The Medium Discourses

Chapter 9: Causation

101. Progressive Mental States

1. Thus I have heard:[1] One time, the Buddha traveled to the country of Śrāvastī and stayed at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove.

2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “If a monk wishes to attain the progressive mental states, he must frequently think about five signs. After frequently thinking about these five signs, unskillful thoughts that arise will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thinking, and they will attain samādhi.

The First Sign

3. “What are the five? A monk attends to a sign that’s related to what’s skillful. Suppose unskillful thoughts arise. As a result of this sign, he again attends to a different sign related to what’s skillful so that bad and unskillful thoughts won’t arise. After he attends to a different sign related to what’s skillful as a result of this sign, the unskillful thoughts that arose will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

4. “It’s like a carpenter or a carpenter’s apprentice who uses an inked cord to mark wood. They then trim it with a sharp ax and make it straight.

5. “Thus, monks, as a result of this sign, he again attends to a different sign related to what’s skillful so that bad and unskillful thoughts won’t arise. After he attends to a different sign related to what’s skillful as a result of this sign, the unskillful thoughts that arose then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

6. “If a monk wishes to attain the progressive mental states, he should frequently attend to this first sign. After attending to this sign, unskillful thoughts that arise will cease again. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

The Second Sign

7. “Furthermore, monks, he attends to a sign that’s related to what’s skillful. Suppose unskillful thoughts arise. He observes these thoughts as bad and dangerous. ‘These thoughts are not good.’ ‘These thoughts are bad.’ ‘These thoughts are bad to the wise.’ ‘If these thoughts reached fulfillment, then I won’t attain penetration, the way of awakening, nor nirvāṇa because bad and unskillful thoughts arose.’ He thus observes what’s bad. The unskillful thoughts that arose will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

8. “It’s like a young man who’s good-looking, lovely, washed and bathed, and wearing bright and clean clothes puts on perfume and grooms their hair and beard. They make themselves quite pure and refreshed. Suppose a dead snake, dog, or person that’s half-eaten, bluish-colored, bloated, putrid, with filth flowing out it were tied around their neck. The foul defilement of it would be neither delightful nor pleasant.

9. “Thus, monks, he observes these thoughts as bad and dangerous. ‘These thoughts are not good.’ ‘These thoughts are bad.’ ‘These thoughts are bad to the wise.’ ‘If these thoughts reached fulfillment, then I won’t attain penetration, the way of awakening, nor nirvāṇa because bad and unskillful thoughts arose.’ He thus observes what’s bad. The unskillful thoughts that arose then will cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

10. “If a monk wishes to attain the progressive mental states, he should frequently attend to this second sign. After attending to this sign, unskillful thoughts that arise will cease again. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

The Third Sign

11. “Furthermore, monks, when he attends to a sign that’s associated with what’s skillful, unskillful thoughts arise. When he observes these thoughts as bad and dangerous, unskillful thoughts arise again. That monk shouldn’t attend to these thoughts that cause bad and unskillful thoughts to arise. After he stops attending to these thoughts, the unskillful thoughts that arose will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

12. “It’s like someone who has eyes but doesn’t use them to see a form in a light. Perhaps he closes his eyes, or he might turn away from it. What do all of you think? Could that person perceive that form’s appearance in a light?”

They answered, “No.”

13. “Thus, monks, a monk shouldn’t attend to these thoughts that cause bad and unskillful thoughts to arise. After he stops attending to these thoughts, the unskillful thoughts that arose will cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

14. “If a monk wishes to attain the progressive mental states, he should frequently attend to this third sign. After attending to this sign, unskillful thoughts that arise will cease again. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

The Fourth Sign

15. “Furthermore, monks, when he attends to a sign that’s associated with what’s skillful, unskillful thoughts arise. When he observes these thoughts as bad and dangerous, unskillful thoughts arise again. When he doesn’t attend to those thoughts, unskillful thoughts still arise again. That monk has this thought: ‘I must gradually reduce these thoughts with intentional acts so that bad and unskillful thoughts won’t arise.’ After he has the thought, ‘I must gradually reduce these thoughts with intentional acts so that bad and unskillful thoughts won’t arise,’ the unskillful thoughts that arose will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

16. “It’s like a person traveling on a road, hurrying along quickly. They have the thought, ‘Why am I going so fast? Now, wouldn’t it be better for me to walk more slowly?’ They then walk slower.

17. “Again, they think, ‘Why am I walking slower? Wouldn’t it be better to stand still?’ They then stand still.

18. “Again, they think, ‘Why am I standing here? Wouldn’t it be better to sit?’ They then sit down.

19. “Again, they think, ‘Why am I sitting here? Wouldn’t it be better to lie down?’ They then lie down.

20. “Thus, monks, that person gradually stops his crude physical activity. You should know that that monk is likewise. He has this thought: ‘I must gradually reduce these thoughts with intentional acts so that bad and unskillful thoughts won’t arise.’ After he has the thought, ‘I must gradually reduce these thoughts with intentional acts so that bad and unskillful thoughts won’t arise,’ the unskillful thoughts that arose will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

21. “If a monk wishes to attain the progressive mental states, he should frequently attend to this fourth sign. After attending to this sign, unskillful thoughts that arise will cease again. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

The Fifth Sign

22. “Furthermore, monks, when he attends to a sign that’s associated with what’s skillful, unskillful thoughts arise. When he observes these thoughts as bad and dangerous, unskillful thoughts arise again. When he doesn’t attend to those thoughts, unskillful thoughts still arise again. When he gradually reduces those thoughts with intentional acts, unskillful thoughts still arise. That monk should thus observe: ‘Monk, unskillful thoughts arise as a result of these thoughts.’ That monk then clenches his teeth and presses his tongue against his palate. He cultivates mind with mind, taking and subduing it so that bad and unskillful thoughts won’t arise. After cultivating mind with mind and taking and subduing it, the unskillful thoughts that arose will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

23. “It’s like two strong men grabbing a weak man, taking and subduing him. Monks, he clenches his teeth and presses his tongue against his palate in that way. He cultivates mind with mind, taking and subduing it so that bad and unskillful thoughts won’t arise. After cultivating mind with mind and taking and subduing it, the unskillful thoughts that arose will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

24. “If a monk wishes to attain the progressive mental states, he should frequently attend to this fifth sign. After attending to this sign, unskillful thoughts that arise will cease again. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

25. “If a monk wishes to attain the progressive mental states, he must frequently think about these five signs. After frequently thinking about these five signs, unskillful thoughts that arise will then cease. After bad thoughts cease, one’s mind then continuously abides in inner calm and unified thought, and they will attain samādhi.

26. “Suppose bad thoughts don’t arise when a monk attends to a sign that’s related to what’s skillful, bad thoughts don’t arise when he observes those thoughts as bad and dangerous, bad thoughts don’t arise when he doesn’t attend to those thoughts, bad thoughts don’t arise when he gradually reduces those thoughts with intentional acts, and bad thoughts don’t arise when he cultivates mind with mind, taking and subduing it. He can act freely then, thinking about what he wants to think about and not thinking about what he doesn’t want to think about. If a monk thinks about what he wants to think about and doesn’t think about what he doesn’t want to think about, this is a monk whose thought follows his intent, and he freely thinks about the path.”

27. The Buddha spoke thus. Those monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.

Notes

1. For the source text, cf. T26.1.588a3-9a9. The direct parallel to this sūtra is MN 20. [Back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 28 March 2024