[298] Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, how many occasions are there for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem (manobhāvanīya)?"
"Bhikkhu, there are these six occasions for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem. What six? Here, bhikkhu, on an occasion when a bhikkhu dwells with a mind (citta) obsessed by sensual lust (kāmarāga), overwhelmed by sensual lust, and he does not understand as it really is the escape (nissaraṇa) from arisen sensual lust — on that occasion he should approach a bhikkhu worthy of esteem and say to him: 'Friend, I dwell with a mind obsessed by sensual lust, overwhelmed by sensual lust, and I do not understand as it really is the escape from arisen sensual lust. It would be good indeed if the venerable one would teach me the Dhamma for the abandoning of sensual lust.' The bhikkhu worthy of esteem teaches him the Dhamma for the abandoning of sensual lust. This, bhikkhu, is the first occasion for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem.
"Furthermore, bhikkhu, on an occasion when a bhikkhu dwells with a mind obsessed by ill will (byāpāda), overwhelmed by ill will, and he does not understand as it really is the escape from arisen ill will — on that occasion he should approach a bhikkhu worthy of esteem and say to him: 'Friend, I dwell with a mind obsessed by ill will, overwhelmed by ill will, and I do not understand as it really is the escape from arisen ill will. It would be good indeed if the venerable one would teach me the Dhamma for the abandoning of ill will.' The bhikkhu worthy of esteem teaches him the Dhamma for the abandoning of ill will. This, bhikkhu, is the second occasion for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem.
"Furthermore, bhikkhu, on an occasion when a bhikkhu dwells with a mind obsessed by dullness and drowsiness (thīna-middha), overwhelmed by dullness and drowsiness, and he does not understand as it really is the escape from arisen dullness and drowsiness — on that occasion he should approach a bhikkhu worthy of esteem and say to him: 'Friend, I dwell with a mind obsessed by dullness and drowsiness, overwhelmed by dullness and drowsiness, and I do not understand as it really is the escape from arisen dullness and drowsiness. It would be good indeed if the venerable one would teach me the Dhamma for the abandoning of dullness and drowsiness.' The bhikkhu worthy of esteem teaches him the Dhamma for the abandoning of dullness and drowsiness. This, bhikkhu, is the third occasion for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem.
"Furthermore, bhikkhu, on an occasion when a bhikkhu dwells with a mind obsessed by restlessness and remorse (uddhacca-kukkucca), overwhelmed by restlessness and remorse, and he does not understand as it really is the escape from arisen restlessness and remorse — on that occasion he should approach a bhikkhu worthy of esteem and say to him: 'Friend, I dwell with a mind obsessed by restlessness and remorse, overwhelmed by restlessness and remorse, and I do not understand as it really is the escape from arisen restlessness and remorse. It would be good indeed if the venerable one would teach me the Dhamma for the abandoning of restlessness and remorse.' The bhikkhu worthy of esteem teaches him the Dhamma for the abandoning of restlessness and remorse. This, bhikkhu, is the fourth occasion for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem.
"Furthermore, bhikkhu, on an occasion when a bhikkhu dwells with a mind obsessed by doubt (vicikicchā), overwhelmed by doubt, and he does not understand as it really is the escape from arisen doubt — on that occasion he should approach a bhikkhu worthy of esteem and say to him: 'Friend, I dwell with a mind obsessed by doubt, overwhelmed by doubt, and I do not understand as it really is the escape from arisen doubt. It would be good indeed if the venerable one would teach me the Dhamma for the abandoning of doubt.' The bhikkhu worthy of esteem teaches him the Dhamma for the abandoning of doubt. This, bhikkhu, is the fifth occasion for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem.
"Furthermore, bhikkhu, on an occasion when a bhikkhu does not know and does not see the sign (nimitta) depending on which — for one attending to which sign — the destruction of the taints (āsava) occurs immediately, on that occasion he should approach a bhikkhu worthy of esteem and say to him: 'Friend, I do not know and do not see the sign depending on which — for one attending to which sign — the destruction of the taints occurs immediately. It would be good indeed if the venerable one would teach me the Dhamma for the destruction of the taints.' The bhikkhu worthy of esteem teaches him the Dhamma for the destruction of the taints. This, bhikkhu, is the sixth occasion for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem.
"These, bhikkhu, are the six occasions for going to see a bhikkhu worthy of esteem."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.