AN 9.3

Meghiyasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā cālikāyaṁ viharati cālikāpabbate. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā meghiyo bhagavato upaṭṭhāko hoti. Atha kho āyasmā meghiyo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho āyasmā meghiyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “icchāmahaṁ, bhante, jantugāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisitun”ti. “Yassadāni tvaṁ, meghiya, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.

With Meghiya

At one time the Buddha was staying near Cālikā, on the Cālikā mountain. Now, at that time Venerable Meghiya was the Buddha’s attendant. Then Venerable Meghiya went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, “Sir, I’d like to enter Jantu village for alms.” “Please, Meghiya, go at your convenience.”

Atha kho āyasmā meghiyo pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya jantugāmaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Jantugāme piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena kimikāḷāya nadiyā tīraṁ tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā meghiyo kimikāḷāya nadiyā tīre jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno ambavanaṁ pāsādikaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ. Disvānassa etadahosi: “pāsādikaṁ vatidaṁ ambavanaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ, alaṁ vatidaṁ kulaputtassa padhānatthikassa padhānāya. Sace maṁ bhagavā anujāneyya, āgaccheyyāhaṁ imaṁ ambavanaṁ padhānāyā”ti.

Then Meghiya robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Jantu village for alms. After the meal, on his return from almsround in Jantu village, he went to the shore of Kimikālā River. As he was going for a walk along the shore of the river he saw a lovely and delightful mango grove. Seeing this, it occurred to him, “Oh, this mango grove is lovely and delightful! This is good enough for striving for a gentleman wanting to strive. If the Buddha allows me, I’ll come back to this mango grove to meditate.”

Atha kho āyasmā meghiyo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā meghiyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Meghiya went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding,

“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya jantugāmaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ. Jantugāme piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena kimikāḷāya nadiyā tīraṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁ. Addasaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, kimikāḷāya nadiyā tīre jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno ambavanaṁ pāsādikaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ. Disvāna me etadahosi: ‘pāsādikaṁ vatidaṁ ambavanaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ. Alaṁ vatidaṁ kulaputtassa padhānatthikassa padhānāya. Sace maṁ bhagavā anujāneyya, āgaccheyyāhaṁ imaṁ ambavanaṁ padhānāyā’ti. Sace maṁ bhagavā anujāneyya, gaccheyyāhaṁ taṁ ambavanaṁ padhānāyā”ti. “Āgamehi tāva, meghiya. Ekakamhi tāva yāva aññopi koci bhikkhu āgacchatī”ti.

“If the Buddha allows me, I’ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.” “We’re alone, Meghiya. Wait until another mendicant comes.”

Dutiyampi kho āyasmā meghiyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “bhagavato, bhante, natthi kiñci uttari karaṇīyaṁ, natthi katassa paṭicayo. Mayhaṁ kho pana, bhante, atthi uttari karaṇīyaṁ, atthi katassa paṭicayo. Sace maṁ bhagavā anujāneyya, gaccheyyāhaṁ taṁ ambavanaṁ padhānāyā”ti. “Āgamehi tāva, meghiya, ekakamhi tāva yāva aññopi koci bhikkhu āgacchatī”ti.

For a second time Meghiya said to the Buddha, “Sir, the Buddha has nothing more to do, and nothing that needs improvement. But I have. If you allow me, I’ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.” “We’re alone, Meghiya. Wait until another mendicant comes.”

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā meghiyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “bhagavato, bhante, natthi kiñci uttari karaṇīyaṁ, natthi katassa paṭicayo. Mayhaṁ kho pana, bhante, atthi uttari karaṇīyaṁ, atthi katassa paṭicayo. Sace maṁ bhagavā anujāneyya, gaccheyyāhaṁ taṁ ambavanaṁ padhānāyā”ti. “Padhānanti kho, meghiya, vadamānaṁ kinti vadeyyāma. Yassadāni tvaṁ, meghiya, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.

For a third time Meghiya said to the Buddha, “Sir, the Buddha has nothing more to do, and nothing that needs improvement. But I have. If you allow me, I’ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.” “Meghiya, since you speak of striving in meditation, what can I say? Please, Meghiya, go at your convenience.”

Atha kho āyasmā meghiyo uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena taṁ ambavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ ambavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi. Atha kho āyasmato meghiyassa tasmiṁ ambavane viharantassa yebhuyyena tayo pāpakā akusalā vitakkā samudācaranti, seyyathidaṁ— kāmavitakko, byāpādavitakko, vihiṁsāvitakko. Atha kho āyasmato meghiyassa etadahosi: “acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho. Saddhāya ca vatamhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitā; atha ca panimehi tīhi pāpakehi akusalehi vitakkehi anvāsattā— kāmavitakkena, byāpādavitakkena, vihiṁsāvitakkenā”ti.

Then Meghiya got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he went to that mango grove, and, having plunged deep into it, sat at the root of a certain tree for the day’s meditation. But while Meghiya was meditating in that mango grove he was beset mostly by three kinds of bad, unskillful thoughts, namely, sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts. Then he thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! I’ve gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, but I’m still harassed by these three kinds of bad, unskillful thoughts: sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts.”

Atha kho āyasmā meghiyo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā meghiyo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, tasmiṁ ambavane viharantassa yebhuyyena tayo pāpakā akusalā vitakkā samudācaranti, seyyathidaṁ— kāmavitakko, byāpādavitakko, vihiṁsāvitakko. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi: ‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho. Saddhāya ca vatamhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitā; atha ca panimehi tīhi pāpakehi akusalehi vitakkehi anvāsattā— kāmavitakkena, byāpādavitakkena, vihiṁsāvitakkenā’”ti.

Then Venerable Meghiya went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

“Aparipakkāya, meghiya, cetovimuttiyā pañca dhammā paripakkāya saṁvattanti. Katame pañca? Idha, meghiya, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto hoti kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko. Aparipakkāya, meghiya, cetovimuttiyā ayaṁ paṭhamo dhammo paripakkāya saṁvattati.

“Meghiya, when the heart’s release is not ripe, five things help it ripen. What five? Firstly, a mendicant has good friends, companions, and associates. This is the first thing …

Puna caparaṁ, meghiya, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Aparipakkāya, meghiya, cetovimuttiyā ayaṁ dutiyo dhammo paripakkāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. This is the second thing …

Puna caparaṁ, meghiya, yāyaṁ kathā abhisallekhikā cetovivaraṇasappāyā, seyyathidaṁ—appicchakathā santuṭṭhikathā pavivekakathā asaṁsaggakathā vīriyārambhakathā sīlakathā samādhikathā paññākathā vimuttikathā vimuttiñāṇadassanakathā, evarūpiyā kathāya nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī. Aparipakkāya, meghiya, cetovimuttiyā ayaṁ tatiyo dhammo paripakkāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant gets to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart, when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is, talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, aloofness, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom. This is the third thing …

Puna caparaṁ, meghiya, bhikkhu āraddhavīriyo viharati akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya, kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya, thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu. Aparipakkāya, meghiya, cetovimuttiyā ayaṁ catuttho dhammo paripakkāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant lives with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They are strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities. This is the fourth thing …

Puna caparaṁ, meghiya, bhikkhu paññavā hoti udayatthagāminiyā paññāya samannāgato ariyāya nibbedhikāya sammā dukkhakkhayagāminiyā. Aparipakkāya, meghiya, cetovimuttiyā ayaṁ pañcamo dhammo paripakkāya saṁvattati.

Furthermore, a mendicant is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This is the fifth thing that, when the heart’s release is not ripe, helps it ripen.

Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, meghiya, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa: ‘sīlavā bhavissati …pe… samādāya sikkhissati sikkhāpadesu’.

A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be ethical …

Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, meghiya, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa: ‘yāyaṁ kathā abhisallekhikā cetovivaraṇasappāyā, seyyathidaṁ—appicchakathā …pe… vimuttiñāṇadassanakathā, evarūpiyā kathāya nikāmalābhī bhavissati akicchalābhī akasiralābhī’.

A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart …

Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, meghiya, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa: ‘āraddhavīriyo viharissati …pe… anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu’.

A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be energetic …

Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, meghiya, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa: ‘paññavā bhavissati …pe… sammādukkhakkhayagāminiyā’.

A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be wise …

Tena ca pana, meghiya, bhikkhunā imesu pañcasu dhammesu patiṭṭhāya cattāro dhammā uttari bhāvetabbā— asubhā bhāvetabbā rāgassa pahānāya, mettā bhāvetabbā byāpādassa pahānāya, ānāpānassati bhāvetabbā vitakkupacchedāya, aniccasaññā bhāvetabbā asmimānasamugghātāya. Aniccasaññino, meghiya, anattasaññā saṇṭhāti. Anattasaññī asmimānasamugghātaṁ pāpuṇāti diṭṭheva dhamme nibbānan”ti.

But then, a mendicant grounded on these five things should develop four further things. They should develop the perception of ugliness to give up greed, love to give up hate, mindfulness of breathing to cut off thinking, and perception of impermanence to uproot the conceit ‘I am’. When you perceive impermanence, the perception of not-self becomes stabilized. Perceiving not-self, you uproot the conceit ‘I am’ and attain extinguishment in this very life.”