[207] 3. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Cālikā, on Cālika Mountain. Now on that occasion the Venerable Meghiya was the attendant of the Blessed One. Then the Venerable Meghiya approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, the Venerable Meghiya said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I wish to enter Jantugāma for alms." "Do now, Meghiya, as you think it is time."
Then the Venerable Meghiya, in the morning, having dressed and taken his bowl and robe, entered Jantugāma for alms. Having walked for alms in Jantugāma, after the meal, returning from the alms round, he went to the bank of the river Kimikāḷā. While walking and wandering up and down along the bank of the river Kimikāḷā to stretch his legs, the Venerable Meghiya saw a mango grove, pleasing and delightful. Having seen it, this occurred to him: "This mango grove is truly pleasing and delightful. It is truly fit for the striving of a clansman intent on striving. If the Blessed One would permit me, I would come to this mango grove for striving." Then the Venerable Meghiya approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Meghiya said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, in the morning, having dressed and taken my bowl and robe, I entered Jantugāma for alms. Having walked for alms in Jantugāma, after the meal, returning from the alms round, I went to the bank of the river Kimikāḷā. While walking and wandering up and down along the bank of the river Kimikāḷā to stretch my legs, venerable sir, I saw a mango grove, pleasing and delightful. Having seen it, this occurred to me: 'This mango grove is truly pleasing and delightful. It is truly fit for the striving of a clansman intent on striving. If the Blessed One would permit me, I would come to this mango grove for striving.' If the Blessed One would permit me, I would go to that mango grove for striving." When this was said, the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Meghiya: "Wait, Meghiya, so long as I am alone, until some other bhikkhu appears."
A second time the Venerable Meghiya said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, for the Blessed One there is nothing further to be done, and no adding to what has been done. But for me, venerable sir, there is something further to be done, and there is adding to what has been done. If the Blessed One would permit me, I would go to that mango grove for striving." "Wait, Meghiya, so long as I am alone, until some other bhikkhu appears."
A third time the Venerable Meghiya said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, for the Blessed One there is nothing further to be done, and no adding to what has been done. But for me, venerable sir, there is something further to be done, and there is adding to what has been done. If the Blessed One would permit me, I would go to that mango grove for striving." "When you speak of striving, Meghiya, what can we say? Do now, Meghiya, as you think it is time."
Then the Venerable Meghiya rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping his right side towards him, and went to that mango grove; having approached and plunged into that mango grove, he sat down at the foot of a certain tree for the day's abiding. Then, while the Venerable Meghiya was dwelling in that mango grove, for the most part three bad, unwholesome thoughts assailed him, namely: the thought of sensuality, the thought of ill will (byāpāda), and the thought of harming. Then this occurred to the Venerable Meghiya: "It is astonishing indeed, sirs! It is marvellous indeed, sirs! We have gone forth out of faith from home into homelessness, and yet we are beset by these three bad, unwholesome thoughts: the thought of sensuality, the thought of ill will, and the thought of harming."
Then the Venerable Meghiya approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Meghiya said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, while I was dwelling in that mango grove, for the most part three bad, unwholesome thoughts assailed me, namely: the thought of sensuality, the thought of ill will, and the thought of harming. Then, venerable sir, this occurred to me: 'It is astonishing indeed, sirs! It is marvellous indeed, sirs! We have gone forth out of faith from home into homelessness, and yet we are beset by these three bad, unwholesome thoughts: the thought of sensuality, the thought of ill will, and the thought of harming.'" "Meghiya, when liberation of mind (cetovimutti) is unripe, five things lead to its ripening. What five?
"Here, Meghiya, a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades. When liberation of mind is unripe, Meghiya, this is the first thing that leads to its ripening.
"Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; having undertaken them, he trains in the training rules. When liberation of mind is unripe, Meghiya, this is the second thing that leads to its ripening.
"Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu gets at will, without trouble, without difficulty, that kind of talk which is effacing and conducive to the opening of the mind, namely: talk on fewness of wishes, talk on contentment, talk on seclusion, talk on non-entanglement, talk on the arousing of energy (vīriya), talk on virtue, talk on concentration (samādhi), talk on wisdom, talk on liberation, talk on the knowledge (ñāṇa) and vision of liberation. When liberation of mind is unripe, Meghiya, this is the third thing that leads to its ripening.
"Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu dwells with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the acquiring of wholesome states; he is strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility with regard to wholesome states. When liberation of mind is unripe, Meghiya, this is the fourth thing that leads to its ripening.
"Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu is wise; he possesses the wisdom directed to arising and passing away, which is noble, penetrative, leading to the complete destruction of suffering (dukkha). When liberation of mind is unripe, Meghiya, this is the fifth thing that leads to its ripening.
"When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, Meghiya, it can be expected that he will be virtuous … having undertaken them, he will train in the training rules. When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, Meghiya, it can be expected that he will get at will, without trouble, without difficulty, that kind of talk which is effacing and conducive to the opening of the mind, namely: talk on fewness of wishes … talk on the knowledge and vision of liberation. When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, Meghiya, it can be expected that he will dwell with energy aroused … not shirking the responsibility with regard to wholesome states. When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, Meghiya, it can be expected that he will be wise … leading to the complete destruction of suffering.
"And then, Meghiya, established in these five things, that bhikkhu should further develop four things: the unattractive should be developed for the abandoning of lust; loving-kindness should be developed for the abandoning of ill will; mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati) should be developed for the cutting off of thoughts; the perception of impermanence should be developed for the uprooting of the conceit 'I am.' For one who perceives impermanence, Meghiya, the perception of non-self becomes established; one who perceives non-self attains the uprooting of the conceit 'I am,' Nibbāna in this very life."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.