Discourse an.8.29 - buddha.co.za

Inopportune Moments

“Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling says: ‘The world has gained the opportunity! The world has gained the opportunity!’ but he does not know what is an opportunity and what is not an opportunity. There are, bhikkhus, these eight inopportune moments that are not right occasions for living the spiritual life. What eight?

(1) “Here, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world, an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, an Enlightened One, a Blessed One, and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. But a person has been reborn in hell. This is the first inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.

(2) “Again, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world … and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. But a person has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.

(3) “Again, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world … and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. But a person has been reborn in the sphere of afflicted spirits. This is the third inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.

(4) “Again, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world … and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. But a person has been reborn in a certain order of long-lived devas. This is the fourth inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.

(5) “Again, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world … and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. But a person has been reborn in the outlying provinces among the uncouth foreigners, a place to which bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay followers, and female lay followers do not travel. This is the fifth inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.

(6) “Again, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world … and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. A person has been reborn in the central provinces, but he holds wrong view and has a distorted perspective: ‘There is nothing given, nothing sacrificed, nothing offered; there is no fruit or result of good and bad actions; there is no this world, no other world; there is no mother, no father; there are no beings spontaneously reborn; there are in the world no ascetics and brahmins of right conduct and right practice who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, make them known to others.’ This is the sixth inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.

(7) “Again, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world … and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. A person has been reborn in the central provinces, but he is unwise, stupid, obtuse, unable to understand the meaning of what has been well stated and badly stated. This is the seventh inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.

(8) “Again, a Tathāgata has not arisen in the world … and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is not taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. But a person has been reborn in the central provinces, and he is wise, intelligent, astute, able to understand the meaning of what has been well stated and badly stated. This is the eighth inopportune moment that is not the right occasion for living the spiritual life.

“These are the eight inopportune moments that are not the right occasions for living the spiritual life.

“There is, bhikkhus, one unique opportune moment that is the right occasion for living the spiritual life. What is it? Here, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world, an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, an Enlightened One, a Blessed One, and the Dhamma leading to peace, nibbāna, and enlightenment is taught as proclaimed by a Fortunate One. And a person has been reborn in the central provinces, and he is wise, intelligent, astute, able to understand the meaning of what has been well stated and badly stated. This, bhikkhus, is the one unique opportune moment that is the right occasion for living the spiritual life.”

Having obtained the human state
when the good Dhamma has been well proclaimed,
those who do not seize the moment
have let the right moment slip by.

For many inopportune times are spoken of,
occasions obstructive to the path;
for it is only sometimes, on occasion,
that Tathāgatas arise in the world.

If one has directly encountered them,
fortune rarely gained in the world,
if one has obtained the human state,
and the good Dhamma is being taught,
for a person desiring his own good,
this is incentive enough to strive.

How can one understand the good Dhamma,
so that the moment won’t slip by?
For those who miss the moment grieve
when they are reborn in hell.

One here who has failed to obtain
the fixed course of the good Dhamma,
will come to regret it for a long time
like a merchant who has missed a profit.

A person hindered by ignorance
who has failed in the good Dhamma
will long experience wandering on
in the round of birth and death.

But those who gain the human state
when the good Dhamma is well proclaimed,
have accomplished the Teacher’s word,
or will do so, or are doing so now.

Those who have practiced the path,
proclaimed by the Tathāgata,
have penetrated the right moment in the world
the unsurpassed spiritual life.

You should dwell without leakages,
guarded, ever-mindful in the restraints
taught by the One with Vision,
the Kinsman of the Sun.

Having cut off all underlying tendencies
that follow one drifting in Māra’s domain,
those who attain the destruction of the taints,
though in the world, have gone beyond.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Lost Opportunities

“‘Now is the time! Now is the time!’ So says an unlearned ordinary person. But they don’t know whether it’s time or not.
Mendicants, there are eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.
What eight?
Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.
But a person has been reborn in hell.
This is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second lost opportunity.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn in the ghost realm. This is the third lost opportunity.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn in the borderlands, among strange barbarian tribes, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go. This is the fifth lost opportunity …
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world. And a person is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective:
‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is well attained and practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is the sixth lost opportunity …
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
And a person is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, stupid, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the seventh lost opportunity …
Furthermore, a Realized One has not arisen in the world …
So he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And a person is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the eighth lost opportunity …
There are these eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.
Mendicants, there is just one opportunity for spiritual practice.
What is that one?
It’s when a Realized One has arisen in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.
He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And a person is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the one opportunity for spiritual practice.
When you’ve gained the human state,
and the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,
if you don’t seize the moment
it’ll pass you by.
For many wrong times are spoken of,
which obstruct the path.
Only on rare occasions
do Realized Ones arise.
If you find yourself in their presence,
so hard to find in the world,
and if you’ve gained a human birth,
and the teaching of the Dhamma;
that’s enough to make an effort,
for a person who loves themselves.
How is the true teaching to be understood
so that the moment doesn’t pass you by?
For if you miss your moment
you’ll grieve when sent to hell.
If you fail to achieve
certainty regarding the true teaching
you’ll regret it for a long time,
like a trader who loses a profit.
A man shrouded by ignorance,
a failure in the true teaching,
will long undergo
transmigration through birth and death.
Those who’ve gained the human state
when the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,
and have completed what the Teacher taught—
or will do so, or are doing so now—
have realized the right time in the world
for the supreme spiritual life.
You should live guarded, ever mindful,
not soaked with defilements,
among those restrained ones
who have practiced the path
proclaimed by the Realized One, the one with vision,
and taught by the kinsman of the Sun.
Having cut off all underlying tendencies
that follow those drifting in Māra’s dominion,
they’re the ones in this world who’ve truly crossed over,
having reached the ending of defilements.”

an.8.29 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Inopportune Moments

Lost Opportunities