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Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c17.s3: (iii) Kalyāṇamitta

Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c17.s3

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(iii) Kalyāṇamitta

v1.c17.s3.1

A monk, anxious to take up a subject for meditation, must, at the first place, choose a competent spiritual preceptor (*kalyāṇa-mitta*). He should try to find out one who has mastered the fourth and fifth *jhānas* and has thereby developed insight (*vipassanā*) into the truths of the universe, and has, in fact, become an Arhat, by destroying all the impurities (*āsavas*). Failing to get hold of such persons, he should seek for the next best in the descending scale,¹ thus:

v1.c17.s3.2

¹ *Vism.*, pp. 98 ff.

v1.c17.s3.3

(i) an anāgāmi;
(ii) a sakadāgāmi;
(iii) a sotāpanna;
(iv) a puthujjana who practises the jhānas; (v-vii) a master of three or two or one piṭaka; (viii) a master of one nikāya with its aṭṭhakathā, and lastly, (ix) a lajjī (a man of self-restraint).

v1.c17.s3.4

If the candidate finds a suitable preceptor in the monastery where he lives, so far so good; if not, he should proceed to the place where he may find his preceptor. On his way to, as also on his arrival at, his destination he must not be failing in the duties prescribed in the *Vinaya* (ii. 223) for an antevāsika, and he should reverentially and discreetly approach his preceptor, and apprise him of his intention of taking up a subject of meditation.

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