From:
MilindapaƱha Milinda's Questions
VicÄravagga Examination Chapter
11. CetanÄlakkhaį¹apaƱha Distinguishing Characteristic of Intention Question
āBhante nÄgasena, kiį¹lakkhaį¹Ä cetanÄāti? āVenerable NÄgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of intention?ā
āCetayitalakkhaį¹Ä, mahÄrÄja, cetanÄ abhisaį¹
kharaį¹alakkhaį¹Ä cÄāti. āWilling and arranging, your majesty, are the distinguishing characteristics of intention.ā
āOpammaį¹ karohÄ«āti. āPlease give me an analogy.ā
āYathÄ, mahÄrÄja, kocideva puriso visaį¹ abhisaį¹
kharitvÄ attanÄ ca piveyya, pare ca pÄyeyya, so attanÄpi dukkhito bhaveyya, parepi dukkhitÄ bhaveyyuį¹; āJust as, your majesty, some person or other might prepare a poison and drink it himself and get others to drink it, then he himself would become afflicted and others would become afflicted.
evameva kho, mahÄrÄja, idhekacco puggalo akusalaį¹ kammaį¹ cetanÄya cetayitvÄ kÄyassa bhedÄ paraį¹ maraį¹Ä apÄyaį¹ duggatiį¹ vinipÄtaį¹ nirayaį¹ upapajjeyya. In the same way, your majesty, some person here, through intention, would will an unwholesome action and on the break up of the body, after dying, would be reborn in a bad destination, a state of suffering, a hell realm.
Yepi tassa anusikkhanti, tepi kÄyassa bhedÄ paraį¹ maraį¹Ä apÄyaį¹ duggatiį¹ vinipÄtaį¹ nirayaį¹ upapajjanti. And those who followed him, on the break up of the body, after dying, would be reborn in a bad destination, a state of suffering, a hell realm.
YathÄ vÄ pana, mahÄrÄja, kocideva puriso sappinavanÄ«tatelamadhuphÄį¹itaį¹ ekajjhaį¹ abhisaį¹
kharitvÄ attanÄ ca piveyya, pare ca pÄyeyya, so attanÄ sukhito bhaveyya, parepi sukhitÄ bhaveyyuį¹; Or just as, your majesty, some person or other might prepare a mixture of ghee, butter, oil, honey and molasses and drink it himself and get others to drink it, then he himself would become happy and others would become happy.
evameva kho, mahÄrÄja, idhekacco puggalo kusalaį¹ kammaį¹ cetanÄya cetayitvÄ kÄyassa bhedÄ paraį¹ maraį¹Ä sugatiį¹ saggaį¹ lokaį¹ upapajjati. In the same way, your majesty, some person here, through intention, would will a wholesome action and on the break up of the body, after dying, would be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly realm.
Yepi tassa anusikkhanti, tepi kÄyassa bhedÄ paraį¹ maraį¹Ä sugatiį¹ saggaį¹ lokaį¹ upapajjanti. And those who followed him, on the break up of the body, after dying, would be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly realm.
Evaį¹ kho, mahÄrÄja, cetayitalakkhaį¹Ä cetanÄ abhisaį¹
kharaį¹alakkhaį¹Ä cÄāti. So too, your majesty, willing and arranging are the distinguishing characteristics of intention.ā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena.ā
CetanÄlakkhaį¹apaƱho ekÄdasamo. Distinguishing Characteristic of Intention Question eleventh