How to Stop Thinking · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral
heSo
down·lienipajjeyya.
thus + indeedEvañhi
heso,
O monksbhikkhave,
a personpuriso
coarse, coarseoḷārikaṁ
coarse, coarseoḷārikaṁ
postureiriyāpathaṁ
towards·down·avoidabhinivajjetvā
subtle, subtlesukhumaṁ
subtle, subtlesukhumaṁ
postureiriyāpathaṁ
would adoptkappeyya.
thus + justEvameva
indeedkho,
O monksbhikkhave,
of thattassa
ifce
of the monkbhikkhuno
those + tootesampi
of thoughtsvitakkānaṁ
non-·attention·non-·reflectionasatiamanasikāraṁ
to·practiceāpajjato
arising + stilluppajjanteva
evilpāpakā
un-·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
desire + connected·toochandūpasaṁhitāpi
aversion + connected·toodosūpasaṁhitāpi
delusion + connected·toomohūpasaṁhitāpi
thosete
forth·abandonpahīyanti
theyte
to an endabbhatthaṁ
they gogacchanti.
of thoseTesaṁ
from abandoningpahānā
internally + justajjhattameva
the mindcittaṁ
together·standsantiṭṭhati
together·down·settlesannisīdati
one + unifiedekodi
becomeshoti
becomes concentratedsamādhiyati.
So they’d lie down. And so that person would shun successively coarser postures and adopt more subtle ones. In the same way, a mendicant … those thoughts are given up and come to an end …
of thatTassa
ifce,
monksbhikkhave,
for a monkbhikkhuno
of those verytesampi
of thoughtsvitakkānaṁ
thought·formation·stoppingvitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ
mind·makemanasikaroto
arise + indeeduppajjanteva
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
connected with desire toochandūpasaṁhitāpi
connected with hate toodosūpasaṁhitāpi
connected with delusion toomohūpasaṁhitāpi.
by thatTena,
monksbhikkhave,
by a monkbhikkhunā
teeth·on·tooth·having placeddantebhidantamādhāya
with the tonguejivhāya
against the palatetāluṁ
on·pressāhacca
with the mindcetasā
the mindcittaṁ
upon·squeezeabhiniggaṇhitabbaṁ
upon·squashabhinippīḷetabbaṁ
should crushabhisantāpetabbaṁ.
of thatTassa
teeth·on·tooth·having placeddantebhidantamādhāya
with the tonguejivhāya
against the palatetāluṁ
on·pressāhacca
with the mindcetasā
the mindcittaṁ
upon·squeezeabhiniggaṇhato
upon·squashabhinippīḷayato
upon·crushabhisantāpayato
thoseye
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
connected with desire toochandūpasaṁhitāpi
connected with hate toodosūpasaṁhitāpi
connected with delusion toomohūpasaṁhitāpi
theyte
away·abandonpahīyanti
theyte
to an endabbhatthaṁ
they gogacchanti.
from their abandoningTesaṁ
from abandoningpahānā
internal + indeedajjhattameva
the mindcittaṁ
together·standsantiṭṭhati
together·settlesannisīdati
unifiedekodi
it becomeshoti
it becomes immersed in samādhisamādhiyati.
just asSeyyathāpi,
monksbhikkhave,
a strongbalavā
manpuriso
a weakerdubbalataraṁ
manpurisaṁ
by the headsīse
orvā
by the throatgale
orvā
by the shoulderkhandhe
orvā
having grabbedgahetvā
upon·squeezeabhiniggaṇheyya
upon·squashabhinippīḷeyya
would crushabhisantāpeyya;
same + wayevameva
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
of thattassa
ifce
for a monkbhikkhuno
of those verytesampi
of thoughtsvitakkānaṁ
thought·formation·stoppingvitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ
mind·makemanasikaroto
arise + indeeduppajjanteva
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
connected with desire toochandūpasaṁhitāpi
connected with hate toodosūpasaṁhitāpi
connected with delusion toomohūpasaṁhitāpi.
Now, suppose that mendicant is focusing on stopping the formation of those thoughts, but bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion keep coming up. With teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, they should squeeze, squash, and crush mind with mind. As they do so, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. It’s like a strong man who grabs a weaker man by the head or throat or shoulder and squeezes, squashes, and crushes them. In the same way, a mendicant …
by thatTena,
monksbhikkhave,
by a monkbhikkhunā
teeth·on·tooth·having placeddantebhidantamādhāya
with the tonguejivhāya
the palatetāluṁ
on·pressāhacca
with mindcetasā
mindcittaṁ
against·squeezeabhiniggaṇhitabbaṁ
against·squashabhinippīḷetabbaṁ
against·crushabhisantāpetabbaṁ.
for himTassa
teeth·on·tooth·having placeddantebhidantamādhāya
with the tonguejivhāya
the palatetāluṁ
on·pressāhacca
with mindcetasā
mindcittaṁ
against·squeezeabhiniggaṇhato
against·squashabhinippīḷayato
against·crushabhisantāpayato
thoseye
evilpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
desire + connected with·toochandūpasaṁhitāpi
aversion + connected with·toodosūpasaṁhitāpi
delusion + connected with·toomohūpasaṁhitāpi
thosete
away·give uppahīyanti
thosete
to an endabbhatthaṁ
they comegacchanti.
through their giving upTesaṁ
from giving uppahānā
internal·justajjhattameva
mindcittaṁ
together·standsantiṭṭhati
together·sitsannisīdati
unifiedekodi
it becomeshoti
together·immersedsamādhiyati.
with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, should squeeze, squash, and crush mind with mind. As they do so, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi.
whenYato
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
for a monkbhikkhuno
whichyaṁ
subjectnimittaṁ
because ofāgamma
whichyaṁ
subjectnimittaṁ
mind·makemanasikaroto
ariseuppajjanti
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
desire·connected·alsochandūpasaṁhitāpi
hate·connected·alsodosūpasaṁhitāpi
delusion·connected·alsomohūpasaṁhitāpi,
for himtassa
from thattamhā
subjectnimittā
anotheraññaṁ
subjectnimittaṁ
mind·makemanasikaroto
skillful·connectedkusalūpasaṁhitaṁ
thoseye
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
desire·connected·alsochandūpasaṁhitāpi
hate·connected·alsodosūpasaṁhitāpi
delusion·connected·alsomohūpasaṁhitāpi
theyte
are abandonedpahīyanti
theyte
away·homeabbhatthaṁ
gogacchanti.
from theirTesaṁ
abandonmentpahānā
internal·justajjhattameva
mindcittaṁ
becomes steadysantiṭṭhati
down·settlesannisīdati
one·unifiedekodi
becomeshoti
becomes concentratedsamādhiyati.
of those tooTesampi
of thoughtsvitakkānaṁ
drawbackādīnavaṁ
near·examineupaparikkhato
thoseye
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
desire·connected·alsochandūpasaṁhitāpi
hate·connected·alsodosūpasaṁhitāpi
delusion·connected·alsomohūpasaṁhitāpi
theyte
are abandonedpahīyanti
theyte
away·homeabbhatthaṁ
gogacchanti.
from theirTesaṁ
abandonmentpahānā
internal·justajjhattameva
mindcittaṁ
becomes steadysantiṭṭhati
down·settlesannisīdati
one·unifiedekodi
becomeshoti
becomes concentratedsamādhiyati.
of those tooTesampi
of thoughtsvitakkānaṁ
not·remembrance·not·attentionasatiamanasikāraṁ
to·enterāpajjato
thoseye
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
desire·connected·alsochandūpasaṁhitāpi
hate·connected·alsodosūpasaṁhitāpi
delusion·connected·alsomohūpasaṁhitāpi
theyte
are abandonedpahīyanti
theyte
away·homeabbhatthaṁ
gogacchanti.
from theirTesaṁ
abandonmentpahānā
internal·justajjhattameva
mindcittaṁ
becomes steadysantiṭṭhati
down·settlesannisīdati
one·unifiedekodi
becomeshoti
becomes concentratedsamādhiyati.
Now, take the mendicant who is focusing on some subject that gives rise to bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion. They focus on some other subject connected with the skillful … They examine the drawbacks of those thoughts … They try to forget and ignore about those thoughts …
those·tooTesampi
of thoughtsvitakkānaṁ
thought·formation·stoppingvitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ
for one focusingmanasikaroto
whichye
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
desire·connected·toochandūpasaṁhitāpi
aversion·connected·toodosūpasaṁhitāpi
delusion·connected·toomohūpasaṁhitāpi
thosete
are given uppahīyanti
theyte
to an endabbhatthaṁ
comegacchanti.
from their giving upTesaṁ
because of giving uppahānā
internally·indeedajjhattameva
mindcittaṁ
becomes stilledsantiṭṭhati
settlessannisīdati
unifiedekodi
becomeshoti
becomes immersed in samādhisamādhiyati.
tooth + clenched·havingDantebhidantamādhāya
with tonguejivhāya
roof of the mouthtāluṁ
pressed againstāhacca
with mindcetasā
mindcittaṁ
for one squeezingabhiniggaṇhato
for one squashingabhinippīḷayato
for one crushingabhisantāpayato
whichye
badpāpakā
not·skillfulakusalā
thoughtsvitakkā
desire·connected·toochandūpasaṁhitāpi
aversion·connected·toodosūpasaṁhitāpi
delusion·connected·toomohūpasaṁhitāpi
thosete
are given uppahīyanti
theyte
to an endabbhatthaṁ
comegacchanti.
from their giving upTesaṁ
because of giving uppahānā
internally·indeedajjhattameva
mindcittaṁ
becomes stilledsantiṭṭhati
settlessannisīdati
unifiedekodi
becomeshoti
becomes immersed in samādhisamādhiyati.
thisAyaṁ
is calledvuccati,
monksbhikkhave,
a mendicantbhikkhu
a mastervasī
thought·way·pathvitakkapariyāyapathesu.
whatYaṁ
thoughtvitakkaṁ
will wishākaṅkhissati
thattaṁ
thoughtvitakkaṁ
will thinkvitakkessati,
whatyaṁ
thoughtvitakkaṁ
not·wishnākaṅkhissati
notna
thattaṁ
thoughtvitakkaṁ
will thinkvitakkessati.
has cut offAcchecchi
cravingtaṇhaṁ,
cast offvivattayi
fettersaṁyojanaṁ,
rightlysammā
conceit·comprehendingmānābhisamayā
end·madeantamakāsi
of sufferingdukkhassā”ti.
this·spokeIdamavoca
the Buddhabhagavā.
satisfiedAttamanā
thosete
mendicantsbhikkhū
of the Buddhabhagavato
speechbhāsitaṁ
approvedabhinandunti.
thought·stilling·discourseVitakkasaṇṭhānasuttaṁ
finishedniṭṭhitaṁ
tenthdasamaṁ.
lion's roar·chapterSīhanādavaggo
finishedniṭṭhito
seconddutiyo.
They focus on stopping the formation of those thoughts … With teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, they squeeze, squash, and crush mind with mind. When they succeed in each of these things, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. This is called a mendicant who is a master of the ways of thought. They will think what they want to think, and they won’t think what they don’t want to think. They’ve cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit have made an end of suffering.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.
it·summaryTassuddānaṁ
Cūḷasīhanāda + Lomahaṁsa + VaraCūḷasīhanādalomahaṁsavaro,
great + lesser + mass of suffering + inference + suttaMahācūḷadukkhakkhandhaanumānikasuttaṁ;
Khila + Pattha + Madhupiṇḍika + DvidhāvitakkaKhilapatthamadhupiṇḍikadvidhāvitakka,
five + sign·talkPañcanimittakathā
againpuna
chaptervaggo.
Its summary: Cūḷasīhanāda, Lomahaṁsa, Vara; Mahā, Cūḷa, Dukkhakkhandha, Anumāna suttas; Khila, Pattha, Madhupiṇḍika, Dvidhāvitakka; the Pañcanimitta-kathā — again, a chapter.
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