SN9:11 Unwholesome Thoughts
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1On one occasion a certain bhikkhu was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket. Now on that occasion, when that bhikkhu had gone for the day's abiding, he kept on thinking evil unwholesome thoughts, that is, thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and harming. Then the devata that inhabited that woodland thicket, having compassion for that bhikkhu, desiring his good, desiring to stir up a sense of urgency in him, approached him and addressed him in verses:
2v.787 "Because of attending carelessly,
You, sir, are eaten by your thoughts.
Having relinquished the careless way,
You should reflect carefully.
[n.553] In pāda a, I read the verb as khajjasi with Be, Se, and Ee2, as against Ee1 majjasi, "intoxicated with." Careless attention (ayoniso manasikara) is traditionally explained as attending to things as permanent, pleasurable, self, and beautiful; careful attention (yoniso manasikara), as attending to their true characteristics—impermanence, suffering, nonself, and foulness.
3v.788 "By basing your thoughts on the Teacher,
On Dhamma, Saṅgha, and your own virtues,
You will surely attain to gladness,
And rapture and happiness as well.
Then when you are suffused with gladness,
You’ll make an end to suffering."
4Then that bhikkhu, stirred up by that devata, acquired a sense of urgency.
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu vihārati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe. Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu divāvihāragato pāpake akusale vitakke vitakketi, seyyathidaṁ – kāmavitakkaṁ, byā pāda vitakkaṁ, vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ. Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
2"Ayoniso manasikārā,
so vitakkehi khajjasi;
Ayoniso paṭinissajja,
yoniso anucintaya.
3Satthāraṁ dhammamārabbha,
saṅghaṁ sīlāni attano;
Adhigacchasi pāmojjaṁ,
pītisukhamasaṁsayaṁ;
Tato pāmojjabahulo,
dukkhassantaṁ karissasī"ti.
4Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.