except the Tathagata or a disciple of the Tathagata or one who has heard it from them.

i. The Sluggish Mind: Untimely

4"On an occasion, bhikkhus, when the mind becomes sluggish, it is untimely to develop the enlightenment factor of tranquillity, the enlightenment factor of concentration, and the enlightenment factor of equanimity. For what reason? Because the mind is sluggish, bhikkhus, and it is difficult to arouse it with those things.

5"Suppose, bhikkhus, a man wants to make a small fire flare up. If he throws wet grass, wet cowdung, and wet timber into it, sn.v.113 sprays it with water, and scatters soil over it, would he be able to make that small fire flare up?"

"No, venerable sir."

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6"So too, bhikkhus, on an occasion when the mind becomes sluggish, it is untimely to develop the enlightenment factor of tranquillity, the enlightenment factor of concentration, and the enlightenment factor of equanimity. For what reason? Because the mind is sluggish, bhikkhus, and it is difficult to arouse it with those things.

ii. The Sluggish Mind: Timely

7"On an occasion, bhikkhus, when the mind becomes sluggish, it is timely to develop the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states, the enlightenment factor of energy, and the enlightenment factor of rapture. For what reason? Because the mind is sluggish, bhikkhus, and it is easy to arouse it with those things.

8"Suppose, bhikkhus, a man wants to make a small fire flare up. If he throws dry grass, dry cowdung, and dry timber into it, blows on it, and does not scatter soil over it, would he be able to make that small fire flare up?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

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9"So too, bhikkhus, on an occasion when the mind becomes sluggish, it is timely to develop the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states, the enlightenment factor of energy, and the enlightenment factor of rapture. For what reason? Because the mind is sluggish, bhikkhus, and it is easy to arouse it with those things.

iii. The Excited Mind: Untimely

10"On an occasion, bhikkhus, when the mind becomes excited, it is untimely to develop the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states, the enlightenment factor of energy, sn.v.114 and the enlightenment factor of rapture. For what reason? Because the mind is excited, bhikkhus, and it is difficult to calm it down with those things.

11"Suppose, bhikkhus, a man wants to extinguish a great bonfire. If he throws dry grass, dry cowdung, and dry timber into it, blows on it, and does not scatter soil over it, would he be able to extinguish that great bonfire?"

"No, venerable sir."

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12"So too, bhikkhus, on an occasion when the mind becomes excited, it is untimely to develop the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states, the enlightenment factor of energy, and the enlightenment factor of rapture. For what reason? Because the mind is excited, bhikkhus, and it is difficult to calm it down with those things.

iv. The Excited Mind: Timely

13"On an occasion, bhikkhus, when the mind becomes excited, it is timely to develop the enlightenment factor of tranquillity, the enlightenment factor of concentration, and the enlightenment factor of equanimity. For what reason? Because the mind is excited, bhikkhus, and it is easy to calm it down with those things.

14"Suppose, bhikkhus, a man wants to extinguish a great bonfire. If he throws wet grass, wet cowdung, and wet timber into it, sprays it with water, and scatters soil over it, would he be able to extinguish that great bonfire?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

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15"So too, bhikkhus, on an occasion when the mind becomes excited, sn.v.115 it is timely to develop the enlightenment factor of tranquillity, the enlightenment factor of concentration, and the enlightenment factor of equanimity. For what reason? Because the mind is excited, bhikkhus, and it is easy to calm it down with those things.

"But mindfulness, bhikkhus, I say is always useful." [n.105] Spk: It is desirable everywhere, like salt and a versatile prime minister. Just as salt enhances the flavour of all curries, and just as a versatile prime minister accomplishes all the tasks of state, so the restraining of the excited mind and the exerting of the sluggish mind are all achieved by mindfulness, and without mindfulness this could not be done. See too Vism 130,15–20 (Ppn 4:49).

1Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu. (Pariyāyasuttasadisaṁ.)

2"Evaṁvādino, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evamassu vacanīyā: ‘yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ akālo bhāvanāya, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ kālo bhāvanāya? Yasmiṁ panāvuso, samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ akālo bhāvanāya, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ kālo bhāvanāyā’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā na ceva sampāyissanti, uttariñca vighātaṁ āpajjissanti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yathā taṁ, bhikkhave, avisayasmiṁ.

3Nāhaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo imesaṁ pañhānaṁ veyyākaraṇena cittaṁ ārādheyya, aññatra tathāgatena vā tathāgatāsāvakena vā ito vā pana sutvā.

 

4Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi dussamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.

5Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletukāmo assa. So tattha allāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, udakavātañca dadeyya, paṁsukena ca okireyya; bhabbo nu kho so puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletun"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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6"Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi dussamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.

 

7Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi susamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.

8Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletukāmo assa. So tattha sukkhāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni gomayāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, mukhavātañca dadeyya, na ca paṁsukena okireyya; bhabbo nu kho so puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletun"ti?

"Evaṁ, bhante".

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9"Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi susamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.

 

10Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi duvūpasamayaṁ hoti.

11Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetukāmo assa. So tattha sukkhāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, mukhavātañca dadeyya, na ca paṁsukena okireyya; bhabbo nu kho so puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetun"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

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12"Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi duvūpasamayaṁ hoti.

 

13Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi suvūpasamayaṁ hoti.

14Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetukāmo assa. So tattha allāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, udakavātañca dadeyya, paṁsukena ca okireyya; bhabbo nu kho so puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetun"ti?

"Evaṁ, bhante".

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15"Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi suvūpasamayaṁ hoti.

Satiñca khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sabbatthikaṁ vadāmī"ti.

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Tatiyaṁ.