1Now on a certain occasion the Venerable Phagguṇa was sick, afflicted, gravely ill. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said: "Bhante, the Venerable Phagguṇa is sick, afflicted, gravely ill. Please let the Blessed One visit him out of compassion." The Blessed One consented by silence.

Then, in the evening, the Blessed One emerged from seclusion and went to the Venerable Phagguṇa. The Venerable Phagguṇa saw the Blessed One coming in the distance and stirred on his bed. The Blessed One said to him: "Enough, Phagguṇa, do not stir on your bed. There are these seats that have been prepared. I will sit down there."

The Blessed One sat down and said to the Venerable Phagguṇa:

---

2"I hope you are bearing up, Phagguṇa. I hope you are getting better. I hope that your painful feelings are subsiding and not increasing, and that their subsiding, not their increase, is to be seen."

"Bhante, I am not bearing up, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be seen. [n.1374] The similes that follow are found among other places also at MN97, and SN35.87.

---

3Just as if a strong man were to grind my head with the tip of a sharp sword, so too, violent winds cut through my head. I am not bearing up ….

4Just as if a strong man were to tighten a tough leather strap around my head as a headband, so too, there are violent headpains in my head. I am not bearing up ….

---

5Just as if a skillful butcher or his apprentice were to carve up an ox's belly with a sharp butcher's knife, so too, violent winds are carving up my belly. I am not bearing up ….

---

6Just as if two strong men were to seize a weaker man by both arms and roast and grill him over a pit of hot coals, so too, there is a violent burning in my body. I am not bearing up, Bhante, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be seen."

Then the Blessed One instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened the Venerable Phagguṇa with a Dhamma talk, after which he got up from his seat and left.

---

7Not long after the Blessed One left, the Venerable Phagguṇa died. At the time of his death, his faculties were serene.

Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said: "Bhante, not long after the Blessed One left, the Venerable Phagguṇa died. At the time of his death, his faculties were serene."

---

8"Why, Ānanda, shouldn’t the bhikkhu Phagguṇa's faculties have been serene?

Though his mind had not yet been liberated from the five lower fetters, when he heard that discourse on the Dhamma, his mind was liberated from them. [n.1375] This means that he passed away as a non-returner.

---

9"There are, Ānanda, these six benefits of listening to the Dhamma at the proper time and of examining the meaning at the proper time. [n.1376] I follow Be and Ee, in which the first, second, fourth, and fifth benefits come from listening to the Dhamma at the proper time (kālena dhammassavane), the third and sixth from examining the meaning at the proper time (kālena atth’upaparikkhāya). Ce combines the two for the third and sixth items, which seems less satisfactory, because in these two situations the monk doesn’t get to hear the Dhamma. What six?

(1) "Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu's mind is not yet liberated from the five lower fetters, but at the time of his death he gets to see the Tathāgata. The Tathāgata teaches him the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; he reveals a spiritual life that is perfectly complete and pure. When the bhikkhu hears that discourse on the Dhamma, his mind is liberated from the five lower fetters. This is the first benefit of listening to the Dhamma at the proper time.

10(2) "Again, a bhikkhu's mind is not yet liberated from the five lower fetters. At the time of his death he does not get to see the Tathāgata, but he gets to see a disciple of the Tathāgata. The Tathāgata's disciple teaches him the Dhamma … reveals a spiritual life that is perfectly complete and pure. When the bhikkhu hears that discourse on the Dhamma, his mind is liberated from the five lower fetters. This is the second benefit of listening to the Dhamma at the proper time.

11(3) "Again, a bhikkhu's mind is not yet liberated from the five lower fetters. At the time of his death he does not get to see the Tathāgata or a disciple of the Tathāgata, but he ponders, examines, and mentally inspects the Dhamma as he has heard it and learned it. As he does so, his mind is liberated from the five lower fetters. This is the third benefit of examining the meaning at the proper time.

12(4) "Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu's mind is liberated from the five lower fetters but not yet liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of the acquisitions. [n.1377] Anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye. Mp identifies this as nibbāna. Sabbūpadhipaṭinissagga. Mp specifies three types of "acquisitions" (upadhi): the five aggregates, the defilements, and volitional activities (khandha, kilesa, abhisaṅkhārā). The relinquishment of these is a synonym for nibbāna. The striving for this is the energy arisen along with insight and the path. At the time of his death he gets to see the Tathāgata. The Tathāgata teaches him the Dhamma … he reveals a spiritual life that is perfectly complete and pure. When the bhikkhu hears that discourse on the Dhamma, his mind is liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of the acquisitions. This is the fourth benefit of listening to the Dhamma at the proper time.

13(5) "Again, a bhikkhu's mind is liberated from the five lower fetters but not yet liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of the acquisitions. At the time of his death he does not get to see the Tathāgata, but he gets to see a disciple of the Tathāgata. The Tathāgata's disciple teaches him the Dhamma … reveals a spiritual life that is perfectly complete and pure. When the bhikkhu hears that discourse on the Dhamma, his mind is liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of the acquisitions. This is the fifth benefit of listening to the Dhamma at the proper time.

14(6) "Again, a bhikkhu's mind is liberated from the five lower fetters but not yet liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of the acquisitions. At the time of his death he does not get to see the Tathāgata or a disciple of the Tathāgata, but he ponders, examines, and mentally inspects the Dhamma as he has heard it and learned it. As he does so, his mind is liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of the acquisitions. This is the sixth benefit of examining the meaning at the proper time.

15"These, Ānanda, are the six benefits of listening to the Dhamma at the proper time and of examining the meaning at the proper time."

1Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā phagguno ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Āyasmā, bhante, phagguno ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Sādhu, bhante, bhagavā yenāyasmā phagguno tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā"ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā phagguno tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā phagguno bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna mañcake samadhosi. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ phaggunaṁ etadavoca: "Alaṁ, phagguna, mā tvaṁ mañcake samadhosi. Santimāni āsanāni parehi paññattāni, tatthāhaṁ nisīdissāmī"ti.

Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ phaggunaṁ etadavoca:

---

2"Kacci te, phagguna, khamanīyaṁ kacci yāpanīyaṁ? Kacci te dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti, no abhikkamanti; paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no abhikkamo"ti?

"Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

---

3Seyyathāpi, bhante, balavā puriso tiṇhena sikharena muddhani abhimattheyya; evamevaṁ kho me, bhante, adhimattā vātā muddhani ūhananti. Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

4Seyyathāpi, bhante, balavā puriso daḷhena varattakkhaṇḍena sīsaveṭhanaṁ dadeyya; evamevaṁ kho me, bhante, adhimattā sīse sīsavedanā. Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

---

5Seyyathāpi, bhante, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā tiṇhena govikantanena kucchiṁ parikanteyya; evamevaṁ kho me, bhante, adhimattā vātā kucchiṁ parikantanti. Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo.

---

6Seyyathāpi, bhante, dve balavanto purisā dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuyā santāpeyyuṁ samparitāpeyyuṁ; evamevaṁ kho me, bhante, adhimatto kāyasmiṁ ḍāho. Na me, bhante, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ. Bāḷhā me dukkhā vedanā abhikkamanti, no paṭikkamanti; abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati, no paṭikkamo"ti.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ phaggunaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

---

7Atha kho āyasmā phagguno acirapakkantassa bhagavato kālamakāsi. Tamhi cassa samaye maraṇakāle indriyāni vippasīdiṁsu.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Āyasmā, bhante, phagguno acirapakkantassa bhagavato kālamakāsi. Tamhi cassa samaye maraṇakāle indriyāni vippasīdiṁsū"ti.

---

8"Kiṁ hānanda, phaggunassa bhikkhuno indriyāni na vippasīdissanti. Phaggunassa, ānanda, bhikkhuno pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ avimuttaṁ ahosi.

Tassa taṁ dhammadesanaṁ sutvā pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ vimuttaṁ.

---

9Chayime, ānanda, ānisaṁsā kālena dhammassavane kālena atthupaparikkhāya. Katame cha?

Idhānanda, bhikkhuno pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ avimuttaṁ hoti. So tamhi samaye maraṇakāle labhati tathāgataṁ dassanāya. Tassa tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Tassa taṁ dhammadesanaṁ sutvā pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Ayaṁ, ānanda, paṭhamo ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane. (1)

10Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ avimuttaṁ hoti. So tamhi samaye maraṇakāle na heva kho labhati tathāgataṁ dassanāya, api ca kho tathāgatasāvakaṁ labhati dassanāya. Tassa tathāgatasāvako dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Tassa taṁ dhammadesanaṁ sutvā pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Ayaṁ, ānanda, dutiyo ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane. (2)

11Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ avimuttaṁ hoti. So tamhi samaye maraṇakāle na heva kho labhati tathāgataṁ dassanāya, napi tathāgatasāvakaṁ labhati dassanāya; api ca kho yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ cetasā anuvitakketi anuvicāreti manasānupekkhati. Tassa yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ cetasā anuvitakkayato anuvicārayato manasānupekkhato pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ vimuccati. Ayaṁ, ānanda, tatiyo ānisaṁso kālena atthupaparikkhāya. (3)

12Idhānanda, bhikkhuno pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ vimuttaṁ hoti, anuttare ca kho upadhisaṅkhaye cittaṁ avimuttaṁ hoti. So tamhi samaye maraṇakāle labhati tathāgataṁ dassanāya. Tassa tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ … pe … brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Tassa taṁ dhammadesanaṁ sutvā anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye cittaṁ vimuccati. Ayaṁ, ānanda, catuttho ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane. (4)

13Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ vimuttaṁ hoti, anuttare ca kho upadhisaṅkhaye cittaṁ avimuttaṁ hoti. So tamhi samaye maraṇakāle na heva kho labhati tathāgataṁ dassanāya, api ca kho tathāgatasāvakaṁ labhati dassanāya. Tassa tathāgatasāvako dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ … pe … parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Tassa taṁ dhammadesanaṁ sutvā anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye cittaṁ vimuccati. Ayaṁ, ānanda, pañcamo ānisaṁso kālena dhammassavane. (5)

14Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pañcahi orambhāgiyehi saṁyojanehi cittaṁ vimuttaṁ hoti, anuttare ca kho upadhisaṅkhaye cittaṁ avimuttaṁ hoti. So tamhi samaye maraṇakāle na heva kho labhati tathāgataṁ dassanāya, napi tathāgatasāvakaṁ labhati dassanāya; api ca kho yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ cetasā anuvitakketi anuvicāreti manasānupekkhati. Tassa yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ cetasā anuvitakkayato anuvicārayato manasānupekkhato anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye cittaṁ vimuccati. Ayaṁ, ānanda, chaṭṭho ānisaṁso kālena atthupaparikkhāya. (6)

15Ime kho, ānanda, cha ānisaṁsā kālena dhammassavane kālena atthupaparikkhāyā"ti.

---

Dutiyaṁ.