{"collection":"Khuddaka Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_ud4.1/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_ud4.1","id":"suttacentral_ud4.1","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/ud4.1/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Khuddaka Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near C\u0101lik\u0101, on the C\u0101lik\u0101 mountain. Now, at that time Venerable Meghiya was the Buddha\u2019s attendant. Then Venerable Meghiya went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, \u201cSir, I\u2019d like to enter Jantu village for alms.\u201d \u201cPlease, Meghiya, go at your convenience.\u201d Then Meghiya robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Jantu village for alms. After the meal, on his return from almsround in Jantu village, he went to the shore of Kimik\u0101l\u0101 River. As he was going for a walk along the shore of the river he saw a lovely and delightful mango grove. Seeing this, it occurred to him, \u201cOh, this mango grove is lovely and delightful! This is good enough for striving for a gentleman wanting to strive. If the Buddha allows me, I\u2019ll come back to this mango grove to meditate.\u201d Then Venerable Meghiya went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding, \u201cIf the Buddha allows me, I\u2019ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.\u201d When he had spoken, the Buddha said to him, \u201cWe\u2019re alone, Meghiya. Wait until another mendicant comes.\u201d For a second time Meghiya said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, the Buddha has nothing more to do, and nothing that needs improvement. But I have. If you allow me, I\u2019ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.\u201d For a second time the Buddha said, \u201cWe\u2019re alone, Meghiya. Wait until another mendicant comes.\u201d For a third time Meghiya said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, the Buddha has nothing more to do, and nothing that needs improvement. But I have. If you allow me, I\u2019ll go back to that mango grove to meditate.\u201d \u201cMeghiya, since you speak of striving in meditation, what can I say? Please, Meghiya, go at your convenience.\u201d Then Meghiya got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right. Then he went to that mango grove, and, having plunged deep into it, sat at the root of a certain tree for the day\u2019s meditation. But while Meghiya was meditating in that mango grove he was beset mostly by three kinds of bad, unskillful thoughts, namely, sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts. Then he thought, \u201cOh lord, how incredible, how amazing! I\u2019ve gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, but I\u2019m still harassed by these three kinds of bad, unskillful thoughts: sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts.\u201d Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Meghiya came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and told the Buddha what had happened. \u201cMeghiya, when the heart\u2019s release is not ripe, five things help it ripen. What five? Firstly, a mendicant has good friends, companions, and associates. This is the first thing \u2026 Furthermore, a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they\u2019ve undertaken. This is the second thing \u2026 Furthermore, a mendicant gets to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart and leads solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment when they want, without trouble or difficulty. That is, talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, aloofness, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom. This is the third thing \u2026 Furthermore, a mendicant lives with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They are strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities. This is the fourth thing \u2026 Furthermore, a mendicant is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This is the fifth thing that, when the heart\u2019s release is not ripe, helps it ripen. These are the five things that, when the heart\u2019s release is not ripe, help it ripen. A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be ethical \u2026 A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to take part in talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart \u2026 A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be energetic \u2026 A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to be wise \u2026 But then, a mendicant grounded on these five things should develop four further things. They should develop the perception of ugliness to give up greed, love to give up hate, mindfulness of breathing to cut off thinking, and perception of impermanence to uproot the conceit \u2018I am\u2019. When you perceive impermanence, the perception of not-self becomes stabilized. Perceiving not-self, you uproot the conceit \u2018I am\u2019 and attain extinguishment in this very life.\u201d Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: \u201cLesser thoughts and subtle thoughts arise, springing up in the mind. Not understanding these thoughts, one with mind astray runs from one thing to the next. Having understood these thoughts that arise, springing up in the mind, an awakened one\u2014keen, restrained, and mindful\u2014 has given them up without remainder.\u201d","title":"With Meghiya","tradition":"Khuddaka Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":882}