“Mendicants, suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the wrong way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, it is impossible for it to break the skin and produce blood. Why is that? Because the spike is pointing the wrong way. In the same way, it is quite impossible for a mendicant whose mind is pointing the wrong way to break ignorance, produce knowledge, and realize extinguishment. Why is that? Because their mind is pointing the wrong way.”
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sālisūkaṁ vā yavasūkaṁ vā micchāpaṇihitaṁ hatthena vā pādena vā akkantaṁ hatthaṁ vā pādaṁ vā bhecchati lohitaṁ vā uppādessatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Micchāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, sūkassa. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu micchāpaṇihitena cittena avijjaṁ bhecchati, vijjaṁ uppādessati, nibbānaṁ sacchikarissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Micchāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, cittassā”ti.
Paṭhamaṁ.
“Mendicants, suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the right way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, it’s possible it may break the skin and produce blood. Why is that? Because the spike is pointing the right way. In the same way, it is quite possible for a mendicant whose mind is pointing the right way to break ignorance, produce knowledge, and realize extinguishment. Why is that? Because the mind is pointing the right way.”
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sālisūkaṁ vā yavasūkaṁ vā sammāpaṇihitaṁ hatthena vā pādena vā akkantaṁ hatthaṁ vā pādaṁ vā bhecchati lohitaṁ vā uppādessatīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Sammāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, sūkassa. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu sammāpaṇihitena cittena avijjaṁ bhecchati, vijjaṁ uppādessati, nibbānaṁ sacchikarissatīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Sammāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, cittassā”ti.
Dutiyaṁ.
“Mendicants, when I’ve comprehended the mind of an individual whose mind is corrupted, I understand: ‘If this individual were to die right now, they would be placed in hell as if delivered there.’ Why is that? Because their mind is corrupted. Corruption of mind is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”
“Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ paduṭṭhacittaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi: ‘imamhi ce ayaṁ samaye puggalo kālaṁ kareyya, yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye’. Taṁ kissa hetu? Cittaṁ hissa, bhikkhave, paduṭṭhaṁ. Cetopadosahetu pana, bhikkhave, evam’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjantī”ti.
Tatiyaṁ.
“Mendicants, when I’ve comprehended the mind of an individual whose mind is pure, I understand: ‘If this individual were to die right now, they would be placed in heaven as if delivered there.’ Why is that? Because their mind is pure. Purity of mind is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”
“Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ pasannacittaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi: ‘imamhi ce ayaṁ samaye puggalo kālaṁ kareyya, yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge’. Taṁ kissa hetu? Cittaṁ hissa, bhikkhave, pasannaṁ. Cetopasādahetu pana, bhikkhave, evam’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjantī”ti.
Catutthaṁ.
“Suppose, mendicants, there was a lake that was cloudy, murky, and muddy. A person with clear eyes standing on the bank would not see the clams and mussels, pebbles and gravel, and schools of fish swimming about or staying still. Why is that? Because the water is clouded. In the same way, that a mendicant whose mind is clouded would know what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both; or that they would realize any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones: this is quite impossible. Why is that? Because their mind is clouded.”
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, udakarahado āvilo luḷito kalalībhūto tattha cakkhumā puriso tīre ṭhito na passeyya sippisambukampi sakkharakaṭhalampi macchagumbampi carantampi tiṭṭhantampi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Āvilattā, bhikkhave, udakassa. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu āvilena cittena attatthaṁ vā ñassati paratthaṁ vā ñassati ubhayatthaṁ vā ñassati uttariṁ vā manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ sacchikarissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Āvilattā, bhikkhave, cittassā”ti.
Pañcamaṁ.
“Suppose, mendicants, there was a lake that was transparent, clear, and unclouded. A person with clear eyes standing on the bank would see the clams and mussels, pebbles and gravel, and schools of fish swimming about or staying still. Why is that? Because the water is unclouded. In the same way, that a mendicant whose mind is not clouded would know what’s for their own good, the good of another, or the good of both; or that they would realize any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones: this is quite possible. Why is that? Because their mind is unclouded.”
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, udakarahado accho vippasanno anāvilo tattha cakkhumā puriso tīre ṭhito passeyya sippisambukampi sakkharakaṭhalampi macchagumbampi carantampi tiṭṭhantampi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Anāvilattā, bhikkhave, udakassa. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu anāvilena cittena attatthaṁ vā ñassati paratthaṁ vā ñassati ubhayatthaṁ vā ñassati uttariṁ vā manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ sacchikarissatīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Anāvilattā, bhikkhave, cittassā”ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
“Just as, mendicants, the sandan is said to be the best kind of tree in terms of its pliability and workability, so too, I do not see a single thing that’s as pliable and workable as this mind that is developed and cultivated. A mind that is developed and cultivated is pliable and workable.”
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici rukkhajātānaṁ phandano tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati yadidaṁ mudutāya ceva kammaññatāya ca. Evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, nāññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ mudu ca hoti kammaññañca yathayidaṁ cittaṁ. Cittaṁ, bhikkhave, bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ mudu ca hoti kammaññañca hotī”ti.
Sattamaṁ.
“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that’s as quick to change as this mind. So much so that it’s not easy to give a simile for how quickly the mind changes.”
“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ lahuparivattaṁ yathayidaṁ cittaṁ. Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, upamāpi na sukarā yāva lahuparivattaṁ cittan”ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.
“This mind, mendicants, is radiant. But it’s corrupted by visiting corruptions.”
“Pabhassaramidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Tañca kho āgantukehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhan”ti.
Navamaṁ.
“This mind, mendicants, is radiant. And it is freed from visiting corruptions.”
“Pabhassaramidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. Tañca kho āgantukehi upakkilesehi vippamuttan”ti.
Dasamaṁ.
Paṇihitaacchavaggo pañcamo.