Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa


Introduction to 3.3.9
Dvedhāvitakkasuttaṃ
(Reducing Wrong Thoughts and Strengthening Right Thoughts – part two)


The Tathāgata having reached supreme enlightenment is also thus come: ‘tathā āgata’. He ‘thus arrived’ at perfect enlightenment by strenuously engaging himself from the very beginning according to his aspiration by fully maturing all bodhipakkhiyodhamma in the same manner as the Buddhas before him starting from Vipassī have done for the benefit of all beings and the whole world: Yathā sabbalokahitāya ussukkamāpannā1 purimakā sammāsambuddhā āgatā, yathā vipassī bhagavā āgato, yathā sikhī bhagavā, yathā vessabhū bhagavā, yathā kakusandho bhagavā, yathā koṇāgamano bhagavā, yathā kassapo bhagavā āgato.2

Or else just as the Bhagava Vipassī…to … the Bhagava Kassapo have perfectly done …:-Atha vā yathā vipassī bhagavā…pe… kassapo bhagavā- by developing and bringing to full growth the four satipaṭṭhāna, the four right endeavours (sammappadhāne), the four spiritual attainments (iddhipāde), the five faculties (pañcindriyāni), the five strengths (balāni), the seven factors of enlightenment (bojjhaṅge) and the eightfold Noble Path, in the same manner has our Bhagava arrived at: -…cattāro satipaṭṭhāne, cattāro sammappadhāne, cattāro iddhipāde, pañcindriyāni, pañca balāni, satta bojjhaṅge, ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvetvā brūhetvā āgato, tathā amhākampi bhagavā āgato.

Therefore he is Tathāgata having thus come: - Evaṃ tathā āgatoti tathāgato.

A Tathāgata has undergone his endeavours for the benefit of all! His wisdom, that he acquired, expressed and shared in the Dvedhāvitakkasuttaṃ is wonderfully summarised in the following lines:

‘‘Tathāgatassa buddhassa, sabbabhūtānukampino;
Pariyāyavacanaṃ3 passa, dve ca dhammā pakāsitā.
Pāpakaṃ passatha cetaṃ, tattha cāpi virajjatha;
Tato virattacittāse, dukkhassantaṃ karissathā’’ti.4

Behold the two Dhamma-teachings, declared in succession by the Tathāgata,
The Arahat, out of compassion for all beings.
Thus may you also perceive what is evil, getting repulsed by it.
And with the base of such disgusted mind making an end of misery!

It is the base of a mind free from thoughts of desire, ill will or violence that enables a meditator to proceed further5: Āraddhaṃ kho pana me, bhikkhave, vīriyaṃ ahosi asallīnaṃ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṃ cittaṃ ekaggaṃ.6 …… - Indeed thus unremitting, assiduous energy was aroused by me, Bhikkhus, persistent awareness established, the body calmed and tranquil, the mind made concentrated and one pointed!” … …

The sutta concludes with the Buddhas instruction to apply this realisation: Yaṃ, bhikkhave, satthārā karaṇīyaṃ sāvakānaṃ hitesinā7 anukampakena anukampaṃ upādāya, kataṃ vo taṃ mayā. Etāni, bhikkhave, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni; jhāyatha, bhikkhave, mā pamādattha; mā pacchā vippaṭisārino8 ahuvattha9 . Ayaṃ vo amhākaṃ anusāsanī’’ti.

What, O’ Bhikkus by a compassionate teacher out of benevolence wishing welfare for his disciples could be done, that I have done for you! There are these roots of trees, these empty places! Meditate, Bhikkhus, do not delay or else you will regret it later. This is my instruction to you!

May more and more be able to realize this instruction by developing a healthy starting point through leaving behind all thoughts of unwholesomeness!

[1] ussukkamāpannā: ussukkama + āpannā: hard work, exertion + entered upon

[2] These qualities will be introduced in chapter 5

[3] pariyāyavacanaṃ: pariyāya + vacanaṃ: succession, order + speach

[4] Desanāsuttaṃ, Itivuttakapāḷi

[5] The sutta continues by describing how the Buddha entered on the base of such calm and tranquil mind into further stages of absorption.

[6] For vocabulary see lesson

[7] hitesinā: welfare + wishing

[8] vippaṭisārino: regretful, remorseful

[9] ahuvattha: 3rd.sing. pret.med of hoti: was

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Pāli lesson (with audio) 3.3.9

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Last modified: Thursday, 28 December 2023, 10:44 AM