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SN 9.11PTS (1st ed) SN 1.2031 min read

Unskillful Thoughts

Akusalavitakkasutta

A mendicant plagued by bad thoughts is encouraged by a deity.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.11Linked Discourses 9.11
  • 0.21. Vanavagga1. In the Woods

0.3AkusalavitakkasuttaUnskillful Thoughts

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.1

1.2Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu divāvihāragato pāpake akusale vitakke vitakketi, seyyathidaṁ—Now at that time that mendicant, during their day’s meditation, was thinking bad, unskillful thoughts, that is,21.3kāmavitakkaṁ, byāpādavitakkaṁ, vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ.sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts.1.4Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:The deity haunting that forest had sympathy for that mendicant, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached that mendicant wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:3

2.1“Ayoniso manasikārā,“Because of irrational application of mind,42.2so vitakkehi khajjasi;you’re consumed by your thoughts.2.3Ayoniso paṭinissajja,When you’ve given up irrationality,2.4yoniso anucintaya.make sure your thoughts are rational.

3.1Satthāraṁ dhammamārabbha,Thinking about the Teacher, the teaching,53.2saṅghaṁ sīlāni attano;the Saṅgha, and your own ethics,3.3Adhigacchasi pāmojjaṁ,you’ll find gladness,3.4pītisukhamasaṁsayaṁ;and rapture and bliss as well, no doubt.3.5Tato pāmojjabahulo,And when you’re full of joy,63.6dukkhassantaṁ karissasī”ti.you’ll make an end to suffering.”

4.1Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.Impelled by that deity, that mendicant was struck with a sense of urgency.

Translator’s notes

  1. This short discourse offers a concise version of meditation advice given in more detail at MN 19.

    ↩ sn9.11:1.1
  2. Even ascetics in the forest can be consumed by bad thoughts.

    ↩ sn9.11:1.2
  3. Trapped in a spiral of unwholesome thoughts, a meditator may feel guilty or worthless. But the deity has only compassion.

    ↩ sn9.11:1.4
  4. This term has already appeared at SN 4.4:2.1, and plays a key role in dependent origination (SN 12.4:2.3). Their thoughts are irrational because they lead to the opposite of their goal, freedom.

    ↩ sn9.11:2.1
  5. Unwholesome thoughts are replaced by wholesome ones (cf. MN 20:3.1). The meditator is not urged to stop thinking; quietness is a process.

    ↩ sn9.11:3.1
  6. Suffering spurs on the practice, but the path itself is characterized by joy.

    ↩ sn9.11:3.5