Vitakka Sutta
“Monks,
Do not think hurtful and unwholesome thoughts,
that is: [1]
(1) Thoughts of sense [gratification],
(2) Thoughts of malevolence,
(3) And thought of harm. [2]
Why?
Neither of these thoughts are
Connected with the meaning,
Conducive to the spiritual life,
Conducive to disengagement,
Calming down,
Release,
Tranquility,
Direct knowledge,
Complete awakening;
And they do not lead to Nibbāna [3]
Monks, when thinking,
you should think in this manner:
(1) ‘This is tension’
(2) ‘This is causing the tension.’
(3) ‘This is the release from tension.’
(4) ‘This is the practice the release the tension.’
Why?
Because these thoughts are
Connected with the meaning,
Conducive to the spiritual life,
Conducive to disengagement,
Calming down,
Release,
Tranquility,
Direct knowledge,
Complete awakening;
And it does lead to Nibbāna
Therefore monks,
you should devote yourselves to see:
(1) ‘This is tension’
(2) ‘This is causing the tension.’
(3) ‘This is the release from tension.’
(4) ‘This is the practice the release the tension.’
[1] “Mā, bhikkhave, pāpake akusale vitakke vitakkeyyātha
[2] kāmavitakkaṃ, byāpādavitakkaṃ, vihiṃsāvitakkaṃ.
[3] Nete, bhikkhave, vitakkā atthasaṃhitā nādibrahmacariyakā na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṃvattanti.
