Venerable Pagguna

At that time venerable Pagguna was gravely ill and venerable Ānanda approached The Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said:

Venerable sir, venerable Pagguna is gravely ill, it's good if The Blessed One would approach him out of compassion. The Blessed One accepted in silence. The Blessed One getting up from his evening seclusion, approached venerable Pagguna. Venerable Pagguna seeing The Blessed One coming in the distance, tried to get down from the bed, and The Blessed One said, do not move from the bed, there are seats prepared in front, I will sit there. The Blessed One sat on the prepared seat and said to venerable Pagguna: Pagguna, how are you, are things agreeable, would you survive. Are unpleasant feelings receding or proceeding? Is the receding end or the proceed end that is evident?

Venerable sir, things are not agreeable, I would not survive. I feel grave unpleasant feelings proceeding not receding. The proceeding end is evident not the receding end. Venerable sir, it is like a strong man cleaving my top with the edge of a sharp knife. In like manner, venerable sir, my top is crushed with a lot of air.

Venerable sir, things are not agreeable, I would not survive. I feel grave unpleasant feelings proceeding not receding. The proceeding end is evident not the receding end. Venerable sir, it is like a strong man giving a tight head wrap. In like manner, venerable sir, there is a lot of pain in my head.

Venerable sir, things are not agreeable, I would not survive. I feel grave unpleasant feelings proceeding not receding. The proceeding end is evident not the receding end. Venerable sir, it is like a butcher were cleaving my stomach with a butcher's cleaving knife. In like manner, venerable sir, my stomach is crushed with a lot of air.

Venerable sir, things are not agreeable, I would not survive. I feel grave unpleasant feelings proceeding not receding. The proceeding end is evident not the receding end. Venerable sir, it is like two strong men taking a weaker one by his limbs and scorching him in a pit of charcoal. In like manner, venerable sir, there is a lot of burning in my body.

Venerable sir, things are not agreeable, I would not survive. I feel grave unpleasant feelings proceeding not receding. The proceeding end is evident not the receding end. Then The Blessed One advising, inciting and making the heart light of venerable Pagguna, got up from his seat and went away,

Soon after The Blessed One was gone, venerable Pagguna passed away. At the time of his passing away his faculties became bright. Then venerable Ānanda approached The Blessed One, worshipped, sat on side and said. Venerable sir, soon after The Blessed One had gone, venerable Pagguna passed away. At the time of his passing away his faculties became bright.

Ānanda, why shouldn't the bhikkhu Pagguna's faculties not brighten up. The bhikkhu Pagguna's mind was not released from the five bonds that bound him to the sensual world, hearing the Teaching his mind was released from the bonds that bound him to the sensual world. Ānanda, there are six benefits for hearing the Teaching at the correct time, and investigating the meaning. What six?

Here, Ānanda the bhikkhu's mind is not released from the five bonds binding him to the sensual world. He gets a chance at the time of death to see the Thus Gone One. The Thus Gone One teaches him the Teaching good at the beginning, middle and end, full of meanings in words and letters, completly stating the holy life. Hearing that Teaching his mind is released from the bonds binding him to the sensual world. Ānanda, this is the first benefit for hearing the Teaching at the correct time.

Again, Ānanda the bhikkhu's mind is not released from the five bonds binding him to the sensual world. He does not get a chance, at the time of death to see the Thus Gone One. Yet he sees a disciple of The Thus Gone One who teaches him the Teaching good at the beginning, middle and end, full of meanings in words and letters, completly stating the holy life. Hearing that Teaching his mind is released from the bonds binding him to the sensual world. Ānanda, this is the second benefit for hearing the Teaching at the correct time.

Ānanda the bhikkhu's mind is not released from the five bonds binding him to the sensual world. He does not get a chance at the time of death to see the Thus Gone One, or a disciple of the Thus Gone One. Yet he discursively thinks about the Teaching, he had heard and learnt and touches the meanings When he touches the meanings his mind is released from the bonds binding him to the sensual world. Ānanda, this is the third benefit for hearing the Teaching and investigating the Teaching at the correct time.

Ānanda the bhikkhu's mind is released from the five bonds binding him to the sensual world. His mind is not released with the noble destruction of substratum. He gets a chance at the time of death to see the Thus Gone OneṬhe Thus Gone One teaches him the Teaching good at the beginning, middle and end, full of meanings in words and letters, completly stating the holy life. Hearing that Teaching his mind is released, with the noble destruction of substratum. Ānanda, this is the fourth benefit for hearing the Teaching at the correct time.

Again, Ānanda the bhikkhu's mind is released from the five bonds binding him to the sensual world. Hlis mind is not released with the noble destruction of substrutum. He does not get a chance at the time of death to see the Thus Gone One. Yet he gets a chance to see a disciple of the Thus Gone One, who teaches him the Teaching good at the beginning, middle and end, full of meanings in words and letters, completly stating the holy life. Hearing that Teaching his mind is released with the noble destruction of substrutum. Ānanda, this is the fifth benefit for hearing the Teaching at the correct time.

Ānanda the bhikkhu's mind is released from the five bonds binding him to the sensual world. He does not get a chance at the time of death to see the Thus Gone One, or a disciple of the Thus Gone One. Yet he discursively thinks about the Teaching, he had heard and learnt and touches the meanings When he touches the meanings his mind is released with the noble destruction of substrutum. Ānanda, this is the sixth benefit for hearing the Teaching and investigating the Teaching at the correct time.

Ānanda, these six are the benefits for hearing the Teaching at the correct time, and investigating the meaning.