Vitakkasaṇṭhānasutta
Thus have I heard,
Once, the Awakened One was living in Sāvatthi, in prince Jeta’s monastery. There, the Awakened One addressed the wanderers and said: “Wanderers!”
“Bhadante” the wanderers replied.
“One who is constantly devoted to the higher mind should, at the appropriate time, practice in these five ways.” [i]
What five?
1. Replacing Thoughts #
First, whatever subject becomes manifest in the mind,
whatever subject one reflects upon, [ii]
if unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment should arise; [iii]
Then, one should change this subject,
and work with a subject which is rooted in the skillful. [iv]
When doing so, those unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts are given up and start declining. [v]
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected. [vi]
The Woodworker #
Just as a skilled woodworker or their apprentice would use a fine wood dowel to punch out, drive away and replace a rough wood dowel. [vii]
[…] [viii]
2. Contemplating Disadvantages #
Then, whenever one contemplates those subjects and works at bringing up subjects rooted in the skillful, if unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted
in selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment should arise; [ix]
Then, one should reflect on the disadvantages of such thoughts, in this way: [x]
‘These thoughts are unskillful
These thoughts are reprehensible, unacceptable,[xi]
These thoughts result in trouble.’ [xii]
When doing so, those unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts are given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
Youthful Beauty #
Just as if a woman or a man,
a young girl or a boy
who were fond of their physical appearance would find
the carcass of a snake,
the carcass of a dog
or the carcass of a human being,
hanging on their necks,
they would be troubled, disgusted and ashamed. [xiii]
[…]
3. Not Feeding One’s Awareness #
Then, whenever one reflects on the disadvantages of such thoughts, if unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment should arise;
Then, one should make an effort not to feed them with one’s attention. [xiv]
When doing so, those unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts are given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
Turning a Blind Eye #
Just as if someone encountered something they didn’t want to see;
They would close their eyes
or look away somewhere else. [xv]
[…]
4. Calming Thoughts #
Then, whenever one makes an effort not to feed these thoughts with one’s attention, if unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment should arise;
Then, one should work on calming those active thought processes. [xvi]
When doing so, those unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts are given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
Running to Resting #
Just as if someone who was running were to think:
“Why am I running?”
“What if I was to walk slower.”
Then, they go slower and think:
“Why am I walking?”
“What if I was to just stand here.”
Then, they would stand and think:
“Why am I standing?”
“What if I was to sit?”
Then, they would sit and think:
“Why am I siting?”
“What if I was to lay down?”
Then, they would lay down and rest.
In this way, one gradually lets go of coarser movements and postures and adopts increasingly finer and more subtle movements and postures. [xvii]
[…]
5. Brute Force #
Whenever one works on calming those active thought processes, if unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment should arise; [xviii]
Then, one should clench their teeth
press their tongue on their palate
and should bring mind into submission,
crush it,
and defeat mind with mind. [xix]
When doing so, those unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts are given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
Strong Man #
Just as a strong man would take a weaker one in a headlock, along with its neck and shoulders, and would bring him into submission, crush him and defeat him. [xx]
[…]
Summary #
(1) Thus, whatever subject becomes manifest [xxi]
whatever subject one reflects onto
if unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment should arise;
Then, one should change this subject and work with a subject which is rooted in the skillful.
When doing so, those unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts are given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
(2) Then, if one reflects on the disadvantages of unskillful thoughts; [xxii]
These unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment,
come to be given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
(3) Then, if one makes an effort not to feed these thoughts with one’s attention; [xxiii]
These unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment
are given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
(4) Then, if one works on calming those active thought processes; [xxiv]
These unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment
are given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
(5) Then, if one clenches their teeth
presses their tongue on their palate
And bring mind into submission,
crushing it,
and defeating mind with mind; [xxv]
These unskillful, unbeneficial thoughts rooted in
selfish desires,
aversion,
and lack of discernment
are given up and start declining.
When those thoughts are appeased,
the mind becomes composed internally,
It comes to rest in unity, and it becomes collected.
Conclusion #
This is called:
A wanderer who has mastered all the ways of the mind. [xxvi]
Whatever thoughts one may wish to think,
they will think;
Whatever thoughts one does not wish to think,
they will not think. [xxvii]
With tension severed,
Unshackled fetters,
Wisely comprehending conceit;
They make an end of trouble.[xxviii]
This is what the Awakened One said.
Glad at heart, the wanderers were delighted and rejoiced in his words.
——————–
[i] Adhicittamanuyuttena… pañca nimittāni kālena kālaṁ manasi kātabbāni
[ii] yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma yaṁ nimittaṁ manasikaroto
[iii] uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi mohūpasaṁhitāpi,
[iv] Tamhā nimittā aññaṁ nimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ.
[v] te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.
[vi] Tesaṁ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṁ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.
[vii] Dakkho palagaṇḍo vā palagaṇḍantevāsī vā sukhumāya āṇiyā oḷārikaṁ āṇiṁ abhinihaneyya abhinīhareyya abhinivatteyya; In woodworking, when making a tenon and mortise joint, a dowel or wood peg is used to strengthen and lock the joint. These wood dowels cannot be removed like contemporary nails, with a hammer, they need to be pushed through the wood with the help of another piece of wood. I believe this is the most plausible explanation here, or perhaps the axle on a wooden wheel. Either carry the same meaning. Ennā in Sinhalese (?).
[viii] I am removing the bulk, unnecessary repetition, which repeats, word for word, what was said before the analogy. Same for each following instruction. Those repetitions are meant to healp monastics memorize the core teachings. Although, for those who simply are interested in reading the Buddha’s words in an intelligible and literary manner, those repetitions are best removed.
[ix] Uppajjanteva pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṁhitāpi dosūpasaṁhitāpi
[x] ādīnavo upaparikkhitabbo
[xi] Sāvajja: the usual translation is “blameworthy”, but it does not ring accurately in my ear. I would lean towards synonyms of objectionable: abhorrent, deplorable, distasteful, regrettable, reprehensible, repugnant, repulsive, unacceptable…
Vajja also means a fault, ei. Faulty? I prefer other terms which gravitate around “inappropriateness” or erroneous: defective, deficient, erroneous, false, flawed, imprecise, inaccurate, inadequate, incomplete, insufficient, invalid, leaky, malfunctioning, unreliable…
[xii] ‘itipime vitakkā akusalā, itipime vitakkā sāvajjā, itipime vitakkā dukkhavipākā’ti.
[xiii] Itthī vā puriso vā daharo yuvā maṇḍanakajātiko ahikuṇapena vā kukkurakuṇapena vā manussakuṇapena vā kaṇṭhe āsattena aṭṭiyeyya harāyeyya jiguccheyya;
[xiv] tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ asatiamanasikāro āpajjitabbo.
[xv] Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cakkhumā puriso āpāthagatānaṁ rūpānaṁ adassanakāmo assa;
so nimīleyya vā aññena vā apalokeyya;
[xvi] tesaṁ vitakkānaṁ vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ
manasikātabbaṁ. vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhāna nt. calming of mental activities; stilling of thought processes [vitakka + saṅkhāra + saṇṭhāna]
saṇṭhāna 2 nt. (+gen) relenting; yielding; relaxation (of); lit. standing together [saṃ + √ṭhā + ana]
saṇṭhāna 3 nt. co-presence; lit. standing together [saṃ + √ṭhā]
[xvii] puriso oḷārikaṁ oḷārikaṁ iriyāpathaṁ abhinivajjetvā: √vajj root. √vajj (turn, avoid)
[xviii] vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhāna nt. calming of mental activities; stilling of thought processes [vitakka + saṅkhāra + saṇṭhāna]
saṇṭhāna 2 nt. (+gen) relenting; yielding; relaxation (of); lit. standing together [saṃ + √ṭhā + ana]
saṇṭhāna 3 nt. co-presence; lit. standing together [saṃ + √ṭhā]
[xix] dantebhidantamādhāya jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhitabbaṁ abhinippīḷetabbaṁ abhisantāpetabbaṁ. References to this particular sequence are found in MN 36, MN 85 and MN 100. In MN 36 and 85, the Buddha explains that this was part of the austere practices he tried before his awakening, when he still believed that pleasure or awakening was to be reached by purification though pain (Tapas). This was a prevalent Jain idea at the Buddha’s time, which is still found throughout the world today. At that time, the bodhisatta was practicing with the five jain ascetics. The Prince Bodhi gives fuel to this discourse by the Buddha (MN 85) only by saying “We have thought thus: ‘Pleasure is not to be reached through pleasure; pleasure is to be reached through pain.” Then, the Buddha says: “…sweat ran from my armpits, but although tireless energy was aroused in me and unremitting mindfulness was established, yet my body was overwrought and uncalm because I was exhausted by the painful endeavour.” Which goes to show that such practices did not lead to his awakening. It led him to finally realize the middle path, the path of wholesome mental development (and the understanding of dependent origination), which is explained in this sutta (MN 20). Readers advised, make no mistakes, this passage is to be understood in its proper context. I personally believe that this last instruction is meant as a display of the level of determination one should have in being the master of their own thoughts, not literally as a meditation instruction.
[xx] Balavā puriso dubbalataraṁ purisaṁ sīse vā gale vā khandhe vā gahetvā abhiniggaṇheyya abhinippīḷeyya abhisantāpeyya; I find this analogy somewhat concerning and unaligned with the original teachings of the Buddha on loving patience and forbearance. The only way which could, in my eyes, legitimise such practice would be in very extreme or severe cases, where someone is in a dangerous, life-threatening situation or if extremely unwholesome thoughts will soon give way into violent actions. This is the only scenario which I could maybe see this instruction as being relatively useful. Although, I would warn anyone reading this not to mistake this last step for a central instruction on meditation. To try and use this instruction could do a lot more harm than good in most situations and not develop any kind of wisdom either.
[xxi] Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno yaṁ nimittaṁ āgamma…
[xxii] Tesampi vitakkānaṁ ādīnavaṁ upaparikkhato
[xxiii] Tesampi vitakkānaṁ asatiamanasikāraṁ āpajjato
[xxiv] Tesampi vitakkānaṁ vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhānaṁ manasikaroto vitakkasaṅkhārasaṇṭhāna nt. calming of mental activities; stilling of thought processes [vitakka + saṅkhāra + saṇṭhāna] | saṇṭhāna 2 nt. (+gen) relenting; yielding; relaxation (of); lit. standing together [saṃ + √ṭhā + ana]
saṇṭhāna 3 nt. co-presence; lit. standing together [saṃ + √ṭhā]
[xxv] Dantebhidantamādhāya jivhāya tāluṁ āhacca cetasā cittaṁ abhiniggaṇhato abhinippīḷayato abhisantāpayato
[xxvi] bhikkhu vasī vitakkapariyāyapathesu.
[xxvii] Yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhissati taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkessati, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhissati na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkessati.
[xxviii] Acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā”ti.
