Unskillful Thoughts

Akusalavitakkasutta

Unskillful Thoughts

Akusalavitakkasutta

EN
At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove. Now at that time that mendicant, during their day’s meditation, was thinking bad, unskillful thoughts, that is, sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts. 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:
PL
Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe. Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu divāvihāragato pāpake akusale vitakke vitakketi, seyyathidaṁ— kāmavitakkaṁ, byāpādavitakkaṁ, vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ. Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
EN
“Because of irrational application of mind, you’re consumed by your thoughts. When you’ve given up irrationality, make sure your thoughts are rational.
PL
“Ayoniso manasikārā, so vitakkehi khajjasi; Ayoniso paṭinissajja, yoniso anucintaya.
EN
Thinking about the Teacher, the teaching, the Saṅgha, and your own ethics, you’ll find gladness, and rapture and bliss as well, no doubt.
PL
Satthāraṁ dhammamārabbha, saṅghaṁ sīlāni attano; Adhigacchasi pāmojjaṁ, pītisukhamasaṁsayaṁ;
EN
And when you’re full of joy, you’ll make an end to suffering.” Impelled by that deity, that mendicant was struck with a sense of urgency.
PL
Tato pāmojjabahulo, dukkhassantaṁ karissasī”ti. Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.

Pāli root text and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato from SuttaCentral (https://suttacentral.net), CC0.

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