Proper Occasions (1st)Paṭhamasamayasutta

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, how many occasions are there for going to see an esteemed mendicant?”“kati nu kho, bhante, samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun”ti?

“Mendicant, there are six occasions for going to see an esteemed mendicant.“Chayime, bhikkhu, samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. What six?Katame cha?

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:Idha, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘My heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire, and I don’t truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen.‘ahaṁ kho, āvuso, kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharāmi kāmarāgaparetena, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Venerable, please teach me how to give up sensual desire.’Sādhu vata me āyasmā kāmarāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Then that esteemed mendicant teaches them how to give up sensual desire.Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu kāmarāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti. This is the first occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, paṭhamo samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in ill will …Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati byāpādaparetena, uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: This is the second occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, dutiyo samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in dullness and drowsiness …Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati thinamiddhaparetena, uppannassa ca thinamiddhassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: This is the third occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, tatiyo samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in restlessness and remorse …Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati uddhaccakukkuccaparetena, uppannassa ca uddhaccakukkuccassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: This is the fourth occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, catuttho samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

Furthermore, there’s a time when a mendicant’s heart is overcome and mired in doubt …Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, yasmiṁ samaye bhikkhu vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti tasmiṁ samaye manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: This is the fifth occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, pañcamo samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

Furthermore, 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 without delay. On that occasion they should go to an esteemed mendicant and say:Puna 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: ‘I don’t understand what kind of meditation to focus on in order to end the defilements without delay.‘ahaṁ kho, āvuso, yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, taṁ nimittaṁ nappajānāmi. Venerable, please teach me how to end the defilements.’Sādhu vata me āyasmā āsavānaṁ khayāya dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Then that esteemed mendicant teaches them how to end the defilements.Tassa manobhāvanīyo bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayāya dhammaṁ deseti. This is the sixth occasion for going to see an esteemed mendicant.Ayaṁ, bhikkhu, chaṭṭho samayo manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ.

These are the six occasions for going to see an esteemed mendicant.”Ime kho, bhikkhu, cha samayā manobhāvanīyassa bhikkhuno dassanāya upasaṅkamitun”ti.