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11. Cetanālakkhaṇapañha

Distinguishing Characteristic of Intention Question

“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇā cetanā”ti?
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of intention?”

“Cetayitalakkhaṇā, mahārāja, cetanā abhisaṅkharaṇalakkhaṇā cā”ti.
“Willing and arranging, your majesty, are the distinguishing characteristics of intention.”

“Opammaṁ karohī”ti.
“Please give me an analogy.”

“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso visaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā attanā ca piveyya, pare ca pāyeyya, so attanāpi dukkhito bhaveyya, parepi dukkhitā bhaveyyuṁ;
“Just 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, mahārāja, idhekacco puggalo akusalaṁ kammaṁ cetanāya cetayitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ 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 kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ 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.

Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kocideva puriso sappinavanītatelamadhuphāṇitaṁ ekajjhaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā attanā ca piveyya, pare ca pāyeyya, so attanā sukhito bhaveyya, parepi sukhitā bhaveyyuṁ;
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, mahārāja, idhekacco puggalo kusalaṁ kammaṁ cetanāya cetayitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ 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 kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ 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.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, cetayitalakkhaṇā cetanā abhisaṅkharaṇalakkhaṇā cā”ti.
So too, your majesty, willing and arranging are the distinguishing characteristics of intention.”

“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.”

Cetanālakkhaṇapañho ekādasamo.
Distinguishing Characteristic of Intention Question eleventh