[119] "'The world does its work when it gains the moment! The world does its work when it gains the moment!' — so, bhikkhus, speaks the uninstructed worldling (assutavā puthujjano), yet he knows neither the right moment (khaṇa) nor the wrong moment (akkhaṇa). Bhikkhus, there are these eight wrong moments, inopportune occasions, for the living of the holy life (brahmacariya). What eight?
Here, bhikkhus, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world — accomplished (arahaṃ), fully self-enlightened, perfect in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of the world, the incomparable leader of men to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, enlightened, blessed — and the Dhamma is taught, leading to peace, leading to final Nibbāna (parinibbāna), conducing to full awakening, proclaimed by the Sugata; but this person has been reborn in hell. This, bhikkhus, is the first wrong moment, the first inopportune occasion for the living of the holy life.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world … teacher of devas and humans, enlightened, blessed, and the Dhamma is taught, leading to peace, leading to final Nibbāna, conducing to full awakening, proclaimed by the Sugata; but this person has been reborn in the animal realm (tiracchānayoni) … but this person has been reborn in the realm of hungry ghosts (pittivisaya) … but this person has been reborn in a certain long-lived order of devas … but this person has been reborn in the border countries, among uncomprehending barbarians (milakkha), where there is no access for bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, laymen, or laywomen … but this person has been reborn in the middle countries, yet he holds wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi), his vision distorted: 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed; there is no fruit or result of deeds well done or ill done; there is no this world, no other world; there is no mother, no father; there are no spontaneously born beings (opapātika); there are in the world no ascetics and brahmins of right attainment and right practice who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, make them known' …
Furthermore … but this person has been reborn in the middle countries, yet he is of poor wisdom, stupid, dull-witted, incapable of understanding the meaning of what is well spoken and what is badly spoken. This, bhikkhus, is the seventh wrong moment, the seventh inopportune occasion for the living of the holy life.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a Tathāgata has not arisen in the world — accomplished, fully self-enlightened … teacher of devas and humans, enlightened, blessed — and the Dhamma is not taught, the Dhamma leading to peace, leading to final Nibbāna, conducing to full awakening, proclaimed by the Sugata; and this person has been reborn in the middle countries, and he is wise, not stupid, not dull-witted, capable of understanding the meaning of what is well spoken and what is badly spoken. This, bhikkhus, is the eighth wrong moment, the eighth inopportune occasion for the living of the holy life. These, bhikkhus, are the eight wrong moments, inopportune occasions, for the living of the holy life.
But there is, bhikkhus, one single right moment and occasion for the living of the holy life. What is the one? Here, bhikkhus, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world — accomplished, fully self-enlightened, perfect in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of the world, the incomparable leader of men to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, enlightened, blessed — and the Dhamma is taught, leading to peace, leading to final Nibbāna, conducing to full awakening, proclaimed by the Sugata; and this person has been reborn in the middle countries, and he is wise, not stupid, not dull-witted, capable of understanding the meaning of what is well spoken and what is badly spoken. This, bhikkhus, is the one single right moment and occasion for the living of the holy life."
Having gained the human world, when the true Dhamma (saddhamma) is well proclaimed,
those who do not seize the moment let the moment pass them by.
For many are the wrong moments that have been declared, obstacles to a person;
only sometimes, now and then, do Tathāgatas arise in the world.
This that has now come before you is what is so rarely gained in the world:
the attainment of the human state and the teaching of the true Dhamma.
This is reason enough to strive for a person who desires the good,
so that he might come to understand the true Dhamma. Let not the moment pass you by!
For those who have let the moment pass grieve, consigned to hell.
If one here misses the sure course of the true Dhamma,
like a merchant who has missed his gain, one will regret it for a long time.
A person shrouded by ignorance (avijjā), an offender against the true Dhamma,
will long undergo the round of birth and death (saṃsāra).
But those who, having gained the human state when the true Dhamma is well proclaimed,
have done the Teacher's word, or will do it, or are doing it now —
they have penetrated the right moment in the world: the unsurpassed holy life.
Those who have entered upon the path proclaimed by the Tathāgata,
and the restraints taught by the One with Vision, the Kinsman of the Sun —
guarded in these, ever mindful, let one dwell uncorrupted.
Having cut off all the latent tendencies (anusaya) that run along the stream into Māra's domain,
those who have attained the destruction of the taints (āsava) — they truly have gone beyond in the world.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.