Visuddhimagga III-130

50. Evaṃ sampannajjhāsayādhimuttino panassa kammaṭṭhānaṃ yācato cetopariyañāṇalābhinā ācariyena cittācāraṃ oloketvā cariyā jānitabbā.

如是具足意乐及胜解而请求教授业处的学人，如有他心智的阿阇梨，当此以智观察其心行而知其性行；

Ñ(III,130): When, with sincerity of inclination and whole-hearted resolution in this way, he asks for a meditation subject, then a teacher who has acquired the penetration of minds can know his temperament by surveying his mental conduct;

Itarena kiṃ caritosi?

余者则应以此等方法问知其性行：「什么是你的性行？

Ñ: and a teacher who has not can know it by putting such questions to him as 'What is your temperament?'

Ke vā te dhammā bahulaṃ samudācaranti?

你常常现行的是什么法？

Ñ: or 'What states are usually present in you?'

Kiṃ vā te manasikaroto phāsu hoti?

你以什么作意而觉安乐？

Ñ: or 'What do you like bringing to mind?'

Katarasmiṃ vā te kammaṭṭhāne cittaṃ namatīti evamādīhi nayehi pucchitvā jānitabbā.

你的心倾向于何种业处？」如是知道了，

Ñ: or 'What meditation subject does your mind favour?'.

Evaṃ ñatvā cariyānukūlaṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ kathetabbaṃ.

然后当适合其性行而对他说业处。

Ñ: When he knows, he can expound a meditation subject suitable to that temperament.

Kathentena ca tividhena kathetabbaṃ.

在说的时候，当以三种方法来说：

Ñ: And in doing so, he can expound it in three ways:

Pakatiyā uggahitakammaṭṭhānassa ekaṃ dve nisajjāni sajjhāyaṃ kāretvā dātabbaṃ.

对于自然业处已有把握者，经一二次坐谈而试其所学，当即授以业处；

Ñ: it can be expounded to one who has already learnt the meditation subject by having him recite it at one or two sessions;

Santike vasantassa āgatāgatakkhaṇe kathetabbaṃ.

对于住在近边的，则每次来问的剎那，都当对他说；

Ñ: it can be expounded to one who lives in the same place each time he comes;

Uggahetvā aññatra gantukāmassa nātisaṃkhittaṃ nātivitthārikaṃ katvā kathetabbaṃ.

如果希望学了之后便往他处去的，则应对他不宜过略或过详的说。

Ñ: and to one who wants to learn it and then go elsewhere it can be expounded in such a manner that it is neither too brief nor too long.