Sallekhasutta

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Majjhima Nikāya 8

Self-Effacement · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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the exposition of self-effacementSallekhapariyāya

1. The Exposition of Self-Effacement

Now in this regard, Cunda, you should work on self-effacement in each of the following ways. ‘Others will be cruel, but here we will not be cruel.’ ‘Others will kill living creatures, but here we will not kill living creatures.’ ‘Others will steal, but here we will not steal.’ ‘Others will be unchaste, but here we will not be unchaste.’ ‘Others will lie, but here we will not lie.’ ‘Others will backbite, but here we will not backbite.’ ‘Others will speak harshly, but here we will not speak harshly.’ ‘Others will talk nonsense, but here we will not talk nonsense.’ ‘Others will be covetous, but here we will not be covetous.’ ‘Others will have ill will, but here we will not have ill will.’ ‘Others will have wrong view, but here we will have right view.’ ‘Others will have wrong purpose, but here we will have right purpose.’ ‘Others will have wrong speech, but here we will have right speech.’ ‘Others will have wrong action, but here we will have right action.’ ‘Others will have wrong livelihood, but here we will have right livelihood.’ ‘Others will have wrong effort, but here we will have right effort.’ ‘Others will have wrong mindfulness, but here we will have right mindfulness.’ ‘Others will have wrong immersion, but here we will have right immersion.’ ‘Others will have wrong knowledge, but here we will have right knowledge.’ ‘Others will have wrong freedom, but here we will have right freedom.’ ‘Others will be overcome with dullness and drowsiness, but here we will be rid of dullness and drowsiness.’ ‘Others will be restless, but here we will not be restless.’ ‘Others will have doubts, but here we will have gone beyond doubt.’ ‘Others will be irritable, but here we will be without anger.’ ‘Others will be acrimonious, but here we will be without acrimony.’ ‘Others will be offensive, but here we will be inoffensive.’ ‘Others will be contemptuous, but here we will be without contempt.’ ‘Others will be jealous, but here we will be without jealousy.’ ‘Others will be stingy, but here we will be without stinginess.’ ‘Others will be devious, but here we will not be devious.’ ‘Others will be deceitful, but here we will not be deceitful.’ ‘Others will be pompous, but here we will not be pompous.’ ‘Others will be arrogant, but here we will not be arrogant.’ ‘Others will be hard to admonish, but here we will not be hard to admonish.’ ‘Others will have bad friends, but here we will have good friends.’ ‘Others will be negligent, but here we will be diligent.’ ‘Others will be faithless, but here we will have faith.’ ‘Others will be conscienceless, but here we will have a sense of conscience.’ ‘Others will be imprudent, but here we will be prudent.’ ‘Others will be unlearned, but here we will be well learned.’ ‘Others will be lazy, but here we will be energetic.’ ‘Others will be unmindful, but here we will be mindful.’ ‘Others will be witless, but here we will be accomplished in wisdom.’ ‘Others will be attached to their own views, holding them tight, and refusing to let go, but here we will not be attached to our own views, not holding them tight, but will let them go easily.’

the exposition of giving rise to the thoughtCittupapādapariyāya

2. Giving Rise to the Thought

even the arising of a thoughtCittuppādampi indeedkho Iahaṁ, Cundacunda, in skillfulkusalesu qualitiesdhammesu very helpfulbahukāraṁ I sayvadāmi, whatko thenpana to sayvādo with the bodykāyena with speechvācāya in acting accordinglyanuvidhīyanāsu.
therefore hereTasmātiha, Cundacunda, others‘pare cruelvihiṁsakā will bebhavissanti, here wemayamettha not cruelavihiṁsakā we will be (quote)bhavissāmā’ti the thoughtcittaṁ should be arouseduppādetabbaṁ.
others‘Pare killing living creaturespāṇātipātī will bebhavissanti, here wemayamettha from killing living creaturespāṇātipātā abstainingpaṭiviratā we will be (quote)bhavissāmā’ti the thoughtcittaṁ should be arouseduppādetabbaṁ and so on…pe…
others‘pare attached to their own viewssandiṭṭhiparāmāsī holding tightādhānaggāhī refusing to let goduppaṭinissaggī will bebhavissanti, here wemayamettha not attached to their own viewsasandiṭṭhiparāmāsī not holding tightanādhānaggāhī letting go easilysuppaṭinissaggī we will be (quote)bhavissāmā’ti the thoughtcittaṁ should be arouseduppādetabbaṁ.

Cunda, I say that even giving rise to the thought of skillful qualities is very helpful, let alone following that path in body and speech. That’s why you should give rise to the following thoughts. ‘Others will be cruel, but here we will not be cruel.’ ‘Others will kill living creatures, but here we will not kill living creatures.’ … ‘Others will be attached to their own views, holding them tight, and refusing to let go, but here we will not be attached to our own views, not holding them tight, but will let them go easily.’

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