AN 4.11  Cara sutta - Walking

Toleration of harmful thoughts

“Carato cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno uppajjati kāmavitakko vā byāpādavitakko vā vihiṁsāvitakko vā. Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti, nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, carampi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘anātāpī anottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ kusīto hīnavīriyo’ti vuccati.

“Bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is walking, a |thought of sensuality::thought related to enjoyment of sensual pleasures, sexual thought [kāmavitakka]|, a |thought of ill will::intentional thought of mental rejection, hostility, or malevolence toward others; deliberate contemplation rooted in antipathy or wishing harm [byāpādavitakka]| or a |thought of harming::idea of hurting, thought of cruelty [vihiṁsāvitakka]| arises, and if that bhikkhu tolerates it, does not abandon it, dispel it, eliminate it, or bring it to an end, even while walking, such a bhikkhu is called ‘unmotivated, |without concern::without regret, without remorse [anottāpī]|, constantly slack, and |weak in effort::low in energy, lacking in endurance [hīnavīriya]|.’

Ṭhitassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno uppajjati kāmavitakko vā byāpādavitakko vā vihiṁsāvitakko vā. Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti, nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, ṭhitopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘anātāpī anottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ kusīto hīnavīriyo’ti vuccati.

Bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is standing, a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill will or a thought of harming arises, and if that bhikkhu tolerates it, does not abandon it, dispel it, eliminate it, or bring it to an end, even while standing, such a bhikkhu is called ‘unmotivated, without concern, constantly slack, and weak in effort.’

Nisinnassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno uppajjati kāmavitakko vā byāpādavitakko vā vihiṁsāvitakko vā. Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti, nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, nisinnopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘anātāpī anottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ kusīto hīnavīriyo’ti vuccati.

Similarly, bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is sitting, a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill will or a thought of harming arises, and if that bhikkhu tolerates it, does not abandon it, dispel it, eliminate it, or bring it to an end, even while sitting, such a bhikkhu is called ‘unmotivated, without concern, constantly slack, and weak in effort.’

Sayānassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jāgarassa uppajjati kāmavitakko vā byāpādavitakko vā vihiṁsāvitakko vā. Tañce bhikkhu adhivāseti, nappajahati na vinodeti na byantīkaroti na anabhāvaṁ gameti, sayānopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgaro evaṁbhūto ‘anātāpī anottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ kusīto hīnavīriyo’ti vuccati.

Similarly, bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is lying down but awake, a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill will or a thought of harming arises, and if that bhikkhu tolerates it, does not abandon it, dispel it, eliminate it, or bring it to an end, even while lying down, such a bhikkhu is called ‘unmotivated, without concern, constantly slack, and weak in effort.’

Abandonment of harmful thoughts

Carato cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno uppajjati kāmavitakko vā byāpādavitakko vā vihiṁsāvitakko vā. Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti, pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti; carampi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati.

Bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is walking, a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill will, or a thought of harming arises, and if that bhikkhu does not tolerate it but abandons it, dispels it, eliminates it, and brings it to an end, even while walking, such a bhikkhu is called ‘|with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|, |with concern::with shame, with regret, having remorse [ottāpī]|, continuously |with energy aroused::with initiative [āraddhavīriya]|, and |determined::resolute, applying oneself [pahitatta]|.’

Ṭhitassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno uppajjati kāmavitakko vā byāpādavitakko vā vihiṁsāvitakko vā. Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti, pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti; ṭhitopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati.

Bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is standing, a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill will, or a thought of harming arises, and if that bhikkhu does not tolerate it but abandons it, dispels it, eliminates it, and brings it to an end, even while standing, such a bhikkhu is called ‘with continuous effort, with concern, continuously with energy aroused, and determined.’

Nisinnassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno uppajjati kāmavitakko vā byāpādavitakko vā vihiṁsāvitakko vā. Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti, pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti; nisinnopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati.

Similarly, bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is sitting, a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill will, or a thought of harming arises, and if that bhikkhu does not tolerate it but abandons it, dispels it, eliminates it, and brings it to an end, even while sitting, such a bhikkhu is called ‘with continuous effort, with concern, continuously with energy aroused, and determined.’

Sayānassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jāgarassa uppajjati kāmavitakko vā byāpādavitakko vā vihiṁsāvitakko vā. Tañce bhikkhu nādhivāseti, pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti; sayānopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgaro evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccatīti.

Likewise, bhikkhus, if while a bhikkhu is lying down but awake, a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill will, or a thought of harming arises, and if that bhikkhu does not tolerate it but abandons it, dispels it, eliminates it, and brings it to an end, even while lying down, such a bhikkhu is called ‘with continuous effort, with concern, continuously with energy aroused, and determined.’

Verse

Caraṁ vā yadi vā tiṭṭhaṁ,
nisinno uda vā sayaṁ;
Yo vitakkaṁ vitakketi,
pāpakaṁ gehanissitaṁ.

Whether walking or standing,
sitting or lying down;
Whoever nurtures |harmful thoughts::thoughts which when acted upon lead to harm or injury or karmically unprofitable mental states [pāpaka + vitakka]|,
connected to the household life —

Kummaggappaṭipanno so,
Mohaneyyesu mucchito;
Abhabbo tādiso bhikkhu,
Phuṭṭhuṁ sambodhimuttamaṁ.

Such a one is |on the wrong path::following an incorrect way of practice [kummaggappaṭipanno]|,
|infatuated with defilements::fixated on what is unwholesome, deluded by what is impure [mohaneyyesu + mucchita]|;
That kind of bhikkhu is incapable,
of reaching the |highest::supreme, ultimate [uttama]| awakening.

Yo ca caraṁ vā tiṭṭhaṁ vā,
Nisinno uda vā sayaṁ;
Vitakkaṁ samayitvāna,
Vitakkūpasame rato;
Bhabbo so tādiso bhikkhu,
Phuṭṭhuṁ sambodhimuttaman”ti.

But one who, whether walking or standing,
sitting or lying down;
Has |calmed::subsided, settled, stilled [samayitvāna]| their thoughts,
delighting in the |stilling of thoughts::settling the mind [vitakkūpasama]|;
That kind of bhikkhu is capable,
of reaching the highest awakening.”