sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.11

Akusalavitakkasutta

Unskillful Thoughts Unwholesome Thoughts

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

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

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

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
The deity haunting that forest had sympathy 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:
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.
Impelled by that deity, that mendicant was struck with a sense of urgency.
Then that bhikkhu, stirred up by that devatā, acquired a sense of urgency.