87. Producing Blindness

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Tayome, bhikkhave, akusalavitakkā andhakaraṇā acakkhukaraṇā aññāṇakaraṇā paññānirodhikā vighātapakkhikā anibbānasaṁvattanikā.

Katame tayo?

Kāmavitakko, bhikkhave, andhakaraṇo acakkhukaraṇo aññāṇakaraṇo paññānirodhiko vighātapakkhiko anibbānasaṁvattaniko.

Byāpādavitakko, bhikkhave, andhakaraṇo acakkhukaraṇo aññāṇakaraṇo paññānirodhiko vighātapakkhiko anibbānasaṁvattaniko.

Vihiṁsāvitakko, bhikkhave, andhakaraṇo acakkhukaraṇo aññāṇakaraṇo paññānirodhiko vighātapakkhiko anibbānasaṁvattaniko.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo akusalavitakkā andhakaraṇā acakkhukaraṇā aññāṇakaraṇā paññānirodhikā vighātapakkhikā anibbānasaṁvattanikā.

Tayome, bhikkhave, kusalavitakkā anandhakaraṇā cakkhukaraṇā ñāṇakaraṇā paññāvuddhikā avighātapakkhikā nibbānasaṁvattanikā.

Katame tayo?

Nekkhammavitakko, bhikkhave, anandhakaraṇo cakkhukaraṇo ñāṇakaraṇo paññāvuddhiko avighātapakkhiko nibbānasaṁvattaniko.

Abyāpādavitakko, bhikkhave, anandhakaraṇo cakkhukaraṇo ñāṇakaraṇo paññāvuddhiko avighātapakkhiko nibbānasaṁvattaniko.

Avihiṁsāvitakko, bhikkhave, anandhakaraṇo cakkhukaraṇo ñāṇakaraṇo paññāvuddhiko avighātapakkhiko nibbānasaṁvattaniko.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo kusalavitakkā anandhakaraṇā cakkhukaraṇā ñāṇakaraṇā paññāvuddhikā avighātapakkhikā nibbānasaṁvattanikā”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Tayo vitakke kusale vitakkaye,

Tayo pana akusale nirākare;

Sa ve vitakkāni vicāritāni,

Sameti vuṭṭhīva rajaṁ samūhataṁ;

Sa ve vitakkūpasamena cetasā,

Idheva so santipadaṁ samajjhagā”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, these three kinds of unwholesome thoughts produce blindness, lack of vision, and absence of knowledge; they obstruct wisdom, lead to vexation, and are not conducive to Nibbāna. What are the three? A sensual thought, a thought of ill will, and an aggressive thought. These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of unwholesome thoughts that produce blindness … and are not conducive to Nibbāna.

“Bhikkhus, these three kinds of wholesome thoughts remove blindness and produce vision, knowledge, and the growth of wisdom; they do not lead to vexation and are conducive to Nibbāna. What are the three? A thought of renunciation, a thought of friendliness, and a thought of harmlessness. These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of wholesome thoughts that remove blindness … and are conducive to Nibbāna.”

Three wholesome thoughts should be entertained,
Three unwholesome thoughts rejected.
One who stops such trains of thought
As a shower settles a cloud of dust,
With a mind that has quelled such thoughts
Attains in this life the state of peace.