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this person is reborn in the realm of hungry ghosts… …and so on…. Again, bhikkhus…and so on… this person is reborn in some long-lived divine realm… …and so on…. Again, bhikkhus…and so on… this person is reborn in border regions, and is among uncivilized barbarians, where there is no access for bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay followers, female lay followers… …and so on… this is the fifth inopportune time, an unsuitable time for living the holy life. Again, bhikkhus…and so on… this person is reborn in central regions, but holds wrong views, seeing things perversely: ‘There is no giving, there is no offering, there is no sacrifice, there is no fruit or result of good and bad deeds, there is no this world, there is no other world, there is no mother, there is no father, there are no spontaneously arisen beings, there are no ascetics and brahmins in the world who are rightly gone, rightly practicing, who, having realized and directly experienced this world and the other world themselves, proclaim it’…and so on…. Again, bhikkhus…and so on… this person is reborn in central regions, but is dull-witted, stupid, mute, unable to understand the meaning of what is well-spoken or ill-spoken. This, bhikkhus, is the seventh inopportune time, an unsuitable time for living the holy life. Again, bhikkhus, a Tathāgata has not arisen in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One… …and so on… the Teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. And the Dhamma is not taught, leading to peace, to final Nibbāna, to full awakening, proclaimed by the Fortunate One. And this person is reborn in central regions, and is wise, not dull-witted, not mute, able to understand the meaning of what is well-spoken or ill-spoken. to understand. This, monks, is the eighth inopportune moment, an unsuitable time for living the holy life. ‘These, monks, are the eight inopportune moments, unsuitable times for living the holy life.’ There is, monks, only one opportune moment and suitable time for living the holy life. Which is that one? Here, monks, a Tathāgata has arisen in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One, endowed with knowledge and conduct, a Fortunate One, a Knower of the worlds, an unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One. And the Dhamma is taught, leading to peace, leading to Nibbāna, leading to awakening, proclaimed by the Fortunate One. And this person is reborn in the central lands, and is wise, not dull, not stupid, capable of understanding the meaning of well-spoken and ill-spoken words. This, monks, is the one opportune moment and suitable time for living the holy life. Having gained human birth, when the True Dhamma is well-proclaimed; those who do not seize the moment, they let the moment pass. Many inopportune moments are indeed spoken of, which are obstacles to the path; only rarely, now and then, in the world, do Tathāgatas arise. This has come to pass, which is very rare in the world; the obtaining of human birth, and the teaching of the True Dhamma; it is enough to strive there, by a being who desires his own welfare. How can one understand the True Dhamma, let not the moment pass you by; for those who let the moment pass grieve, consigned to hell. If here one misses the certainty of the True Dhamma; like a merchant who has lost his wealth, he will long regret it. A person enveloped in ignorance, who neglects the True Dhamma; the cycle of birth and death, he will long experience. And those who, having gained human existence, when the True Dhamma is well-proclaimed; did the Teacher's word, or will do, or are doing. They understood the opportune moment in the world, for the unsurpassed holy life; those who entered the path, proclaimed by the Tathāgata. And those who are restrained by the All-Seeing One, taught by the Kinsman of the Sun. Among them, guarded, ever mindful, one should dwell, unattached. "Having cut off all latent tendencies, which follow the sway of Māra; Those indeed have gone to the far shore in the world, who have attained the destruction of the taints." The ninth. 10. The Discourse on Anuruddha's Great Thoughts At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Bhaggas, at Sumsumāragira, in the Bhesakaḷāvana deer park. At that time, Venerable Anuruddha was dwelling among the Cetis, in the Pācīnavaṃsadāya. Then, as Venerable Anuruddha was in seclusion, withdrawn, this thought arose in his mind: "This Dhamma is for one with few desires, not for one with many desires; this Dhamma is for the contented, not for the discontented; this Dhamma is for the secluded, not for one fond of company; this Dhamma is for one with aroused energy, not for the lazy; this Dhamma is for one with established mindfulness, not for one with forgotten mindfulness; this Dhamma is for the concentrated, not for the unconcentrated; this Dhamma is for the wise, not for the unwise." Then the Blessed One, knowing with his mind the mental thought of Venerable Anuruddha—just as a strong man might extend a flexed arm, or flex an extended arm—even so, the Blessed One vanished from the Bhaggas, from Sumsumāragira, from the Bhesakaḷāvana deer park, and appeared before Venerable Anuruddha in the Pācīnavaṃsadāya among the Cetis. The Blessed One sat down on the seat prepared. Venerable Anuruddha, too, having saluted the Blessed One, sat down to one side. To one side The Blessed One spoke to Venerable Anuruddha, who was sitting: "Good, good, Anuruddha! Good indeed, Anuruddha, that you have thought these great thoughts of a great man: 'This Dhamma is for one with few desires, not for one with many desires; this Dhamma is for the contented, This Dhamma is for the contented, not for the discontented. This Dhamma is for the secluded, not for those who delight in company. This Dhamma is for the energetic, not for the lazy. This Dhamma is for the mindful, not for the unmindful. This Dhamma is for the concentrated, not for the unconcentrated. This Dhamma is for the wise, not for the unwise.’ ‘Therefore, Anuruddha, you should reflect on this eighth great man’s thought: ‘This Dhamma is for one who delights in non-proliferation, who delights in non-proliferation, not for one who delights in proliferation, who delights in proliferation.’’ ‘When you, Anuruddha, have reflected on these eight great man’s thoughts, then, Anuruddha, as long as you wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, you will enter and dwell in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, born of seclusion, full of rapture and pleasure. ‘When you, Anuruddha, have reflected on these eight great man’s thoughts, then, Anuruddha, as long as you wish, with the fading away of applied thought and sustained thought, with the inner pacification and unification of the mind, you will enter and dwell in the second jhāna, which is without applied thought and sustained thought, born of concentration, full of rapture and pleasure. ‘When you, Anuruddha, have reflected on these eight great man’s thoughts, then, Anuruddha, as long as you wish, with the fading away of rapture, you will dwell in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, and you will experience pleasure with the body, of which the noble ones declare: ‘He dwells in equanimity, mindful, and at ease.’ you will enter and dwell in the third jhāna. ‘When you, Anuruddha, have reflected on these eight great man’s thoughts, then, Anuruddha, as long as you wish, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and sorrow, you will enter and and dwell in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. ‘When you, Anuruddha, ponder these eight thoughts of a great man, and become one who obtains at will, without difficulty, without trouble, these four jhānas, the mental abidings in ease in this very life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as for a householder or a householder's son, a basket full of clothes of various colors; even so, a rag-robe will be agreeable to you, as you dwell content, for delight, without anxiety, for comfortable dwelling, for the going forth to Nibbāna. ‘‘When you, Anuruddha, ponder these eight thoughts of a great man, and become one who obtains at will, without difficulty, without trouble, these four jhānas, the mental abidings in ease in this very life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as for a householder or a householder's son, rice-porridge of fine rice, with many sauces and many curries; even so, alms-food will be agreeable to you, as you dwell content, for delight, without anxiety, for comfortable dwelling, for the going forth to Nibbāna. ‘‘When you, Anuruddha, ponder these eight thoughts of a great man, and become one who obtains at will, without difficulty, without trouble, these four jhānas, the mental abidings in ease in this very life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as for a householder or a householder's son, a gabled house, plastered inside and out, draft-free, with bolted doors and closed windows; even so, a dwelling at the root of a tree will be agreeable to you, as you dwell content, for delight, without anxiety, for comfortable dwelling, for the going forth to Nibbāna. ‘‘When you, Anuruddha, ponder these eight thoughts of a great man, and become one who obtains at will, without difficulty, without trouble, these four jhānas, the mental abidings in ease in this very life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as for a householder or a householder's son, a a couch covered with a cowhide, covered with an antelope hide, covered with a deer hide, covered with the best kadali deer hide, with an upper covering, with two red pillows; even so, your bed and seat of grass mat will be agreeable to you, living content, with unagitated joy, for comfortable living, for the approach to Nibbāna.