Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
VI: Nīvaraṇa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
VI: The Hindrances
Sutta 54
Asamaya - Samaya Suttaɱ
Times for Striving
Translated by E. M. Hare
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park,
and there he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
'Yes, lord,' they replied;
and the Exalted One said:
Monks, there are these five wrong[1] times for striving.
What five?
Herein a monk is old,
overcome by old age.
Monks, this is the first wrong time for striving.
■
A monk is ill,
overcome by illness.
Monks, this is the second wrong time for striving.
■
There[2] is a famine,
crops are bad,
food is hard to get
and it is not easy to keep oneself going
by gleaning and favours.
Monks, this is the third wrong time for striving.
■
Fear is about,
perils [3] of robbers,
and the country-folk mount their carts
and drive away.
Monks, this is the fourth wrong time for striving.
■
Again, monks,[4] the Order is rent;
then there is reviling between one another,
accusation between one another,
quarrelling between one another,
repudiation between one another;
and they of little faith
do not find faith there
and the faithful
become otherwise.
Monks, this is the fifth wrong time for striving.
Monks, these are the five wrong times for striving.
§
Monks, there are these five right times for striving.
What five?
Herein a monk is young,
a mere youth,
black-haired
and blessed with the beauty of youth,
the heyday of youth.[5]
Monte, this is the first right time for striving.
■
A monk has health
and well-being,
a good digestion,
which is neither over-cold
nor over-heated,
but even
and suitable for striving.
Monks, this is the second right time for striving.
■
There is no famine
and crops are good,
food is easy to get,
[55] and it is easy to keep oneself going
by gleanings and favours.
Monks, this is the third right time for striving.
■
Men dwell in friendly fellowship together,
as mingled milk and water,
nor quarrel,
but look upon one another
with friendly eye.[6]
Monks, this is the fourth right time for striving.
■
Again, monks, the Order dwell in friendly fellowship together,
finding comfort in one teaching;[7]
when there is harmony in the Order,
then there is no reviling one with another,
nor accusation made,
nor quarrelling,
nor repudiation between one another,
but there they of little faith
find faith
and the faith of the faithful
is made become more.[8]
Monks, this is the fifth right time for striving.
Monks, these are the five right times for striving.'
[1] Asamaya, unseasonable.
[2] Cf. Vin. iii, 145.
[3] The text reads aṭavi-saɱkhepo, v.l. and S.e. -saɱkopo? from √KUP, the wrath of robbers. The whole phrase is stock; Cf. A. i, 178 (G.S. i, 161), and below V, § 78.
[4] This section recurs at It. 11 almost word for word. Cf. below V, § 156.
[5] This is stock; see D. i, 115; M. ii, 66; S. i, 9; A. ii, 22.
[6] See M. ii, 120; S. iv, 225; A. i, 70, more often of monks.
[7] Ekuddesu phāsu.
[8] Cf. below V, § 156; It. 12.
