Majjhima Nikāya 20 Vitakkasaṇṭhānasutta Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Vitakkasaṇṭhānasutta

Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There the Blessed One addressed the disciples:

Disciples.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

Venerable Sir, those disciples replied to the Blessed One.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

The Blessed One said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca: “Adhicittamanuyuttena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā pañca nimittāni kālena kālaṁ manasi kātabbāni.

Disciples, when a disciple is devoted to higher mind, from time to time he should give attention to five signs.

Katamāni pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tamhā nimittā aññaṁ nimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ.

Here when a disciple gives attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion, then that disciple should give attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome.

Tassa tamhā nimittā aññaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

When he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then any harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion are abandoned and subside.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

With their abandoning, the mind becomes steady internally, quiets down, is unified, and concentrated.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dakkho palagaṇḍo vā palagaṇḍantevāsī vā sukhumāya āṇiyā oḷārikaṁ āṇiṁ abhinihaneyya abhinīhareyya abhinivatteyya; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tamhā nimittā aññaṁ nimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ.

Just as a skilled carpenter or carpenter's apprentice might knock out, remove, and extract a coarse peg by means of a fine one, so too, when a disciple gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then any harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion are abandoned and subside.

Tassa tamhā nimittā aññaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

With their abandoning, the mind becomes steady internally, quiets down, is unified, and concentrated.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati. Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno tamhā nimittā aññaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ ādīnavo upaparikkhitabbo: ‘itipime vitakkā akusalā, itipime vitakkā sāvajjā, itipime vitakkā dukkhavipākā’ti.

If, while he is giving attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, there still arise in him harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion, then he should examine the danger in those thoughts thus: These thoughts are unwholesome, they are blameworthy, they result in suffering.

Tassa tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ ādīnavaṁ upaparikkhato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

When he examines the danger in those thoughts, then any harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion are abandoned and subside.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

With their abandoning, the mind becomes steady internally, quiets down, is unified, and concentrated.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, itthī vā puriso vā daharo yuvā maṇḍanakajātiko ahikuṇapena vā kukkurakuṇapena vā manussakuṇapena vā kaṇṭhe āsattena aṭṭiyeyya harāyeyya jiguccheyya; evameva kho, bhikkhave, tassa ce bhikkhuno tamhāpi nimittā aññaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ ādīnavo upaparikkhitabbo: ‘itipime vitakkā akusalā, itipime vitakkā sāvajjā, itipime vitakkā dukkhavipākā’ti.

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 around their neck, so too, when a disciple examines the danger in those thoughts, then any harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion are abandoned and subside.

With their abandoning, the mind becomes steady internally, quiets down, is unified, and concentrated.

Tassa tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ ādīnavaṁ upaparikkhato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them.

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno tesampi vitakkānaṁ ādīnavaṁ upaparikkhato uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ asatiamanasikāro āpajjitabbo.

When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion are abandoned and subside.

Tassa tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ asatiamanasikāraṁ āpajjato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cakkhumā puriso āpāthagatānaṁ rūpānaṁ adassanakāmo assa; so nimīleyya vā aññena vā apalokeyya; evameva kho, bhikkhave, tassa ce bhikkhuno tesampi vitakkānaṁ ādīnavaṁ upaparikkhato uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi, te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

With their abandoning, the mind becomes steady internally, quiets down, is unified, 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 disciple tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them, then any harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion are abandoned and subside.

With their abandoning, the mind becomes steady internally, quiets down, is unified, and concentrated.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati. Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno tesampi vitakkānaṁ asatiamanasikāraṁ āpajjato uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ manasikātabbaṁ.

If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with aversion, with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts.

It should be noted.

Tassa tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ manasikaroto ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

By attending to the calming of those thoughts, the harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned and disappear.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

With their abandonment, the mind becomes internally steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sīghaṁ gaccheyya. Tassa evamassa: ‘kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ sīghaṁ gacchāmi?

Just as a man walking quickly might think: Why am I walking quickly?

Yannūnāhaṁ saṇikaṁ gaccheyyan’ti.

What if I were to walk slowly?

So saṇikaṁ gaccheyya.

And he walks slowly.

Tassa evamassa: ‘kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ saṇikaṁ gacchāmi?

Then he might think: Why am I walking slowly?

Yannūnāhaṁ tiṭṭheyyan’ti.

What if I were to stand still?

So tiṭṭheyya.

And he stands still.

Tassa evamassa: ‘kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ ṭhito?

Then he might think: Why am I standing still?

Yannūnāhaṁ nisīdeyyan’ti.

What if I were to sit down?

So nisīdeyya.

And he sits down.

Tassa evamassa: ‘kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ nisinno?

Then he might think: Why am I sitting down?

Yannūnāhaṁ nipajjeyyan’ti.

What if I were to lie down?

So nipajjeyya.

And he lies down.

Evañhi so, bhikkhave, puriso oḷārikaṁ oḷārikaṁ iriyāpathaṁ abhinivajjetvā sukhumaṁ sukhumaṁ iriyāpathaṁ kappeyya.

In this way the man avoids the coarser posture and adopts the more refined posture.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tassa ce bhikkhuno tesampi vitakkānaṁ asatiamanasikāraṁ āpajjato uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

Similarly if a disciple does not attend to the calming of those thoughts, harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion arise. By clenching his teeth and pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he should restrain, subdue, and beat down the mind with the mind.

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno tesampi vitakkānaṁ vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ manasikaroto uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi.

When he does so, the harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned and disappear.

Tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā dantebhidantamādhāya jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhitabbaṁ abhinippīḷetabbaṁ abhisantāpetabbaṁ.

With their abandonment, the mind becomes internally steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

Tassa dantebhidantamādhāya jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhato abhinippīḷayato abhisantāpayato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

Just as a strong man might seize a weaker man by the head, neck, or shoulders and restrain, subdue, and beat him down, so too if a disciple attends to the calming of those thoughts, harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion arise.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, balavā puriso dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ sīse vā gale vā khandhe vā gahetvā abhiniggaṇheyya abhinippīḷeyya abhisantāpeyya; evameva kho, bhikkhave, tassa ce bhikkhuno tesampi vitakkānaṁ vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ manasikaroto uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi.

By clenching his teeth and pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he should restrain, subdue, and beat down the mind with the mind. When he does so, the harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned and disappear.

Tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā dantebhidantamādhāya jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhitabbaṁ abhinippīḷetabbaṁ abhisantāpetabbaṁ.

With their abandonment, the mind becomes internally steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

Tassa dantebhidantamādhāya jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhato abhinippīḷayato abhisantāpayato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

When a disciple attends to another object of development connected with wholesomeness, the harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned and disappear.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati. Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi, tassa tamhā nimittā aññaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

With their abandonment, the mind becomes internally steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

By examining the danger in those thoughts, the harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned and disappear. With their abandonment, the mind becomes internally steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

Tesampi vitakkānaṁ ādīnavaṁ upaparikkhato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

By not attending to those thoughts, the harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned and disappear.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

With their abandonment, the mind becomes internally steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

Tesampi vitakkānaṁ asatiamanasikāraṁ āpajjato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

By attending to the calming of those thoughts, the harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned and disappear.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

With their abandonment, the mind becomes internally steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

Tesampi vitakkānaṁ vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ manasikaroto ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

By clenching his teeth and pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he should restrain, subdue, and beat down the mind with the mind.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati. Dantebhidantamādhāya jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhato abhinippīḷayato abhisantāpayato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.

When he does so, the harmful, unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion, and delusion are abandoned and disappear. With their abandonment, the mind becomes internally steady, settled, unified, and concentrated.

Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

This is called a disciple who has mastery.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vasī vitakkapariyāyapathesu.

In the paths of thought.

Yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhissati taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkessati, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhissati na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkessati.

Whatever thought he wishes, that thought he will think; whatever thought he does not wish, that thought he will not think.

Acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā”ti. Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

He has cut off craving, turned away from the fetter, and by rightly knowing conceit, he has made an end of suffering.

Vitakkasaṇṭhānasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dasamaṁ.

The Blessed One said this.

Sīhanādavaggo niṭṭhito dutiyo. Tassuddānaṁ Cūḷasīhanādalomahaṁsavaro, Mahācūḷadukkhakkhandhaanumānikasuttaṁ; Khilapatthamadhupiṇḍikadvidhāvitakka, Pañcanimittakathā puna vaggo.

Those disciples were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.

The discourse on the establishment of thought is completed.