Itivuttaka 87

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Adapted From the Translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(Geoffrey DeGraff)

Compared with the Pali Tipitaka at www.tipitaka.org

87. Andhakaranasuttam (Dispelling Darkness )

This was said by the Lord Buddha(Bhagavata), said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

“Monks, there are these three kinds of unskillful thinking that produce darkness, produce lack of vision, produce lack of knowledge, lead to the cessation of direct understanding(panna), side with vexation, and are not conducive to Unbinding (nibbana). Which three? Thinking imbued with sensuality.… Thinking imbued with ill-will. Thinking imbued with harmfulness produces blindness, produces lack of vision, produces lack of knowledge, leads to the cessation of direct understanding(panna), sides with vexation, and is not conducive to Unbinding (nibbana). These are the three kinds of unskillful thinking that produce blindness, produce lack of vision, produce lack of knowledge, lead to the cessation of direct understanding(panna), side with vexation, and are not conducive to Unbinding (nibbana).

“There are these three kinds of skillful thinking that produce non-darkness, produce vision, produce knowledge, foster direct understanding(panna), side with non-vexation, and are conducive to Unbinding. Which three? Thinking imbued with renunciation.… Thinking imbued with non-ill-will.… Thinking imbued with harmlessness produces non-blindness, produces vision, produces knowledge, fosters direct understanding(panna), sides with non-vexation, and is conducive to Unbinding. These are the three kinds of skillful thinking that produce non-darkness, produce vision, produce knowledge, foster direct understanding(panna), side with non-vexation, and are conducive to Unbinding (nibbana).”

Three skillful thoughts should be thought, three unskillful thoughts rejected. Whoever stills thoughts & evaluations —as rain would, a cloud of dust— through an awareness with thinking stilled, attains right here the state of peace.

See also: MN 19; MN 20; No.110