The Word of the Buddha The Effort to Overcome
The Word of the BuddhaIV. The Path that Leads to the Extinction of Suffering
2.) And what, bhikkhus, is striving to abandon? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality; he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will; he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of harming; he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate any arisen unwholesome state; he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, and obliterates it. This, bhikkhus, is called striving to abandon.
1.) Here, when a bhikkhu attends to a certain sign, and while attending to that sign, harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, associated with aversion, or to do with delusion arise, then that bhikkhu should shift his attention from that sign to another sign, one associated with what is wholesome. As he shifts his attention to another wholesome sign, those harmful, unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, associated with aversion, or to do with delusion are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
Just as a skilled carpenter or carpenter’s apprentice might use a fine peg to knock out, extract, and replace a coarse peg, so too, when a bhikkhu attends a certain sign, and while attending to that sign, harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, associated with aversion, or to do with delusion arise, then, that bhikkhu should shift his attention from that sign to another sign, one associated with what is wholesome. As he shifts his attention to another wholesome sign, those harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
2.) If while that bhikkhu is shifting his attention from that sign to another sign, one connected with what is wholesome; harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion still arise, then that bhikkhu should closely examine the drawbacks of those thoughts: ‘These thoughts are unwholesome, these thoughts are objectionable, these thoughts lead to discontentment.’ As he closely examines the drawbacks of those thoughts, the harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
Just as a young woman or man, fond of adornments, would feel horrified, ashamed, and disgusted if the carcass of a snake, a dog, or a human were hanging around their neck, in the same way, if, while that bhikkhu is shifting his attention from that sign to another sign, one associated with what is wholesome; harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion still arise, then that bhikkhu should closely examine the drawbacks of those thoughts: ‘These thoughts are unwholesome, these thoughts are objectionable, these thoughts lead to discontentment.’ As he closely examines the drawbacks of those thoughts, the harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
3.) If, while that bhikkhu is closely examining the drawbacks of those thoughts, harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion still arise, then, that bhikkhu should disregard them and not give attention to them. As he disregards and does not give attention to those thoughts, the harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
Just as a person with sight would not want to see forms that had come within range of his vision, so he would either close his eyes or look away in another direction, in the same way, if, while that bhikkhu is closely examining the drawbacks of those thoughts, harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion still arise, they are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
4.) If, while that bhikkhu is disregarding and not giving attention to those thoughts, harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion still arise, then, that bhikkhu should attend to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. As he attends to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, the harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
Just as a person might walk quickly, and they would think: ‘Why am I walking quickly? What if I were to walk slowly?’ So they would walk slowly. Then they would think: ‘Why am I walking slowly? What if I were to stand still?’ So they would stand still. Then they would think: ‘Why am I standing still? What if I were to sit down?’ So they would sit down. Then they would think: ‘Why am I sitting down? What if I were to lie down?’ So they would lie down. In this way, by avoiding coarse postures, that person would adopt progressively more refined postures. In the same way, if, while that bhikkhu is disregarding and not giving attention to those thoughts, harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion still arise, they are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
5.) If while that bhikkhu is attending to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion still arise, then, that bhikkhu should, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth, restrain, subdue, and overwhelm his mind with his mind. As he, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth, restrains, subdues, and beats down his mind with his mind, the harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
Just as a strong man might seize a weaker man by the head, by the throat, or by the shoulders and restrain, subdue, and overwhelm him; in the same way, if while that bhikkhu is attending to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts, harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion still arise, then that bhikkhu should, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth, restrain, subdue, and beat down his mind with his mind. As he, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth, restrains, subdues, and beats down his mind with his mind, the harmful and unwholesome thoughts associated with desire, aversion, or delusion are abandoned, they disappear completely. With the abandonment of those thoughts, his mind becomes internally steady, calmed, unified, and collected.
Last updated on October 20, 2026