MN 20
Vitakkasanthana Sutta
The Relaxation of Thoughts
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate translation:ThanissaroSoma
PTS: M i 118
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1997
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I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed the monks, "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks replied.
The Blessed One said: "When a monk is intent on the heightened mind, there are
five themes he should attend to at the appropriate times. Which five?
"There is the case where evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire,
aversion, or delusion — arise in a monk while he is referring to and attending
to a particular theme. He should attend to another theme, apart from that one,
connected with what is skillful. When he is attending to this other theme, apart
from that one, connected with what is skillful, then those evil, unskillful
thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — are abandoned and
subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it,
unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as a skilled carpenter or his apprentice
would use a small peg to knock out, drive out, and pull out a large one; in the
same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or
delusion — arise in a monk while he is referring to and attending to a
particular theme, he should attend to another theme, apart from that one,
connected with what is skillful. When he is attending to this other theme, apart
from that one, connected with what is skillful, then those evil, unskillful
thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — are abandoned and
subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it,
unifies it, and concentrates it.
"If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion —
still arise in the monk while he is attending to this other theme, connected
with what is skillful, he should scrutinize the drawbacks of those thoughts:
'Truly, these thoughts of mine are unskillful, these thoughts of mine are
blameworthy, these thoughts of mine result in stress.' As he is scrutinizing the
drawbacks of those thoughts, those evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with
desire, aversion, or delusion — are abandoned and subside. With their
abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and
concentrates it. Just as a young woman — or man — fond of adornment, would be
horrified, humiliated, and disgusted if the carcass of a snake or a dog or a
human being were hung from her neck; in the same way, if evil, unskillful
thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — still arise in the monk
while he is attending to this other theme, connected with what is skillful, he
should scrutinize the drawbacks of those thoughts: 'Truly, these thoughts of
mine are unskillful, these thoughts of mine are blameworthy, these thoughts of
mine result in stress.' As he is scrutinizing the drawbacks of those thoughts,
those evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion —
are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right
within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.
"If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion or delusion — still
arise in the monk while he is scrutinizing the drawbacks of those thoughts, he
should pay no mind and pay no attention to those thoughts. As he is paying no
mind and paying no attention to them, those evil, unskillful thoughts are
abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within,
settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as a man with good eyes, not
wanting to see forms that had come into range, would close his eyes or look
away; in the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire,
aversion or delusion — still arise in the monk while he is scrutinizing the
drawbacks of those thoughts, he should pay no mind and pay no attention to those
thoughts. As he is paying no mind and paying no attention to them, those evil,
unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he
steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.
"If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion or delusion — still
arise in the monk while he is paying no mind and paying no attention to those
thoughts, he should attend to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to
those thoughts. As he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with
regard to those thoughts, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and
subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it,
unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as the thought would occur to a man
walking quickly, 'Why am I walking quickly? Why don't I walk slowly?' So he
walks slowly. The thought occurs to him, 'Why am I walking slowly? Why don't I
stand?' So he stands. The thought occurs to him, 'Why am I standing? Why don't I
sit down?' So he sits down. The thought occurs to him, 'Why am I sitting? Why
don't I lie down?' So he lies down. In this way, giving up the grosser posture,
he takes up the more refined one. In the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts
— imbued with desire, aversion or delusion — still arise in the monk while he is
paying no mind and paying no attention to those thoughts, he should attend to
the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts. As he is
attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts,
those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their
abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and
concentrates it.
"If evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion or delusion — still
arise in the monk while he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication
with regard to those thoughts, then — with his teeth clenched and his tongue
pressed against the roof of his mouth — he should beat down, constrain, and
crush his mind with his awareness. As — with his teeth clenched and his tongue
pressed against the roof of his mouth — he is beating down, constraining, and
crushing his mind with his awareness, those evil, unskillful thoughts are
abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within,
settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as a strong man, seizing a
weaker man by the head or the throat or the shoulders, would beat him down,
constrain, and crush him; in the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued
with desire, aversion or delusion — still arise in the monk while he is
attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts,
then — with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his
mouth — he should beat down, constrain, and crush his mind with his awareness.
As — with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his
mouth — he is beating down, constraining, and crushing his mind with his
awareness, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their
abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and
concentrates it.
"Now when a monk... attending to another theme... scrutinizing the drawbacks of
those thoughts... paying no mind and paying no attention to those thoughts...
attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those
thoughts... beating down, constraining and crushing his mind with his
awareness... steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it and
concentrates it: He is then called a monk with mastery over the ways of thought
sequences. He thinks whatever thought he wants to, and doesn't think whatever
thought he doesn't. He has severed craving, thrown off the fetters, and —
through the right penetration of conceit — has made an end of suffering and
stress."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.
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