Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.54
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 10.54
6. Sacittavagga
6. Your Own Mind
Samathasutta
Serenity
“No ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paracittapariyāyakusalo hoti, atha ‘sacittapariyāyakusalo bhavissāmī’ti—
“Mendicants, if a mendicant isn’t skilled in the ways of another’s mind, then they should train themselves: ‘I will be skilled in the ways of my own mind.’
evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbaṁ.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sacittapariyāyakusalo hoti?
And how is a mendicant skilled in the ways of their own mind?
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, itthī vā puriso vā daharo yuvā maṇḍanakajātiko ādāse vā parisuddhe pariyodāte acche vā udapatte sakaṁ mukhanimittaṁ paccavekkhamāno sace tattha passati rajaṁ vā aṅgaṇaṁ vā, tasseva rajassa vā aṅgaṇassa vā pahānāya vāyamati.
Suppose there was a woman or man who was young, youthful, and fond of adornments, and they check their own reflection in a clean bright mirror or a clear bowl of water. If they see any dirt or blemish there, they’d try to remove it.
No ce tattha passati rajaṁ vā aṅgaṇaṁ vā, tenevattamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo:
But if they don’t see any dirt or blemish there, they’re happy with that, as they’ve got all they wished for:
‘lābhā vata me, parisuddhaṁ vata me’ti.
‘How fortunate that I’m clean!’
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno paccavekkhaṇā bahukārā hoti kusalesu dhammesu:
In the same way, checking is very helpful for a mendicant’s skillful qualities.
‘lābhī nu khomhi ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa, na nu khomhi lābhī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa, lābhī nu khomhi adhipaññādhammavipassanāya, na nu khomhi lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāyā’ti.
‘Do I have internal serenity of heart or not? Do I have the higher wisdom of discernment of principles or not?’
Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti:
Suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this:
‘lābhīmhi ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa, na lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ajjhattaṁ cetosamathe patiṭṭhāya adhipaññādhammavipassanāya yogo karaṇīyo.
‘I have serenity but not discernment.’ Grounded on serenity, they should practice meditation to get discernment.
So aparena samayena lābhī ceva hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti:
But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this:
‘lābhīmhi adhipaññādhammavipassanāya, na lābhī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā adhipaññādhammavipassanāya patiṭṭhāya ajjhattaṁ cetosamathe yogo karaṇīyo.
‘I have discernment but not serenity.’ Grounded on discernment, they should practice meditation to get serenity.
So aparena samayena lābhī ceva hoti adhipaññādhammavipassanāya lābhī ca ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa.
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti:
But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this:
‘na lābhī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa, na lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁyeva kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭilābhāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.
‘I have neither serenity nor discernment.’ In order to get those skillful qualities, they should apply intense enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo vā ādittasīso vā.
Suppose your clothes or head were on fire. In order to extinguish it, you’d apply intense enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness.
Tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimattaṁ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tena bhikkhunā tesaṁyeva kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭilābhāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.
In the same way, in order to get those skillful qualities, that mendicant should apply intense enthusiasm …
So aparena samayena lābhī ceva hoti ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa lābhī ca adhipaññādhammavipassanāya.
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti:
But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this:
‘lābhīmhi ajjhattaṁ cetosamathassa, lābhī adhipaññādhammavipassanāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesuyeva kusalesu dhammesu patiṭṭhāya uttari āsavānaṁ khayāya yogo karaṇīyo.
‘I have both serenity and discernment.’ Grounded on those skillful qualities, they should practice meditation further to end the defilements.
Cīvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
I say that there are two kinds of robes:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampi.
those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear.
Piṇḍapātampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
I say that there are two kinds of almsfood:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampi.
that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat.
Senāsanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
I say that there are two kinds of lodging:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampi.
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.
Gāmanigamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
I say that there are two kinds of village or town:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampi.
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.
Janapadapadesampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
I say that there are two kinds of country:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampi.
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.
Puggalampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
I say that there are two kinds of people:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampi.
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.
‘Cīvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of robes:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear.’
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Tattha yaṁ jaññā cīvaraṁ:
Well, should you know of a robe:
‘idaṁ kho me cīvaraṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpaṁ cīvaraṁ na sevitabbaṁ.
‘When I wear this robe, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not wear that kind of robe.
Tattha yaṁ jaññā cīvaraṁ:
Whereas, should you know of a robe:
‘idaṁ kho me cīvaraṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpaṁ cīvaraṁ sevitabbaṁ.
‘When I wear this robe, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should wear that kind of robe.
‘Cīvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of robes:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear.’
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘Piṇḍapātampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of almsfood:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat.’
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Tattha yaṁ jaññā piṇḍapātaṁ:
Well, should you know of almsfood:
‘imaṁ kho me piṇḍapātaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpo piṇḍapāto na sevitabbo.
‘When I eat this almsfood, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not eat that kind of almsfood.
Tattha yaṁ jaññā piṇḍapātaṁ:
Whereas, should you know of almsfood:
‘imaṁ kho me piṇḍapātaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpo piṇḍapāto sevitabbo.
‘When I eat this almsfood, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should eat that kind of almsfood.
‘Piṇḍapātampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of almsfood:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat.’
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘Senāsanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of lodging:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Tattha yaṁ jaññā senāsanaṁ:
Well, should you know of a lodging:
‘idaṁ kho me senāsanaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpaṁ senāsanaṁ na sevitabbaṁ.
‘When I frequent this lodging, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of lodging.
Tattha yaṁ jaññā senāsanaṁ:
Whereas, should you know of a lodging:
‘idaṁ kho me senāsanaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpaṁ senāsanaṁ sevitabbaṁ.
‘When I frequent this lodging, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of lodging.
‘Senāsanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of lodging:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘Gāmanigamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of village or town:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Tattha yaṁ jaññā gāmanigamaṁ:
Well, should you know of a village or town:
‘imaṁ kho me gāmanigamaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpo gāmanigamo na sevitabbo.
‘When I frequent this village or town, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of village or town.
Tattha yaṁ jaññā gāmanigamaṁ:
Whereas, should you know of a village or town:
‘imaṁ kho me gāmanigamaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpo gāmanigamo sevitabbo.
‘When I frequent this village or town, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of village or town.
‘Gāmanigamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of village or town:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘Janapadapadesampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of country:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Tattha yaṁ jaññā janapadapadesaṁ:
Well, should you know of a country:
‘imaṁ kho me janapadapadesaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpo janapadapadeso na sevitabbo.
‘When I frequent this country, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of country.
Tattha yaṁ jaññā janapadapadesaṁ:
Whereas, should you know of a country:
‘imaṁ kho me janapadapadesaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpo janapadapadeso sevitabbo.
‘When I frequent this country, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of country.
‘Janapadapadesampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of country:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘Puggalampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of people:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Tattha yaṁ jaññā puggalaṁ:
Well, should you know of a person:
‘imaṁ kho me puggalaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpo puggalo na sevitabbo.
‘When I frequent this person, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of person.
Tattha yaṁ jaññā puggalaṁ:
Whereas, should you know of a person:
‘imaṁ kho me puggalaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpo puggalo sevitabbo.
‘When I frequent this person, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of person.
‘Puggalampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duvidhena vadāmi—
‘I say that there are two kinds of people:
sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti,
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”
Catutthaṁ.