MN 20. Vitakkasaṇṭhāna Sutta
Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:13 pm
MN 20
Vitakkasanthana Sutta
The Removal of Distracting Thoughts
Translated from the Pali by
Soma Thera
Vitakkasanthana Sutta
The Removal of Distracting Thoughts
Translated from the Pali by
Soma Thera
and from the study guideThus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Pleasance. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying, "Bhikkhus," and they replied to him saying, "Reverend Sir." The Blessed One spoke as follows:
"Five things should be reflected on from time to time, by the bhikkhu who is intent on the higher consciousness. What five?
When evil unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion arise in a bhikkhu through reflection on an adventitious object, he should, (in order to get rid of that), reflect on a different object which is connected with skill. Then the evil unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
Like an experienced carpenter or carpenter's apprentice, striking hard at, pushing out, and getting rid of a coarse peg with a fine one, should the bhikkhu in order to get rid of the adventitious object, reflect on a different object which is connected with skill. Then the evil unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate and delusion are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
If the evil unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a bhikkhu, who in order to get rid of an adventitious object reflects on a different object which is connected with skill, he should ponder on the disadvantages of unskillful thoughts thus: Truly these thoughts of mine are unskillful, blameworthy, and productive of misery. Then the evil unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
Like a well-dressed young man or woman who feels horrified, humiliated and disgusted because of the carcass of a snake, dog, or human that is hung round his or her neck, should the bhikkhu in whom unskillful thoughts continue to arise in spite of his reflection on the object which is connected with skill, ponder on the disadvantages of unskillful thoughts thus: Truly, these thoughts of mine are unskillful, blameworthy, and productive of misery. Then the evil, unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
If evil, unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a bhikkhu who ponders on their disadvantageousness, he should in regard to them, endeavor to be without attention and reflection. Then the evil unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
Like a keen-eyed man shutting his eyes and looking away from some direction in order to avoid seeing visible objects come within sight, should the bhikkhu in whom evil, unskillful thoughts continue to arise in spite of his pondering on their disadvantageousness, endeavor to be without attention and reflection as regards them. Then the evil, unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
If evil, unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a bhikkhu in spite of his endeavor to be without attention and reflection as regards evil, unskillful thoughts, he should reflect on the removal of the (thought) source of those unskillful thoughts. Then the evil, unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
Just as a man finding no reason for walking fast, walks slowly; finding no reason for walking slowly, stands; finding no reason for sitting down, lies down, and thus getting rid of a posture rather uncalm resorts to a restful posture, just so should the bhikkhu in whom evil, unskillful thoughts arise, in spite of his endeavor to be without attention and reflection regarding them, reflect on the removal of the (thought) source of those unskillful thoughts. Then the evil, unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
If evil, unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a bhikkhu in spite of his reflection on the removal of a source of unskillful thoughts, he should with clenched teeth and the tongue pressing on the palate, restrain, subdue and beat down the (evil) mind by the (good) mind. Then the evil, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate and delusion are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
Like a strong man holding a weaker man by the head or shoulders and restraining, subduing and beating him down, should the bhikkhu in whom evil, unskillful thoughts continue to arise in spite of his reflection on the source of unskillful thoughts, restrain, subdue and beat down the (evil) mind by the (good) mind, with clenched teeth and the tongue pressing on the palate. Then the evil, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate and delusion are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).
When, indeed, bhikkhus, evil unskillful thoughts due to reflection on an adventitious object are eliminated, when they disappear, and the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated just within (his subject of meditation), through his reflection on an object connected with skill, through his pondering on the disadvantages of unskillful thoughts, his endeavoring to be without attentiveness and reflection as regards those thoughts or through his restraining, subduing, and beating down of the evil mind by the good mind with clenched teeth and tongue pressing on the palate, that bhikkhu is called a master of the paths along which thoughts travel. The thought he wants to think, that, he thinks; the thought he does not want to think, that, he does not think. He has cut down craving, removed the fetter, rightly mastered pride, and made an end of suffering."
The Blessed One said this, and the bhikkhus glad at heart, approved of his words.
20 Vitakkasanthāna Sutta The Removal of Distracting Thoughts v
SUMMARY
Here the Buddha suggests five methods to work with unwholesome thoughts in
the mind. If unwholesome states are not arising, then one needs only to be
mindful so they do not arise unnoticed. Doing this, one is “a master of the
courses of thought.”
NOT ES
[37]
There are five suggested methods to work with unwholesome states in
the mind (desire, hatred and delusion) when the thoughts are persistent. They
should be applied in the following sequence:
1. Replacing—giving attention instead to that which is wholesome
a) Desire: if toward a being, the remedy is to meditate on foulness; if
toward a thing, the remedy is to meditate on impermanence.
b) Ill will: if toward a being, the remedy is to meditate on mettā; if toward a
thing, the remedy is to meditate on the elements.
Pressing Out Pure Ho ney 35
c) Delusion: the remedy is to live with a teacher; study the Dharma; inquire
into its meaning; listen to the Dharma, inquire into its causes. (These
examples are from Note 240.)
2. Reflecting on the danger of those thoughts (as in MN19.3)
3. Forgetting and not giving them attention—looking away, [Ed: Skillful
distraction—for example, this can mean letting the thoughts chatter away
as they like in the background of our mind while we stay focused on the
breath. It can also mean if I am in a lot of pain, physical or emotional, it
might be better to take the attention off the pain to something more
uplifting, like making a phone call to a friend or going out for a walk.]
4. Stilling the thoughtformation,
or inquiring into the cause of the thought.
[Ed: There are a few interpretations of this: 1. Inquiry into the cause of the
thought enables one to move from grosser to a more subtle thought or
mind state, and the thought may cease altogether. 2. It may also mean
that thought processes entail some physical tension. When the tension is
relaxed, the thoughts go away.]
5. Clenching one’s teeth and crushing mind with mind. (Note 243: crushing
the unwholesome with the wholesome.)
There are many useful SIMILES throughout this section, although some are
very harsh.
An interesting point here for our practice is in [8]: When one works with one’s
thoughts in this way so that one’s mind becomes steadied internally, quieted,
brought to singleness, and concentrated, one is called “a master of the courses
of thought.” QUOTE: “He will think whatever thought he wishes to think and he
will not think any thought that he does not wish to think.”
Again we see that the problem is with the suffering, with the unwholesome
mind states, not with thinking per se. When the mind is wholesome, we need
only to be mindful so that the unwholesome does not take hold.
PRACT ICE
The training here is very specific. Practice the five ways to work with distracting
thoughts as needed.