2.
The Discourse on Phagguna
56.
Now at that time the Venerable Phagguna was sick, afflicted, severely ill.
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One -
"The Venerable Phagguna, venerable sir, is sick, afflicted, severely ill.
It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would approach the Venerable Phagguna, out of compassion."
The Blessed One consented by silence.
Then the Blessed One, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Phagguna.
The Venerable Phagguna saw the Blessed One coming from afar.
Having seen him, he stirred on his bed.
Then the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Phagguna -
"Enough, Phagguna, do not stir on your bed.
There are these seats prepared by others; I will sit down there."
The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat.
Having sat down, the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Phagguna -
"Is it bearable for you, Phagguna, is it endurable? Are unpleasant feelings receding for you, not advancing; is their receding evident, not their advancing?" "It is not bearable for me, venerable sir, not endurable. Excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding.
"Just as, venerable sir, a strong man were to crush one's head with a sharp point; so too, venerable sir, exceeding winds strike at my head. It is not bearable for me, venerable sir, not endurable. Excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding.
"Just as, venerable sir, a strong man were to bind one's head with a tight leather strap as a head-band; so too, venerable sir, there is exceeding headache in my head. It is not bearable for me, venerable sir, not endurable. Excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding.
"Just as, venerable sir, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice were to cut through the belly with a sharp butcher's knife; so too, venerable sir, exceeding winds cut through my belly. It is not bearable for me, venerable sir, not endurable. Excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding.
"Just as, venerable sir, two strong men, having seized a weaker man by both arms, were to scorch and thoroughly burn him over a charcoal pit; so too, venerable sir, there is exceeding burning in my body. It is not bearable for me, venerable sir, not endurable. Excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding." Then the Blessed One, having instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened the Venerable Phagguna with a talk on the Teaching, rose from his seat and departed.
Then the Venerable Phagguna, not long after the Blessed One had departed, died. And at that time, at the time of death, his faculties became very clear. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "The Venerable Phagguna, venerable sir, not long after the Blessed One had departed, died. And at that time, at the time of death, his faculties became very clear."
"Why, Ānanda, should the monk Phagguna's faculties not become very clear! Ānanda, the monk Phagguna's mind was unliberated from the five lower mental fetters. Having heard that proclamation of the Teaching, his mind became liberated from the five lower mental fetters.
"There are, Ānanda, these six benefits of hearing the Teaching at the right time and of examining the meaning at the right time. Which six? Here, Ānanda, a monk's mind is unliberated from the five lower mental fetters. He, at that time, at the time of death, obtains the seeing of the Truth-finder. To him the Truth-finder expounds the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; he reveals the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. Having heard that proclamation of the Teaching, his mind becomes liberated from the five lower mental fetters. This, Ānanda, is the first benefit of hearing the Teaching at the right time.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, a monk's mind is unliberated from the five lower mental fetters. He, at that time, at the time of death, does not indeed obtain the seeing of the Truth-finder, but he obtains the seeing of a disciple of the Truth-finder. To him the disciple of the Truth-finder expounds the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; he reveals the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. Having heard that proclamation of the Teaching, his mind becomes liberated from the five lower mental fetters. This, Ānanda, is the second benefit of hearing the Teaching at the right time.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, a monk's mind is unliberated from the five lower mental fetters. He at that time, at the time of death, does not indeed obtain the seeing of the Truth-finder, nor does he obtain the seeing of a disciple of the Truth-finder; but he reflects upon, examines, and mentally contemplates the Teaching as he has heard it, as he has learned it. For him, reflecting upon, examining, and mentally contemplating the Teaching as he has heard it, as he has learned it, the mind becomes liberated from the five lower mental fetters. This, Ānanda, is the third benefit of timely examination of the meaning.
"Here, Ānanda, a monk's mind is liberated from the five lower mental fetters, but the mind is unliberated in the unsurpassed extinction of clinging. He, at that time, at the time of death, obtains the seeing of the Truth-finder. To him the Truth-finder expounds the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, etc. he reveals the holy life. Having heard that proclamation of the Teaching, the mind becomes liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of clinging. This, Ānanda, is the fourth benefit of timely hearing of the Teaching.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, a monk's mind is liberated from the five lower mental fetters, but the mind is unliberated in the unsurpassed extinction of clinging. He, at that time, at the time of death, does not indeed obtain the seeing of the Truth-finder, but he obtains the seeing of a disciple of the Truth-finder. To him a disciple of the Truth-finder expounds the Teaching, good in the beginning, etc. he reveals the holy life that is pure. Having heard that proclamation of the Teaching, the mind becomes liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of clinging. This, Ānanda, is the fifth benefit of timely hearing of the Teaching.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, a monk's mind is liberated from the five lower mental fetters, but the mind is unliberated in the unsurpassed extinction of clinging. He at that time, at the time of death, does not indeed obtain the seeing of the Truth-finder, nor does he obtain the seeing of a disciple of the Truth-finder; but he reflects upon, examines, and mentally contemplates the Teaching as he has heard it, as he has learned it. For him, reflecting upon, examining, and mentally contemplating the Teaching as he has heard it, as he has learned it, the mind becomes liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of clinging. This, Ānanda, is the sixth benefit of timely examination of the meaning. These, Ānanda, are the six benefits of timely hearing of the Teaching and timely examination of the meaning." The second.