..續本文上一頁 — like all other forms and degrees of aversion — is entirely discarded, like the snake”s worn-out skin, at the stage of the non-returner. Then it loses forever its power to germinate in lives beyond — though even at the earlier stages of the stream-enterer and the once-returner, it will have been greatly weakened. There is what may be called a "higher" form of grudge, appearing as "righteous indignation" and a resentful or even hostile attitude towards evil and evil-doers. But even this "higher" form of grudge, as well as its very common lower form, will be transcended in a mind that has grown mature in compassion and understanding.

　　 7. He who has burned out his evil thoughts,

　　entirely cut them off within his heart,

　　— such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,

　　just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.

　　Our verse speaks only of "thoughts" (vitakka), without further qualification; but there is no doubt that only undesirable, unwholesome and evil thoughts are meant. Skillful and noble thoughts, particularly those aiming at liberation, should not be "burned out" from the heart. The commentary to our verse speaks of the threefold wrong thoughts of sensuality, ill will and cruelty, as opposed to the threefold right thought (samma-sankappa) of the Noble Eightfold Path. The commentary further mentions thoughts of gain, position and fame; concern for personal immortality; excessive attachment to home and country, to one”s family or to other persons. These latter types of thought apply chiefly to monks, since, according to Buddhist lay ethics, concern for home and family, and even a moderate concern for gain and position, are not discouraged when they contribute toward the fulfillment of a layman”s duties. Yet all these attachments are fetters binding us to the here and the beyond, and one day they have to be discarded if the heart”s freedom is to be won.

　　But the root thoughts of everything harmful and evil are those of greed, hatred and delusion, which are expressly mentioned in the "Discourse on the Quelling of Thoughts" (Vitakka-Santhana Sutta).[12] In that discourse, the Buddha sets forth five methods of removing such harmful thoughts from one”s mind, given in a graded sequence from subtler methods of removal to increasingly coarser approaches.

　　The first method is that of immediately replacing undesirable, evil thoughts by their desirable and beneficial opposites: greedy thoughts should be superseded by thoughts of renunciation and selflessness; hate by thoughts of friendliness, love and compassion; delusion and confusion by wise comprehension and clarity of thought. The discourse gives here the simile of driving out a coarse peg with a fine one, as carpenters do. This method will work best when there is a strong natural tendency to turn away quickly from any inner defilement or outer temptation, and to replace these thoughts immediately by their antidote. When this spontaneity of moral reaction is weak or absent, this method of replacement may still be workable, if one has a fair degree of mind control, aided by alert mindfulness and firm determination. These latter qualities, however, can be gradually acquired or strengthened by mental training, until they ripen into spontaneous advertence to the good. The second method makes use of the mental impact of strong repugnance against evil, by impressing on the mind the ugliness, depravity, danger and unworthiness of evil thoughts. This may serve as a transition to, or preparation for, the first method. The simile in the discourse is here that of a carcass thrown over the neck of a handsome young man or woman who will then feel "horrified, humiliated and disgusted" by it and will do the utmost to discard it.

　　Third, when these methods fail and undesirable thoughts still perturb the m…

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