AN4_11: Carasutta

Carasutta - translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi

(1) “Bhikkhus, if a sensual thought, a thought of ill will, or a thought of harming arises in a bhikkhu while walking, and he tolerates it, does not abandon it, dispel it, terminate it, and obliterate it, then that bhikkhu is said to be devoid of ardor and moral dread; he is constantly and continuously lazy and lacking in energy while walking.

(2) “If a sensual thought … arises in a bhikkhu while standing … (3) If a sensual thought … arises in a bhikkhu while sitting … (4) If a sensual thought, a thought of ill will, or a thought of harming arises in a bhikkhu while wakefully lying down, and he tolerates it, does not abandon it, dispel it, terminate it, and obliterate it, then that bhikkhu is said to be devoid of ardor and moral dread; he is constantly and continuously lazy and lacking in energy while wakefully lying down.

(1) “But, bhikkhus, if a sensual thought, a thought of ill will, or a thought of harming arises in a bhikkhu while walking, and he does not tolerate it but abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it, then that bhikkhu is said to be ardent and to dread wrongdoing; he is constantly and continuously energetic and resolute while walking.

(2) “If a sensual thought … arises in a bhikkhu while standing … (3) If a sensual thought … arises in a bhikkhu while sitting … (4) If a sensual thought, a thought of ill will, or a thought of harming arises in a bhikkhu while wakefully lying down, and he does not tolerate it but abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, an.ii.14 and obliterates it, then that bhikkhu is said to be ardent and to dread wrongdoing; he is constantly and continuously energetic and resolute while walking.”

Whether walking or standing,
sitting or lying down,
one who thinks bad thoughts
connected with the household life
has entered upon a dire path,
infatuated by delusive things:
such a bhikkhu cannot reach
the highest enlightenment.

But one who, whether walking,
standing, sitting, or lying down,
has calmed his thoughts
and delights in the stilling of thought:
a bhikkhu such as this can reach
the highest enlightenment.

© Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2012)

This excerpt from The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha by Bhikkhu Bodhi is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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