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13. Vitakkalakkhaṇapañha

Distinguishing Characteristic of Applied Thought Question

“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇo vitakko”ti?
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of applied thought?”

“Appanālakkhaṇo, mahārāja, vitakko”ti.
“Mental fixing, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of applied thought.”

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

“Yathā, mahārāja, vaḍḍhakī suparikammakataṁ dāruṁ sandhismiṁ appeti;
“Just as, your majesty, a carpenter fixes a superbly crafted piece of wood into a join,

evameva kho, mahārāja, appanālakkhaṇo vitakko”ti.
in the same way mental fixing is the distinguishing characteristic of applied thought.”

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

Vitakkalakkhaṇapañho terasamo.
Distinguishing Characteristic of Applied Thought Question thirteenth