Dear Piya,

op 01-03-2003 03:25 schreef Piya Tan op libris@...:

>
> Has anyone any insight or thought on the best translation of
> vitakka,sa.nkhaara,sa.n.thaana in the Vitakka,san.t.haana Sutta here?
>
> [My provisional translation:]
> If, monks, while a monk is not minding and is disregarding those thoughts,
> there still arises in him evil unskillful thoughts connected with desire,
> hate and delusion arise in him, then should turn his mind to the stilling
> of the thought-formation (vitakka,sa.nkhaara,santhaana) [by examining the
> causal sequence] of those evil unskillful thoughts. (M 1:120,18-19)

Nina: santhaana, also spelled sa.n.thaana: P.E.D.p. 671, this sutta is
mentioned:
configuration, position, composition, nature, shape, form.
Now to the Co (in Thai):
<As to the analysis of sa.nkhaara: he should consider his "sa.n.thaana
sa"nkhaara", that is, whatever reality (sabhaava, nature) conditions
(prungteng: prepare, condition or accumulate) that cause (hetu), that
reality is sa"nkhaara.
It is explained that this is the condition (paccaya), cause of action,
kaarana, root (muula).
As to the analysis of sa.n.thaana: where it is well established (thi tang ju
di), where it is located. The sa.n.thaana of vitakka sa"nkhaara is called
"vitakka sa.nkhaara sa.n.thaana". The bhikkhu should consider that vitakka
sa.nkhaara. The Buddha explained that the bhikkhu should consider what is
the cause and what is not the cause of his thoughts: what is the cause, the
condition of this thought, for which reason does it arise.>
Sa.nkhaara has different meanings in different contexts, and here we have to
think of sa.nkhaarakkhandha, the cetasikas (mental factors) which are
called formations, activities etc. They form up conditions, they are
accumulated and accumulate. Vitakka is one of them.
The translation: P.T.S. has: the monk should attend to the thought function
and form of those thoughts.
The Co explains further on the attitude of the wise (pa.n.dito) as to
walking quickly, slowly, etc: when a thought arises, it is compared to
walking quickly, when the bhikkhu attends to the "traveling" (thiaw paj) of
that thought it is like walking slowly. When he has attended to the
traveling of that thought he fixes his thought on the meditation subject.
When he has developed vipassana and he attains arahatship, this is compared
to the sitting down of a person. The fruition attainment of the bhikkhu,
with nibbana as object during a whole day is compared to the person who lies
down.
Citta, with vitakka, travels all the time, it frequents different objects
through the six doorways.
The Commentary begins with adhicitta, explaining this word mentioned in the
sutta: the citta of the eight attainments (of jhaana), that has as
foundation vipassana. Vipassana is implied all along, as in all suttas. The
monk does not have to reason about it that his traveling thoughts have
conditions, he can just realize them there and then as vitakka sa'nkhaara,
realities conditioned by former accumulations, non-self. As I see it, even
when, as we read further on, he suppresses them with teeth clenched, he can
realize that this is also conditioned, such are his accumulations,
sa.nkhaara.(This is my opinion)
The Commentary is long but very impressive, many similes. What is also
stressed, the monk should be with his teacher, study the Dhamma, ask
questions, listen to Dhamma on due occasions, and analyse which dhamma is
.thaana (the right cause) and which dhamma is a.thaana. In this way moha can
be abandoned, the Commentary states. As I see it, these are the right
conditions for vipassana.
I cannot advise on the best translations, but I hope the Commentary has
helped you somewhat to clarify the meaning of terms,
Nina.