Skip to content
Brickwall Unlimited

Two Kinds of Thinking

MN 19, the Dvedhāvitakka Sutta — set 3, Learning to Look at Your Own Mind

Reading time: about 10 min · 1,774 words

Skip to the translation

Before you read

What happens

The Buddha describes how, before awakening, he divided his own thinking into two groups and watched where each group led.

Central question

How does thinking along one line, again and again, shape the heart? And what can you do when a line of thought leads toward harm or distress?

Main point

Repeated thinking inclines the heart in the same direction. Before his awakening, the Buddha examines thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and harming for their consequences and lets them subside. He develops thoughts of letting go, non-ill-will, and non-harming without straining the heart.

Reading tip

The most usable teaching is in the first two classes of thought and the two cowherd comparisons. The later account of deep practice and awakening shows where this training led. You do not need to master it on a first reading.

This text is not saying

The text is not telling you to fight every unwanted thought or to keep thinking without rest. It judges thoughts by where they lead and what they reinforce. It even says that helpful thinking can strain the heart if it goes on too long.

Key words

These definitions are here so you do not need to know Pali or Buddhist vocabulary before reading.

heart
This project's rendering of "citta": the feeling side of mind. It takes on moods, wants, leans, and reacts. Practice can gladden, steady, train, and release it. Some call it the "heart-mind" or "feeling mind". Here "heart" does not mean only emotion, or the physical organ.
wholesome
This project's rendering of "kusala". Roughly: mentally and ethically healthy. It is blameless, leads to well-being, and people with good judgment praise it.
unwholesome
This project's rendering of "akusala". Roughly: mentally and ethically harmful. It is blameworthy, leads to harm, and people with good judgment criticize it.
remembering
This project's rendering of "sati". It means actively keeping what matters in mind and coming back to it when you lose it. It is not bare attention to whatever happens to be present.
unification of mind
This project's rendering of "samādhi" -- the thinking mind and heart gathered together into one organized, workable whole instead of pulling against each other. It does not mean narrowing attention onto one point. Usually translated "concentration," which this project avoids because it suggests forcing and strain.
mental theme
This project's rendering of "jhāna" -- a single theme the mind rests on and holds steadily. Described in a sequence of four, each calmer than the last. Most translations leave the word in Pāli.

Translation

The Setting

So I heard.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus."

"Bhante," they replied.

The Buddha said this:

Dividing Thinking in Two

"Bhikkhus, before my awakening, while I was still unawakened but intent on awakening, this thought arose in me:

'What if I were to keep dividing thinking into two classes?'

So I put thinking of sensuality, thinking of ill will, and thinking of harming in the first class. I put thinking of renunciation, thinking of non-ill-will, and thinking of non-harming in the second.

The Unwholesome Class

"Then, while I was diligent, ardent, and resolved, thinking of sensuality arose in me. I understood:

'This thinking of sensuality has arisen in me. It leads to harming myself, to harming others, and to harming both. It blocks discernment, is on the side of distress, and does not lead to quenching.'

When I reflected, 'It leads to harming myself,' it subsided. When I reflected, 'It leads to harming others,' it subsided. When I reflected, 'It leads to harming both,' it subsided. When I reflected, 'It blocks discernment, is on the side of distress, and does not lead to quenching,' it subsided. So whenever thinking of sensuality arose in me, I abandoned it, drove it out, and brought it to an end.

The same was true for thinking of ill will and thinking of harming.

The Inclination of the Heart

"Whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders, toward that the heart inclines.

If a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders thinking of sensuality, thinking of renunciation is let go, thinking of sensuality is made much of, and the heart inclines that way.

If a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders thinking of ill will, thinking of non-ill-will is let go, thinking of ill will is made much of, and the heart inclines that way.

If a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders thinking of harming, thinking of non-harming is let go, thinking of harming is made much of, and the heart inclines that way.

The First Cowherd Simile

"Suppose, bhikkhus, in the last month of the rainy season, in autumn, when the crops are thick, a cowherd were guarding the cattle. They would rap them here and there with a stick, turn them back, hem them in, and keep them out.

Why is that?

Because they would see what could happen: a beating, a binding, a fine, or blame.

In the same way, I saw in unwholesome dhammas the drawback, the low side, and the corruption; and in wholesome dhammas, in renunciation, the benefit and the side of cleansing.

The Wholesome Class

"Then, while I was diligent, ardent, and resolved, thinking of renunciation arose in me. I understood:

'This thinking of renunciation has arisen in me. It does not lead to harming myself, to harming others, or to harming both. It nourishes discernment, is on the side of non-distress, and leads to quenching.'

If I kept thinking and pondering this all night, I saw no danger in that. If I kept thinking and pondering this all day, I saw no danger in that. If I kept thinking and pondering this all night and day, I saw no danger in that.

Still, if I were to keep thinking and pondering too long, my body would become tired. When the body is tired, the heart becomes strained. When the heart is strained, it is far from unification of mind. So I stilled the heart inwardly, settled it down, made it direct, and brought it into unification of mind.

Why is that?

So that the heart would not become strained.

The same was true for thinking of non-ill-will and thinking of non-harming.

The Inclination of the Heart, Again

"Whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders, toward that the heart inclines.

If a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders thinking of renunciation, thinking of sensuality is let go, thinking of renunciation is made much of, and the heart inclines that way.

If a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders thinking of non-ill-will, thinking of ill will is let go, thinking of non-ill-will is made much of, and the heart inclines that way.

If a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders thinking of non-harming, thinking of harming is let go, thinking of non-harming is made much of, and the heart inclines that way.

The Second Cowherd Simile

"Suppose, bhikkhus, in the last month of the hot season, when all the crops had been gathered into the villages, a cowherd were guarding the cattle. Whether at the root of a tree or out in the open, they would only need to remember: 'Those are the cattle.'

In the same way, I only needed to remember: 'These dhammas are here.'

Jhāna and the Three Knowledges

"My energy was aroused and unflagging, remembering was established and did not slip, the body was tranquil and undisturbed, and the heart was well-unified and direct.

Quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unwholesome dhammas, I entered and remained in the first mental theme, with thinking and pondering, with rejoicing and satisfaction born of seclusion.

With the subsiding of thinking and pondering, with inner clarity and singleness of mind, I entered and remained in the second mental theme, without thinking and pondering, with rejoicing and satisfaction born of unification.

With the fading of rejoicing, I remained in dynamic balance, remembering and clearly knowing, and I experienced ease in the body. I entered and remained in the third mental theme, of which the noble ones say: 'One of dynamic balance and remembering stays at ease.'

With the abandoning of ease and discomfort, and with the earlier ending of gladness and sadness, I entered and remained in the fourth mental theme, without discomfort and without ease, purified by dynamic balance and remembering.

With the heart well-unified, purified, bright, stainless, free from corruption, pliable, workable, steady, and unshakable, I inclined it toward recollecting past lives. I recollected many kinds of past lives, with their aspects and particulars.

This was the first knowledge I attained in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was dispelled, knowledge arose; darkness was dispelled, light arose, as happens for someone diligent, ardent, and resolved.

With the heart well-unified, purified, bright, stainless, free from corruption, pliable, workable, steady, and unshakable, I inclined it toward the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings. With the purified divine eye, surpassing the human, I saw beings passing away and reappearing, low and high, beautiful and ugly, in good destinations and bad destinations. I understood beings as moving on according to their kamma.

This was the second knowledge I attained in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was dispelled, knowledge arose; darkness was dispelled, light arose, as happens for someone diligent, ardent, and resolved.

With the heart well-unified, purified, bright, stainless, free from corruption, pliable, workable, steady, and unshakable, I inclined it toward the knowledge of the wearing away of the outflows.

I directly understood as it really is: 'This is dissatisfaction.' I directly understood as it really is: 'This is the arising of dissatisfaction.' I directly understood as it really is: 'This is the quenching of dissatisfaction.' I directly understood as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the quenching of dissatisfaction.'

I directly understood as it really is: 'These are the outflows.' I directly understood as it really is: 'This is the arising of the outflows.' I directly understood as it really is: 'This is the quenching of the outflows.' I directly understood as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the quenching of the outflows.'

Knowing and seeing in this way, the heart was freed from the outflow of sensuality, from the outflow of becoming, and from the outflow of ignorance. When it was freed, there came the knowledge: 'It is freed.' I directly understood: 'Birth is worn away, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being.'

This was the third knowledge I attained in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was dispelled, knowledge arose; darkness was dispelled, light arose, as happens for someone diligent, ardent, and resolved.

The Deer Simile

"Suppose, bhikkhus, in a forest wilderness there were a great low-lying marsh, and a large herd of deer lived depending on it.

Then a person might appear who wanted their harm, their hurt, and their lack of safety. They would close off the safe and secure path leading to delight, open up the bad path, set out the male decoy, and station the female decoy. In that way, in time, that great herd of deer would come to ruin and disaster.

Then another person might appear who wanted their welfare, their good, and their safety. They would open the safe and secure path leading to delight, close off the bad path, remove the male decoy, and destroy the female decoy. In that way, in time, that great herd of deer would grow, increase, and reach fullness.

I have made this simile, bhikkhus, to make the meaning clear. And this is its meaning:

'The great low-lying marsh' is a term for sensuality.

'The large herd of deer' is a term for beings.

'The person who wants their harm, hurt, and lack of safety' is a term for Māra the Evil One.

'The bad path' is a term for the wrong eightfold path, that is: wrong view, wrong attitude, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong remembering, and wrong unification of mind.

'The male decoy' is a term for relishing and passion.

'The female decoy' is a term for ignorance.

'The person who wants their welfare, good, and safety' is a term for the Tathāgata, the arahant, the fully awakened Buddha.

'The safe and secure path leading to delight' is a term for the noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right attitude, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right remembering, and right unification of mind.

So, bhikkhus, I have opened the safe and secure path leading to delight. I have closed off the bad path. I have removed the male decoy and destroyed the female decoy.

The Instruction

"Whatever should be done by a teacher seeking the welfare of disciples, out of kindness towards them, has been done for you by me.

Here are these roots of trees, bhikkhus; here are these empty huts. Think like this, bhikkhus; do not be negligent; do not later become regretful. This is our instruction to you."

That is what the Buddha said. The bhikkhus were glad and welcomed what the Buddha had said.

Words used in this translation (44)
arahant
Someone who has completed the path and has nothing further to do. Left untranslated; "saint" and "perfected one" both mislead.
awakening
Coming fully awake to how things are. Sometimes translated "enlightenment," a word this project avoids as needlessly mystical.
becoming
This project's rendering of "bhava" -- the settling of experience into a way of being that feels like somebody being something. Often translated "existence."
Bhante
A respectful way of addressing a senior monastic, roughly "venerable sir." Left untranslated because English has no natural equivalent.
bhikkhu
A Buddhist monk -- someone who has left household life to practise full time. Left untranslated because "monk" carries centuries of unrelated European associations.
bhikkhus
Buddhist monks -- those who have left household life to practise full time. The Buddha's usual way of addressing the assembly, roughly "friends" in force.
birth
This project's rendering of "jāti": birth, coming into being. In the dependent-arising sequence, ageing and dying depend on it. In MN 141 the word appears once in its everyday sense instead, in a simile about a mother.
body
The physical body, as distinct from speech and the mental side of experience.
born of seclusion
Coming from having stepped away from busyness and distraction, rather than from anything acquired.
clarity
This project's rendering of "amoha," literally "non-delusion" -- seeing without the confusion and distortion that drive harmful action.
clearly knowing
Acting while plainly aware of what you are doing.
dissatisfaction
This translation's rendering of "dukkha," the Buddhist term for the unsatisfying, unstable quality of ordinary experience. Often translated "suffering," but that can sound more dramatic than the everyday sense of things not quite being right.
dynamic balance
This project's rendering of "upekkhā" (often translated "equanimity") -- a steadiness that stays engaged rather than checking out, distinct from indifference.
fading
The fading away of attraction and investment in experience, as passion cools.
gladness
This project's rendering of "muditā", often translated "sympathetic joy". It means being truly glad at someone else's good fortune. You cultivate it as a practice; you do not assume it comes naturally.
heart
This project's rendering of "citta": the feeling side of mind. It takes on moods, wants, leans, and reacts. Practice can gladden, steady, train, and release it. Some call it the "heart-mind" or "feeling mind". Here "heart" does not mean only emotion, or the physical organ.
ignorance
This project's rendering of "avijjā" -- not general stupidity, but specifically not seeing how dissatisfaction works and how it ends. The first link in the dependent-arising sequence.
ill will
Hostility toward others or situations: pushing things away and wishing them harm. As one of the five hindrances, it pulls the mind off track.
kamma
Intentional action, and the way it shapes what follows. Better known by its Sanskrit form "karma," and narrower than the popular sense -- it is about intention, not cosmic bookkeeping.
knowing and seeing
Knowing something and seeing it for yourself. Kept as two words because these texts treat them as two related things rather than one.
mental theme
This project's rendering of "jhāna" -- a single theme the mind rests on and holds steadily. Described in a sequence of four, each calmer than the last. Most translations leave the word in Pāli.
noble eightfold path
The eight-part practice these texts teach: right view, right attitude, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right remembering, and right unification of mind.
outflow
This project's rendering of "āsava" -- a deep-running habit that keeps seeping out and driving behaviour. Often translated "taint" or "defilement."
outflows
This project's rendering of "āsavā" -- deep-running habits that keep seeping out and driving behaviour, classically sensuality, becoming, and ignorance. Often translated "taints" or "defilements."
quenching
An extinguishing image for dissatisfaction and its causes going out. Different Pali words use this image on different pages, so the exact scope comes from the sentence.
rejoicing
This project's rendering of "pīti" (often translated "rapture") -- the bright, uplifted gladness that shows up when practice is going well.
remembering
This project's rendering of "sati". It means actively keeping what matters in mind and coming back to it when you lose it. It is not bare attention to whatever happens to be present.
right action
Acting without harming -- a factor of the eightfold path.
right attitude
This project's rendering of the path factor usually translated "right intention" -- the underlying motivation a person brings to their actions.
right effort
Effort that is well aimed: heading off what is unhelpful and building up what helps -- a factor of the eightfold path.
right livelihood
Making a living in a way that does not depend on harming or deceiving anyone -- a factor of the eightfold path.
right remembering
This project's rendering of the path factor usually translated "right mindfulness" -- keeping what actually matters in view, moment to moment, rather than losing track of it.
right speech
Speech that is truthful, kind, timely, and worth saying -- a factor of the eightfold path.
right unification of mind
The path factor in which the mind gathers together and becomes unified, supported and directed by the rest of the noble path. The thinking mind and the heart work as one whole; nobody forces them into a trance.
right view
Seeing how experience and practice actually work -- the first factor of the eightfold path. "Right" here means well-aimed and accurate, not morally righteous.
singleness of mind
The mind become single and undivided as thinking and pondering settle in the second mental theme. Kept distinct from unification of mind (samādhi).
spiritual life
The Buddhist path of practice as a whole -- not just a set of beliefs, but a whole way of living.
Tathāgata
A title for the Buddha, traditionally left untranslated. It means roughly "the one who has arrived at things as they truly are."
unification
Short for unification of mind (samādhi) inside a longer phrase, such as "born of unification" or "the faculty of unification."
unification of mind
This project's rendering of "samādhi" -- the thinking mind and heart gathered together into one organized, workable whole instead of pulling against each other. It does not mean narrowing attention onto one point. Usually translated "concentration," which this project avoids because it suggests forcing and strain.
unwholesome
This project's rendering of "akusala". Roughly: mentally and ethically harmful. It is blameworthy, leads to harm, and people with good judgment criticize it.
wearing away
The gradual using-up of something until it runs out completely. The texts use it especially for what has to run out before release.
wholesome
This project's rendering of "kusala". Roughly: mentally and ethically healthy. It is blameless, leads to well-being, and people with good judgment praise it.
wrong view
Seeing things in a way that misses how they actually work; the opposite of right view.
Source and corrections