[88] Meghiya, when the deliverance of mind (cetovimutti) is not yet matured, five dhammas conduce to its maturation. What five? (1) Here, Meghiya, a bhikkhu has good friends (kalyāṇamitta), good comrades (kalyāṇasampavaṅka). When the deliverance of mind is not yet matured, Meghiya, this is the first dhamma that conduces to its maturation.
(2) 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 the training rules, he trains in them. When the deliverance of mind is not yet matured, Meghiya, this is the second dhamma that conduces to its maturation.
(3) Furthermore, Meghiya, whatever talk is concerned with effacement (abhisallekhikā), suitable for opening up the mind, and conduces solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation (nirodha), to peace, to direct knowledge (abhiññā), to awakening, to Nibbāna — that is: talk on fewness of wishes (appicchakathā), talk on contentment (santuṭṭhikathā), talk on seclusion (pavivekakathā), talk on non-association (asaṃsaggakathā), talk on arousing energy (viriyārambhakathā), talk on virtue (sīlakathā), talk on concentration (samādhikathā), talk on wisdom (paññākathā), talk on deliverance (vimuttikathā), and talk on the knowledge and vision of deliverance (vimuttiñāṇadassanakathā) — of such talk a bhikkhu is one who gains it at will, who gains it without trouble, who gains it without difficulty. When the deliverance of mind is not yet matured, Meghiya, this is the third dhamma that conduces to its maturation.
(4) Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu dwells with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome dhammas and for the arising of wholesome dhammas; he is strong, firm in exertion, not casting off the burden with regard to wholesome dhammas. When the deliverance of mind is not yet matured, Meghiya, this is the fourth dhamma that conduces to its maturation.
(5) Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu is wise; he is endowed with the wisdom that discerns rise and fall, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering (dukkha). When the deliverance of mind is not yet matured, Meghiya, this is the fifth dhamma that conduces to its maturation.
Meghiya, when the deliverance of mind is not yet matured, these five dhammas conduce to its maturation.
When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions (kalyāṇasahāya), good comrades, Meghiya, it is to be expected of him that he will be virtuous, that he will dwell restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, and that, having undertaken the training rules, he will train in them. When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, Meghiya, it is to be expected of him that whatever talk is concerned with effacement, suitable for opening up the mind, and will conduce solely to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to awakening, to Nibbāna — that is: talk on fewness of wishes, talk on contentment, talk on seclusion, talk on non-association, talk on arousing energy, talk on virtue, talk on concentration, talk on wisdom, talk on deliverance, and talk on the knowledge and vision of deliverance — of such talk he will be one who gains it at will, who gains it without trouble, who gains it without difficulty. When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, Meghiya, it is to be expected of him that he will dwell with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome dhammas and for the arising of wholesome dhammas, strong, firm in exertion, not casting off the burden with regard to wholesome dhammas. When a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, Meghiya, it is to be expected of him that he will be wise, endowed with the wisdom that discerns rise and fall, which is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.