Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

Pāpakaṃ passatha cetaṃ, tattha cāpi virajjatha;
Tato virattacittāse, dukkhassantaṃ karissathā’ti.¹

One should see what is evil, and one should get detached from this;
Thus having one’s mind freed from it, one can make an end of suffering.

The current and the next sutta, both quoted from Māhāvaggo in the Saṃyuttanikāyo, are placed in sequence because they both express a similar warning of the Buddha. Here he emphasizes the importance of realizing the quality of one’s thought process by recognizing unwholesome intention and differentiating it from a wholesome objective in order to abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome.

Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa dve dhammadesanā pariyāyena² bhavanti. Katamā dve?

‘Pāpaṃ pāpakato passathā’ti – ayaṃ paṭhamā dhammadesanā; ‘pāpaṃ pāpakato disvā tattha nibbindatha virajjatha vimuccathā’ti – ayaṃ dutiyā dhammadesanā.

Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa imā dve dhammadesanā pariyāyena bhavantī’ti.³

There are two Dhamma-teachings of the Tathāgata, the Arahato, the Sammāsambuddha, Bhikkhus, that should be developed in succession. Which two?

‘Behold what is evil as evil!’ — this is the first Dhamma teaching. ‘Having thus understood what is evil as evil, you should repulse it and rid yourselves of it and become liberated therefrom!’ — this is the second Dhamma teaching.

These are the two Dhamma teachings of the Tathāgata, the Arahato, the Sammāsambuddha, Bhikkhus, that develop in succession.

In this Vitakkasutta stress is given on the three characteristics of micchāsaṅkappo. The avoidance of any thoughts that derive from wrong intention and the realization they are not beneficial fosters the development of the understanding of the Four Noble Truths. Thoughts are defined as thoughts that people think but also as what thinks by itself or mere thinking.

Tattha vitakkenti etena, sayaṃ vā vitakketi, vitakkanamattameva⁴ vāti vitakko.⁵

Thoughts are also explained as having as their characteristic ‘hanging onto an object’, as their function ‘striking and thrashing it’ and as their manifestation ‘conveying the mind onto that object’.

Svāyaṃ ārammaṇābhiniropanalakkhaṇo,⁶ āhananapariyāhananaraso,⁷ ārammaṇe cittassa ānayanapaccupaṭṭhāno.⁸,⁹

Full awareness with strong determination and arduous effort along with thorough observation and vigilant examination of the thought process is needed in order to accomplish the first teaching of the Buddha to leave the following resultant states behind.

Pāpaṃ pāpakato passathā’ti.

Thoughts that are related to the element of desire are described as unwholesome.

Tattha katamā kāmadhātu?

Kāmapaṭisaṃyutto takko vitakko saṅkappo appanā byappanā¹⁰ cetaso abhiniropanā¹¹ micchāsaṅkappo – ayaṃ vuccati kāmadhātu. Heṭṭhato¹² avīcinirayaṃ pariyantaṃ karitvā uparito paranimmitavasavattī deve anto karitvā yaṃ etasmiṃ antare etthāvacarā¹³ ettha pariyāpannā¹⁴ khandhadhātuāyatanā rūpā vedanā saññā saṅkhārā viññāṇaṃ – ayaṃ vuccati kāmadhātu.”¹⁵

“Here, what is the element of desire?

It is thinking, investigating, directing of thought, considering it, mental fixation on one’s thoughts, mental focused application of one’s mind, wrong thought, all mingled with desire – this is what is called the element of desire. Between the hell, making it the lower end and the plane of the Paranimmitavasadevas¹⁶ as the upper limit, whatever is within these realms, whatever is included therein, the aggregates, the elements, the sense spheres, perception, material characteristics, sensations, perceptions, conditioned formations and concomitants, consciousness – this is what is called the element of desire.”

Thoughts that are related to the element of ill will are unwholesome.

Tattha katamā byāpādadhātu?

Byāpādapaṭisaṃyutto takko vitakko saṅkappo appanā byappanā cetaso abhiniropanā micchāsaṅkappo – ayaṃ vuccati “byāpādadhātu”. Dasasu vā āghātavatthūsu cittassa āghāto paṭighāto paṭighaṃ paṭivirodho kopo pakopo sampakopo doso padoso sampadoso cittassa byāpatti¹⁷ manopadoso kodho kujjhanā kujjhitattaṃ doso dussanā dussitattaṃ byāpatti byāpajjanā virodho paṭivirodho caṇḍikkaṃ¹⁸ asuropo¹⁹ anattamanatā²⁰ cittassa – ayaṃ vuccati byāpādadhātu.

Thus, what is the element of ill will?

It is thinking, investigating, directing of thought, considering it, mental fixation on one’s thoughts, mental focused application of one’s mind, wrong thought, all mingled with anger – this is what is called the element of ill will. Or a vexed mind on account of the ten reasons for anger,²¹ anger, hatred, hostility, ebullition, fury, boiling fury, anger, annoyance, infuriation of mind, malevolence, mental annoyance, wrath, the state of being angry, the state of being full of hostility, hatred, enmity, state of being full of ferocity, animosity, filled with malice, loathing, abhorrence, detestation, repugnance, discontentment of mind – this is what is called the element of ill will.

Thoughts that are related to the element of violence are unwholesome.

Tattha katamā vihiṃsādhātu?

Vihiṃsāpaṭisaṃyutto takko vitakko saṅkappo appanā byappanā cetaso abhiniropanā micchāsaṅkappo – ayaṃ vuccati “vihiṃsādhātu”. Idhekacco pāṇinā vā leḍḍunā²² vā daṇḍena vā satthena vā rajjuyā²³ vā aññataraññatarena²⁴ satte viheṭheti,²⁵ yā evarūpā heṭhanā viheṭhanā hiṃsanā vihiṃsanā rosanā virosanā parūpaghāto²⁶ – ayaṃ vuccati vihiṃsādhātu.

Thus, what is the element of violence?

It is thinking, investigating, directing of thought, considering it, mental fixation on one’s thoughts, mental focused application of one’s mind, wrong thought, all mingled with cruelty – this is what is called the element of violence. Here someone hurts beings by hand, with clods, with a stick, with a sword, a rope or with something rather similar, in this way harassing, hurting, injuring, violating, infuriating, enraging and inflicting others – this is what is called the element of violence.

These are the manifold characteristics of the three unwholesome elements forming the base of unwholesome thoughts that may strike in its multifarious presentations.  It is the job of an ardent meditator to be aware of their occurrence, understand their unwholesome qualities, repulse them and remain aloof!

What a difficult but gratifying job to do! May all be successful!