sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.11

Akusalavitakkasutta

Unwholesome Thoughts Unskillful Thoughts

Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
On one occasion a certain bhikkhu was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket.
At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu divāvihāragato pāpake akusale vitakke vitakketi, seyyathidaṁ—
Now on that occasion,
Now at that time that mendicant, during their day’s meditation, was thinking bad, unskillful thoughts, that is:

kāmavitakkaṁ, byāpādavitakkaṁ, vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ.
he kept on thinking evil unwholesome thoughts, that is, thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and harming.
sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts.

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
Then the devatā that inhabited that woodland thicket, having compassion for that bhikkhu, desiring his good, desiring to stir up a sense of urgency in him, approached him
The deity haunting that forest had compassion for that mendicant, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached that mendicant wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:

“Ayoniso manasikārā,
“Because of attending carelessly,
“Because of irrational application of mind,

so vitakkehi khajjasi;
You, sir, are eaten by your thoughts.
you’re consumed by your thoughts.

Ayoniso paṭinissajja,
Having relinquished the careless way,
When you’ve given up irrationality,

yoniso anucintaya.
You should reflect carefully.
make sure your thoughts are rational.

Satthāraṁ dhammamārabbha,
“By basing your thoughts on the Teacher,
Thinking about the Teacher, the teaching,

saṅghaṁ sīlāni attano;
On Dhamma, Saṅgha, and your own virtues,
the Saṅgha, and your own ethics,

Adhigacchasi pāmojjaṁ,
You will surely attain to gladness,
you’ll find gladness,

pītisukhamasaṁsayaṁ;
And rapture and happiness as well.
and rapture and bliss as well, no doubt.

Tato pāmojjabahulo,
Then when you are suffused with gladness,
And when you’re full of joy,

dukkhassantaṁ karissasī”ti.
You’ll make an end to suffering.”
you’ll make an end to suffering.”

Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.
Then that bhikkhu, stirred up by that devatā, acquired a sense of urgency.
Impelled by that deity, that mendicant was struck with a sense of urgency.