Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus.”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“No ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paracittapariyāyakusalo hoti, atha ‘sacittapariyāyakusalo bhavissāmī’ti— evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbaṁ.
“Bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu is not skilled in |comprehending::encompassing, ways of; lit. going around [pariyāya]| others’ minds, then [he should resolve]: ’I will be |skilled in comprehending my own mind::lit. skilled in the ways of one’s own mind [sacittapariyāyakusala]|.’ This is how you should train yourselves.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sacittapariyāyakusalo hoti? Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, itthī vā puriso vā daharo yuvā maṇḍanakajātiko ādāse vā parisuddhe pariyodāte acche vā udakapatte sakaṁ mukhanimittaṁ paccavekkhamāno sace tattha passati rajaṁ vā aṅgaṇaṁ vā, tasseva rajassa vā aṅgaṇassa vā pahānāya vāyamati. No ce tattha passati rajaṁ vā aṅgaṇaṁ vā, tenevattamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo: ‘lābhā vata me, parisuddhaṁ vata me’ti.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu skilled in comprehending his own mind? Just as, bhikkhus, a young woman or man, youthful, and fond of adornments, |reviewing::reflecting, self-examining; lit. looking back down [paccavekkhamāna]| their own facial reflection in a clean bright mirror or in a bowl of clear water: if they see any dust or blemish there, they make an effort to remove that dust or blemish. But if they do not see any dust or blemish there, they will be glad about it; and with satisfaction, they will think: ‘It is a gain for me that I am clean.’
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno paccavekkhaṇā bahukārā hoti kusalesu dhammesu: ‘abhijjhālu nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, anabhijjhālu nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, byāpannacitto nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, abyāpannacitto nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhito nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, vigatathinamiddho nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, uddhato nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, anuddhato nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, vicikiccho nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, tiṇṇavicikiccho nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, kodhano nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, akkodhano nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, saṅkiliṭṭhacitto nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, asaṅkiliṭṭhacitto nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, sāraddhakāyo nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, asāraddhakāyo nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, kusīto nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, āraddhavīriyo nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, asamāhito nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmi, samāhito nu kho bahulaṁ viharāmī’ti.
So too, bhikkhus, self-reviewing is very helpful for a bhikkhu [to grow] in wholesome qualities. [One should ask oneself:] ‘1.) Do I often dwell with |intense craving::is greedy, covetous, with yearning, desiring, mentally obsessed [abhijjhālu]| or do I often dwell without intense craving? 2.) Do I often dwell |with a malicious mind::evil-minded, hateful [byāpannacitta]| or do I often dwell with a kind mind? 3.) Do I often dwell overcome by |dullness and drowsiness::lack of mental clarity or alertness, mental sluggishness, lethargy, sleepiness lit. stiffness (of mind/body due to tiredness) [thinamiddha]| or do I often dwell free from dullness and drowsiness? 4.) Do I often dwell |restless::agitated, unbalanced, confused about what is right and wrong [uddhata]| or do I often dwell without restlessness? 5.) Do I often dwell with |doubt::uncertainty, indecisiveness wrt suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering [vicikiccha]| or do I often dwell having crossed over doubt? 6.) Do I often dwell |irritable::prone to anger [kodhana]| or do I often dwell not irritable? 7.) Do I often dwell with a |defiled::tainted, corrupted [saṅkiliṭṭha]| mind or do I often dwell with an undefiled mind? 8.) Do I often dwell with an agitated body or do I often dwell physically relaxed? 9.) Do I often dwell |with laziness::procrastinating, inactive, indolently [kusīta]| or do I often dwell |with energy aroused::with initiative [āraddhavīriya]|? 10.) Do I often dwell with a |distracted::with scattered attention, not collected, not well-composed [asamāhita]| mind or do I often dwell with a |collected::composed, settled [samāhita]| mind?’
Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘abhijjhālu bahulaṁ viharāmi, byāpannacitto bahulaṁ viharāmi, thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhito bahulaṁ viharāmi, uddhato bahulaṁ viharāmi, vicikiccho bahulaṁ viharāmi, kodhano bahulaṁ viharāmi, saṅkiliṭṭhacitto bahulaṁ viharāmi, sāraddhakāyo bahulaṁ viharāmi, kusīto bahulaṁ viharāmi, asamāhito bahulaṁ viharāmī’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁyeva pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo vā ādittasīso vā. Tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimattaṁ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya. Evamevaṁ kho tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁyeva pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, upon reviewing, a bhikkhu knows: ‘I often dwell with intense craving, I often dwell with a malicious mind, I often dwell overcome by dullness and drowsiness, I often dwell restless, I often dwell with doubt, I often dwell irritable, I often dwell with a defiled mind, I often dwell with an agitated body, I often dwell with laziness, I often dwell with a distracted mind,’ then, bhikkhus, to abandon these |harmful::injurious, bad, or evil. Encompasses the deceptively alluring that is ultimately detrimental or ruinous [pāpaka]|, unwholesome qualities, that bhikkhu should arouse the utmost |desire::intention, wish, impulse, interest [chanda]|, make an extraordinary effort, stir up perseverance, kindle enthusiasm, maintain tireless determination, and apply |mindfulness::recollection of the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly with sustained attention, free from craving and distress [sati]| and |clear awareness::attentiveness, clear and full comprehension [sampajañña]|. Just as, bhikkhus, if one’s clothes or one’s head were on fire, one would arouse the utmost desire, make an extraordinary effort, stir up perseverance, kindle enthusiasm, maintain tireless determination, and apply mindfulness and clear awareness to extinguish that fire; so too, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should arouse the utmost desire, make an extraordinary effort, stir up perseverance, kindle enthusiasm, maintain tireless determination, and apply mindfulness and clear awareness to abandon those harmful, unwholesome qualities.
Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘anabhijjhālu bahulaṁ viharāmi, abyāpannacitto bahulaṁ viharāmi, vigatathinamiddho bahulaṁ viharāmi, anuddhato bahulaṁ viharāmi, tiṇṇavicikiccho bahulaṁ viharāmi, akkodhano bahulaṁ viharāmi, asaṅkiliṭṭhacitto bahulaṁ viharāmi, asāraddhakāyo bahulaṁ viharāmi, āraddhavīriyo bahulaṁ viharāmi, samāhito bahulaṁ viharāmī’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesuyeva kusalesu dhammesu patiṭṭhāya uttari āsavānaṁ khayāya yogo karaṇīyo”ti.
But if, bhikkhus, upon reviewing, a bhikkhu knows: ‘I often dwell without intense craving, I often dwell with a kind mind, I often dwell free from dullness and drowsiness, I often dwell without restlessness, I often dwell having crossed over doubt, I often dwell not irritable, I often dwell with an undefiled mind, I often dwell physically relaxed, I often dwell with energy aroused, I often dwell with a collected mind,’ then, bhikkhus, established in those very wholesome qualities, that bhikkhu should make a further effort for the |wearing away of the taints::gradual exhaustion and elimination of the mental defilements or deep-seated afflictions such as sensual desire, craving for existence, views, and ignorance [āsava + khaya]|.”