9.
The Discourse on Inopportune Moments
29.
"'The world has momentary duties, the world has momentary duties,' monks, the ignorant worldling speaks, but he does not know the opportune moment or the inopportune moment.
These eight, monks, are inopportune moments, wrong times for abiding by the holy life.
What are the eight?
Here, monks, a Truth-finder has arisen in the world, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One, and the Teaching is expounded - calming, leading to final nibbāna, leading to the highest enlightenment, proclaimed by the Fortunate One;
and this person has been reborn in hell.
This, monks, is the first inopportune moment, wrong time for abiding by the holy life.
"Furthermore, monks, a Truth-finder has arisen in the world... etc. Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One, and the Teaching is expounded - calming, leading to final nibbāna, leading to the highest enlightenment, proclaimed by the Fortunate One; and this person has been reborn in the animal realm... etc.
"Furthermore, monks... etc. and this person has been reborn in the sphere of ghosts... etc.
"Furthermore, monks... etc. and this person has been reborn in a certain long-lived order of gods... etc.
"Furthermore, monks... etc. and this person has been reborn in the border districts, and he is among barbarians who do not understand, where there is no access for monks, nuns, male lay followers, and female lay followers... etc. This is the fifth inopportune moment, wrong time for abiding by the holy life.
"Furthermore, monks... etc. and this person has been reborn in the middle countries, and he holds wrong views, has perverted vision - 'There is not what is given, there is not what is sacrificed, there is not what is offered, there is no result and consequence of good and bad actions, there is not this world, there is not the other world, there is not mother, there is not father, there are no spontaneously reborn beings, there are not in the world ascetics and brahmins who have gone the right way, who have rightly practised, who proclaim this world and the other world, having realised them by direct knowledge themselves'... etc.
"Furthermore, monks... etc. and this person has been reborn in the middle countries, and he is unwise, dull, an idiot, not competent to understand the meaning of what is well spoken and badly spoken. This, monks, is the seventh inopportune moment, wrong time for abiding by the holy life.
"Furthermore, monks, a Truth-finder has not arisen in the world, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One... etc. Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. And the Teaching is not taught - calming, leading to final nibbāna, leading to the highest enlightenment, proclaimed by the Fortunate One. And this person has been reborn in the middle countries, and he is wise, not dull, not an idiot, competent to understand the meaning of what is well spoken and badly spoken. This, monks, is the eighth inopportune moment, wrong time for abiding by the holy life. 'These, monks, are the eight inopportune moments, wrong times for abiding by the holy life.'
"There is just one, monks, opportune moment and right time for abiding by the holy life. What is that one? Here, monks, a Truth-finder has arisen in the world, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. And the Teaching is expounded - calming, leading to final nibbāna, leading to the highest enlightenment, proclaimed by the Fortunate One. And this person has been reborn in the middle countries, and he is wise, not dull, not an idiot, competent to understand the meaning of what is well spoken and badly spoken. This, monks, is the one opportune moment and right time for abiding by the holy life."
Those who do not attain the moment, they let the moment pass by.
Sometimes, on rare occasions in the world, Truth-finders arise.
The obtaining of human existence and the Teaching of the Good Teaching;
It is fitting to strive therein, by a being who loves oneself.
For those who have missed the moment grieve, consigned to hell.
Like a merchant who has missed his profit, one will regret for a long time.
Will experience for a long time the wandering in the round of rebirths of birth and death.
Did the Teacher's word, will do, or are doing.
Those who entered upon the path proclaimed by the Truth-finder.
Guarded in those, always mindful, one should dwell not filled with desire.
They indeed have gone beyond in the world, those who have attained the elimination of mental corruptions." The ninth.