Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
At one time, a certain bhikkhu was dwelling among the |Kosalans::a group of people from the kingdom of Kosala [kosalesu]| in a certain forest grove.
Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu divāvihāragato pāpake akusale vitakke vitakketi, seyyathidaṁ— kāmavitakkaṁ, byāpādavitakkaṁ, vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ. Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
Now at that time, that bhikkhu, having gone for his daytime abiding, was thinking |harmful::injurious, bad, or evil. Encompasses the deceptively alluring that is ultimately detrimental or ruinous [pāpaka]| and |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| thoughts, such as |thoughts of sensuality::thoughts related to enjoyment of sensual pleasures, sexual thoughts [kāmavitakka]|, |thoughts of ill will::thoughts of resentment, anger, hatred [byāpādavitakka]|, and |thoughts of harming::idea of hurting [vihiṁsāvitakka]|. Then the deity residing in that forest grove, out of compassion and desire for that bhikkhu’s welfare, |wanting to stir him up::wanting to create a sense of urgency [saṁvejetukāma]|, approached that bhikkhu. Having approached, the deity addressed that bhikkhu in verse:
“Ayoniso manasikārā,
so vitakkehi khajjasi;
Ayoniso paṭinissajja,
yoniso anucintaya.
“From |superficial attention::unwise attention, peripheral attention, attention to the foreground, content-bound reflection; lit. attention not from the source [ayonisomanasikāra]|,
you are |afflicted::burdened, consumed, or impacted by suffering, stress, or irritation; affected in a way that is involuntary, painful, or destabilizing due to contact and clinging; used metaphorically for being “gnawed at” or “worn down” by experience, especially in relation to the aggregates [khajjati]| by thoughts.
Abandoning superficiality,
reflect with |radical attention::root-level attention, attention to the structural source, contextual reflection, matrix-based awareness; lit. attention from the source [yoniso + manasikāra]|.
Satthāraṁ dhammamārabbha,
saṅghaṁ sīlāni attano;
Adhigacchasi pāmojjaṁ,
pītisukhamasaṁsayaṁ;
Tato pāmojjabahulo,
dukkhassantaṁ karissasī”ti.
Grounded in the Teacher, the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|,
the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]|, and your own virtues,
you will find |joy::cheerfulness, gladness; a fresh and mild happiness arising from a sense of spiritual well-being and a clear conscience [pāmojja]|,
and a |uplifting joy and pleasure::delight and ease; sometimes experienced as ecstasy, intense exhilaration or rapture [pītisukha]| beyond doubt.
Then, full of joy,
you will make an end of suffering.”
Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.
Thereupon, that bhikkhu, stirred up by that deity, was struck with urgency.