English translation
3.3.8 Reducing Wrong Thoughts and Strengthening Right Thoughts, Part One *
“Before my enlightenment, Bhikkhus, when I was not fully enlightened but was only a Bodhisatta, the following thought occurred to me: ‘What if I divide my thoughts in two groups?’ So I arranged two groups and placed thoughts of sensuality, thoughts of ill will and thoughts of cruelty in the first group and thoughts of renunciation, thoughts of non-ill will and thoughts of nonviolence in the second group.
Thus, Bhikkhus, when I dwelled with ardent, diligent and resolute will a thought of sensuality would arise. Then I understood perfectly in the following way: ‘A thought of sensuality has arisen within me, it is of harm to me, it is of harm to others and it is of harm to both. It is impeding wisdom, fosters trouble and is not conducive to nibbāna.’
Bhikkhus, with the consideration ‘that it is of harm to me’ it abated, it abated with the consideration ‘that it is of harm to others’ and it abated with the consideration ‘that it is of harm to both’. It abated with the consideration ‘that it is impeding wisdom, fosters trouble and is not conducive to nibbāna’. In this way, Bhikkhus, whenever a thought of sensuality arose within me, I dispelled it, I removed it and made an end of it.
Thus, Bhikkhus, when I dwelled with ardent, diligent and resolute will a thought of ill will would arise. … and a thought of cruelty would arise. Then I understood perfectly in the following way: ‘A thought of ill will has arisen … and a thought of cruelty has arisen within me, it is of harm to me, it is of harm to others and it is of harm to both. It is impeding wisdom, fosters trouble and is not conducive to nibbāna.’
Bhikkhus, with the consideration that it is of harm to me it abated, it abated with the consideration that it is of harm to others and it abated with the consideration that it is of harm to both. It abated with the consideration that it is impeding wisdom, fosters trouble and is not conducive to nibbāna. In this way, Bhikkhus, whenever a thought of ill will arose … and a thought of cruelty arose within me I dispelled it, I removed it and made an end of it.
Bhikkhus, whatever thoughts are thought and repeatedly mulled upon, that becomes the predisposition of the mind. Bhikkhus, when thoughts of sensuality are thought and repeatedly mulled upon, having abandoned thoughts of renunciation, that very mind becomes predisposed to sensual thoughts. When thoughts of ill will are thought and repeatedly mulled upon, having abandoned thoughts of non-ill will, that very mind becomes predisposed to ill will. When thoughts of cruelty are thought and repeatedly mulled upon, having abandoned thoughts of nonviolence, that very mind becomes predisposed to cruelty.
It is similar to a cowherd, who, in the last months of the rainy season, in the autumn when the corn ripens, guards his cattle by pushing them with a stick, beats them, restrains them and keeps them together. What is the reason for this? It is because the cowherd sees the punishment, the consequences, the blame and the reproach that he has to face otherwise on account of it. Bhikkhus, in the same manner, I saw the danger of unwholesome, defiling and depraving states and the benefits of wholesome states of renunciation, the ripening of purity. ” …
* dvedhāvitakkasuttaṃ: dvedhā + vitakka + suttaṃ – broke into two + thought + sutta.