mn.20 Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Discourses)

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. While he was there the Lord addressed the monks, saying:

“Monks.”

“Revered One,” these monks answered the Lord in assent. The Lord spoke thus:

“Monks, if a monk is intent on the higher thought, from time to time he should attend to five characteristics. What five?

Herein, monks, whatever may be the characteristic which a monk attends to, if there arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, that monk should attend, instead of to that characteristic, to another characteristic which is associated with what is skilled. By attending to this other characteristic which is associated with what is skilled instead of to that characteristic, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion are got rid of, they come to an end. From getting rid of these, his mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

As, monks, a skilled carpenter or a carpenter's apprentice might knock out, drive out, draw out a large peg with a small peg, even so, monks, whatever may be the characteristic which a monk attends to, if there arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, that monk should attend, instead of to that characteristic, to another characteristic which is associated with what is skilled. By attending to this other characteristic which is associated with what is skilled instead of to that characteristic, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. From getting rid of these, his mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, if while the monk is attending, instead of to that characteristic, to this other characteristic which is associated with what is skilled, there still arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, then the peril of these thoughts should be scrutinised by that monk, thinking: ‘Indeed these are unskilled thoughts, indeed these are thoughts that have errors, indeed these are thoughts that are of painful results.’ While he is scrutinising the peril of these thoughts, those evil unskilled thoughts that are associated with desire, associated with aversion, associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, his mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, it is like a woman or a man, young, in the prime of life, fond of adornment, who, if the carcass of a snake or the carcass of a dog or the carcass of a human being were hanging round the neck, would be revolted, ashamed, disgusted, even so, monks, while the monk is attending, instead of to this characteristic, to that other characteristic which is associated with what is skilled, there still arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, then the peril of these thoughts should be scrutinised by that monk, thinking: ‘Indeed these are unskilled thoughts, indeed these are thoughts that have errors, indeed these are thoughts that are of painful results.’ While he is scrutinising the peril of these thoughts, those evil unskilled thoughts that are associated with desire, associated with aversion, associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, his mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, if while the monk is scrutinising the peril of those thoughts, there still arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, that monk should bring about forgetfulness of and lack of attention to those thoughts; having come to forgetfulness of and lack of attention to these thoughts, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, it is like a man with vision who might not want to see the material shapes that come within his range of vision; he would close his eyes or look another way, even so, monks, if while the monk is scrutinising the peril of those thoughts there still arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, that monk should bring about forgetfulness of and lack of attention to those thoughts; having come to forgetfulness of and lack of attention to these thoughts, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, if when the monk has brought about forgetfulness of and lack of attention to those thoughts, there still arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, monks, that monk should attend to the thought function and form of those thoughts. While he is attending to the thought function and form of those thoughts, those that are evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, even as it might occur to a man who is walking quickly: ‘Now, why do I walk quickly? Suppose I were to walk slowly?’ It might occur to him as he was walking slowly: ‘Now, why do I walk slowly? Suppose I were to stand?’ It might occur to him as he was standing: ‘Now, why do I stand? Suppose I were to sit down?’ It might occur to him as he was sitting down: ‘Now, why do I sit down? Suppose I were to lie down?’, even so, monks, the man, having abandoned the very hardest posture, might take to the easiest posture itself. Even so, monks, if while the monk has brought about forgetfulness of and lack of attention to those thoughts there still arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, monks, that monk should attend to the thought function and form of those thoughts. While he is attending to the thought function and form of those thoughts, those that are evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, if while the monk is attending to the thought function and form of those thoughts, there still arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, monks, that monk, his teeth clenched, his tongue pressed against his palate, should by his mind subdue, restrain and dominate the mind. While, with his teeth clenched, his tongue pressed against his palate, he is with the mind subduing, restraining and dominating the mind, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, even as a strong man, having taken hold of a weaker man by the head or shoulders, might subdue, restrain and dominate him, even so, monks, if while that monk is attending to the thought function and form of those thoughts, there still arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, then, monks, that monk, his teeth clenched, his tongue pressed against his palate, should by his mind subdue, restrain and dominate his mind. While, with his teeth clenched, his tongue pressed against his palate, he is by the mind subduing, restraining and dominating the mind, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, are got rid of, they come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, if while a monk, in regard to some characteristic, is attending to that characteristic, there arise evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, then if he attends, instead of to that characteristic, to some other characteristic which is associated with what is skilled, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated. And by scrutinising the peril of these thoughts, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated. If he comes to forgetfulness of and lack of attention to those evil unskilled thoughts that are associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated. And by attending to the thought function and form of these thoughts, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated. With the teeth clenched, with the tongue pressed against the palate, if he subdues, restrains, dominates the mind by the mind, those evil unskilled thoughts associated with desire and associated with aversion and associated with confusion, these are got rid of, these come to an end. By getting rid of these, the mind subjectively steadies, calms, is one-pointed, concentrated.

Monks, this monk is called one who is master in the method and paths of thought; he can think whatever thought he wishes; he will not think any thought that he does not wish; he has cut off craving, done away with fetter, and, by fully mastering pride, has made an end of anguish.”

Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, these monks rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

Discourse on the Forms of Thought: The Tenth

Division of the Lion's Roar: The Second

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is pursuing the higher mind, from time to time he should give attention to five signs. What are the five?

i “Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome. When he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a skilled carpenter or his apprentice might knock out, remove, and extract a coarse peg by means of a fine one, so too…when a bhikkhu gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome…his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.

ii “If, while he is giving attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should examine the danger in those thoughts thus: ‘These thoughts are unwholesome, they are reprehensible, they result in suffering.’ When he examines the danger in those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a man or a woman, young, youthful, and fond of ornaments, would be horrified, humiliated, and disgusted if the carcass of a snake or a dog or a human being were hung around his or her neck, so too…when a bhikkhu examines the danger in those thoughts…his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.

iii “If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a man with good eyes who did not want to see forms that had come within range of sight would either shut his eyes or look away, so too…when a bhikkhu tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them … his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.

iv “If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. When he gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a man walking fast might consider: ‘Why am I walking fast? What if I walk slowly?’ and he would walk slowly; then he might consider: ‘Why am I walking slowly? What if I stand?’ and he would stand; then he might consider: ‘Why am I standing? What if I sit?’ and he would sit; then he might consider: ‘Why am I sitting? What if I lie down?’ and he would lie down. By doing so he would substitute for each grosser posture one that was subtler. So too…when a bhikkhu gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts…his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.

v “If, while he is giving attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain, and crush mind with mind. When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a strong man might seize a weaker man by the head or shoulders and beat him down, constrain him, and crush him, so too…when, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, a bhikkhu beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind…his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.

“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then when he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, any such evil unwholesome thoughts are abandoned in him and subside, and with the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. When he examines the danger in those thoughts…When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them…When he gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts…When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, any such evil unwholesome thoughts are abandoned in him…and his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. This bhikkhu is then called a master of the courses of thought. He will think whatever thought he wishes to think and he will not think any thought that he does not wish to think. He has severed craving, flung off the fetters, and with the complete penetration of conceit he has made an end of suffering.”

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, at Jeta‘s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika‘s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks!” “Auspicious sir,” those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:

“Monks, there are five objects of awareness¹ to be given attention to from time to time by a monk who is committed to developing a heightened mind. What five? Here, monks, when harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion arise in a monk due to a particular object of awareness, from paying attention to a particular object of awareness, then, monks, that monk is to shift his attention from that object of awareness to another object of awareness that is connected with something wholesome. When he shifts his attention from that object of awareness to another object of awareness that is connected with something wholesome, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable,² settled, unified, and concentrated. Monks, just like a skilled carpenter or carpenter‘s apprentice strikes away, knocks out, and does away with a coarse peg using a refined peg, in the same way, monks, when harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion arise in a monk due to a particular object of awareness, from paying attention to a particular object of awareness, then, monks, that monk is to shift his attention from that object of awareness to another object of awareness that is connected with something wholesome. When he shifts his attention from that object of awareness to another object of awareness that is connected with something wholesome, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated.

“Monks, when that monk shifts his attention from that object of awareness to another object of awareness that is connected with something wholesome, if harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion still arise, then, monks, that monk is to consider the disadvantages of those thoughts, thinking ‘These thoughts are unwholesome, these thoughts are blameworthy, these thoughts result in dissatisfaction.’³ When he considers the disadvantages of those thoughts, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated. Monks, just like a young woman or young man who is naturally fond of adornments would be upset, humiliated, and disgusted if a snake corpse, dog corpse, or human corpse was tied to their neck, in the same way, monks, when that monk shifts his attention from that object of awareness to another object of awareness that is connected with something wholesome, if harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion still arise, then, monks, that monk is to consider the disadvantages of those thoughts, thinking ‘These thoughts are unwholesome, these thoughts are blameworthy, these thoughts result in dissatisfaction.’ When he considers the disadvantages of those thoughts, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated.

“Monks, when that monk is considering the disadvantages of those thoughts, if harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion still arise, then, monks, that monk is to ignore those thoughts and pay no attention to them. When he ignores those thoughts and pays no attention to them, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated. Monks, just like a person with eyes who wants to stop seeing objects that have come into his field of view might close his eyes or look away, in the same way, monks, when that monk is considering the disadvantages of those thoughts, if harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion still arise, they are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated.

“Monks, when that monk is ignoring those thoughts and paying no attention to them, if harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion still arise, then, monks, that monk is to pay attention to the stabilizing of the thought-producers⁴ of those thoughts. When he pays attention to the stabilizing of the thought-producers of those thoughts, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated. Monks, just like a person who is walking quickly might think, ‘Why do I walk quickly? Perhaps I should walk slowly.’ So he walks slowly. He might think, ‘Why do I walk slowly? Perhaps I should stand still.” So he stands still. He might think, ‘Why am I standing? Perhaps I should sit down.” So he sits down. He might think, ‘Why am I sitting? Perhaps I should lay down.’ So he lays down. In this way, monks, a person replaces coarse postures with refined postures. In the same way, monks, when that monk is ignoring those thoughts and paying no attention to them, if harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion still arise, they are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated.

“Monks, when that monk is paying attention to the stabilizing of the thought-producers of those thoughts, if harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion still arise, then, monks, that monk is to clench his teeth, press his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and mentally restrain, subdue, and overpower the mind. When he clenches his teeth, presses his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and mentally restrains, subdues, and overpowers the mind, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated. Monks, just like a strong man might grab a weaker man‘s head, neck, or shoulder and restrain, subdue, and overpower him, in the same way, monks, when that monk is paying attention to the stabilizing of the thought-producers of those thoughts, if harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion still arise, then, monks, that monk is to clench his teeth, press his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and mentally restrain, subdue, and overpower the mind. When he clenches his teeth, presses his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and mentally restrains, subdues, and overpowers the mind, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated.

“Monks, when harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion arise in a monk due to a particular object of awareness, from paying attention to a particular object of awareness, then when that monk shifts his attention from that object of awareness to another object of awareness that is connected with something wholesome, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated.

“When he considers the disadvantages of those thoughts… When he ignores those thoughts and pays no attention to them… When he pays attention to the stabilizing of the thought-producers of those thoughts… When he clenches his teeth, presses his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and mentally restrains, subdues, and overpowers the mind, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned, and they disappear. From their abandoning, the mind becomes internally stable, settled, unified, and concentrated.

“Monks, this is called a monk who is in control of all his patterns of thought.⁵ He will think whatever thought he wishes to think; he will not think whatever thought he does not wish to think. Craving has been severed, the fetters have been removed, and through the appropriate understanding of conceit,⁶ dissatisfaction⁷ has been terminated.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Satisfied, those monks delighted in the Blessed One‘s speech.