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Udana » Context of this sutta
- Udana IV.1
- Meghiya Sutta
- Meghiya
- Translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland
For free distribution only,
by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society
Thus have I heard. At one time the Lord was staying at Calika on Calika Hill. At that
time the Venerable Meghiya was the Lord's attendant. Then the Venerable Meghiya approached
the Lord, prostrated himself, stood to one side, and said: "I wish to go into Jantu
village for almsfood, revered sir."
"Do now, Meghiya, what you think it is time to do."
Then the Venerable Meghiya, having put on his robe in the forenoon and taken his bowl
and outer cloak, entered Jantu village for almsfood. Having walked in Jantu village for
almsfood, after the meal, on returning from collecting almsfood, he approached the bank of
the river Kimikala. As he was walking and wandering up and down beside the river for
exercise, he saw a pleasant and charming mango grove. On seeing it he thought: "This
mango grove is very pleasant and charming. It is eminently suitable for the endeavour (in
meditation) of a young man of good family who is intent on the endeavour. If the Lord were
to give me permission, I would come and endeavour in this mango grove."
Then the Venerable Meghiya approached the Lord, prostrated himself, sat down to one
side, and said: "Revered sir, having put on my robe in the forenoon ... I approached
the bank of the river Kimikala and saw a pleasant and charming mango grove. On seeing it I
thought: 'This mango grove is very pleasant and charming. It is eminently suitable for the
endeavour (in meditation) of a young man of good family who is intent on the endeavour. If
the Lord were to give me permission, I would come and endeavour in this mango grove.' If,
revered sir, the Lord gives me permission, I would go to that mango grove to endeavour (in
meditation)."
When this was said the Lord replied to the Venerable Meghiya: "As we are alone,
Meghiya, wait a while until some other bhikkhu comes."
A second time the Venerable Meghiya said to the Lord: "Revered sir, the Lord has
nothing further that should be done and nothing to add to what has been done. But for me,
revered sir, there is something further that should be done and something to add to what
has been done. If, revered sir, the Lord gives me permission, I would go to that mango
grove to endeavour (in meditation)."
A second time the Lord replied to the Venerable Meghiya: "As we are alone,
Meghiya, wait a while until some other bhikkhu comes."
A third time the Venerable Meghiya said to the Lord: "Revered sir, the Lord has
nothing further that should be done ... I would go to that mango grove to endeavour (in
meditation)."
"As you are talking of endeavouring, Meghiya, what can I say? Do now, Meghiya,
what you think it is time to do."
Then the Venerable Meghiya rose from his seat, prostrated himself before the Lord, and
keeping his right side towards him, went to that mango grove. On entering that mango grove
he sat down at the foot of a certain tree for the rest period during the middle of the
day.
Now while the Venerable Meghiya was staying in that mango grove, there kept occurring
to him three bad, unwholesome kinds of thoughts: sensual thought, malevolent thought, and
cruel thought. The Venerable Meghiya then reflected: "It is indeed strange! It is
indeed remarkable! Although I have gone forth out of faith from home to the homeless
state, yet I am overwhelmed by these three bad, unwholesome kinds of thoughts: sensual
thought, malevolent thought, and cruel thought."
Then the Venerable Meghiya, on emerging from seclusion in the late afternoon,
approached the Lord, prostrated himself, sat down to one side, and said: "Revered
sir, while I was staying in that mango grove there kept occurring to me three bad,
unwholesome kinds of thoughts ... and I thought: 'It is indeed strange!... I am
overwhelmed by these three bad, unwholesome kinds of thoughts: sensual thought, malevolent
thought, and cruel thought.'"
"When mind-deliverance is as yet immature, Meghiya, five things lead to its
maturity. What five?
"Here, Meghiya, a bhikkhu has good friends, good associates, good companions. When
mind-deliverance is as yet immature, Meghiya, this is the first thing that leads to its
maturity.
"Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu is virtuous, he lives restrained by the restraint
of the Patimokkha, endowed with conduct and resort; seeing danger in the smallest faults,
he trains in the training rules he has accepted. When mind-deliverance is as yet immature,
Meghiya, this is the second thing that leads to its maturity.
"Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu obtains at will, with no trouble or difficulty,
talk that is effacing, a help in opening up the mind, and which conduces to complete
turning away, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, and Nibbana
-- that is, talk about fewness of wishes, talk about contentment, talk about seclusion,
talk about being non-gregarious, talk about putting forth energy, talk about virtue, talk
about concentration, talk about wisdom, talk about deliverance, talk about the knowledge
and vision of deliverance. When mind-
deliverance is as yet immature, Meghiya, this is the third thing that leads to its
maturity.
"Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu lives with energy instigated for the abandoning
of unwholesome states and the acquiring of wholesome states; he is vigorous, energetic,
and persevering with regard to wholesome states. When mind-deliverance is as yet immature,
Meghiya, this is the fourth thing that leads to its maturity.
"Furthermore, Meghiya, a bhikkhu is wise, endowed with the noble ones' penetrative
understanding of rise and disappearance leading to the complete ending of suffering. When
mind-deliverance is as yet immature, Meghiya, this is the fifth thing that leads to its
maturity. When mind-deliverance is as yet immature, Meghiya, these five things lead to its
maturity.
"It is to be expected of a bhikkhu who has good friends, good associates, good
companions, that he will be virtuous, that he will live restrained by the restraint of the
Patimokkha, endowed with conduct and resort, and that seeing danger in the smallest
faults, he will train in the training rules he has accepted. It is to be expected of a
bhikkhu who has good friends ... that he will obtain at will, with no trouble or
difficulty, talk that is effacing, a help in opening up the mind ... talk about the
knowledge and vision of deliverance. It is to be expected of a bhikkhu who has good
friends ... that he will live with energy instigated ... vigorous, energetic, and
persevering with regard to wholesome states. It is to be expected of a bhikkhu who has
good friends ... that he will be wise, endowed with the noble ones' penetrative
understanding of rise and disappearance leading to the complete ending of suffering.
"A bhikkhu, Meghiya, who is established in these five things should also cultivate
four additional things: foulness should be cultivated for overcoming lust; lovingkindness
should be cultivated for overcoming malevolence; respiration-mindfulness should be
cultivated for cutting off (discursive) thinking; the perception of impermanence should be
cultivated for the removal of the conceit 'I am.' For when one perceives impermanence,
Meghiya, the perception of not-self is established. When one perceives not-self one
reaches the removal of the conceit 'I am,' which is called Nibbana here and now."
Then, on realizing its significance, the Lord uttered on that occasion this inspired
utterance:
Trivial thoughts, subtle thoughts,
Mental jerkings that follow one along:
Not understanding these mental thoughts,
One runs back and forth with wandering mind.
But having known these mental thoughts,
The ardent and mindful one restrains them.
An awakened one has entirely abandoned them,
These mental jerkings that follow one along.