In short: in AN 4.77 the Buddha names four things that should not be speculated about because trying leads to frustration: the range of a Buddha, the range of deep meditation, the exact results of deeds, and speculation about the world.
Mendicants, these four things are unthinkable. They should not be thought about, and anyone who tries to think about them will go mad or get frustrated. What four? The domain of the Buddhas… The domain of one in absorption… The results of deeds… Speculation about the world…
AN 4.77, translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.
What it means
Some questions cannot be settled by thinking, and chasing them only adds stress. Notice "the results of deeds" is on the list: we cannot calculate exactly why anyone, including ourselves, experiences what they do. That is why the fitting response to others' suffering is compassion, not judgment (see karma in Buddhism). Same spirit as the poisoned arrow.
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The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (AN4.77). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| “Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, acinteyyāni, na cintetabbāni; yāni cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa. | “Mendicants, these four things are unthinkable. They should not be thought about, and anyone who tries to think about them will go mad or get frustrated. |
| Katamāni cattāri? | What four? |
| Buddhānaṁ, bhikkhave, buddhavisayo acinteyyo, na cintetabbo; | The domain of the Buddhas … |
| yaṁ cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa. | |
| Jhāyissa, bhikkhave, jhānavisayo acinteyyo, na cintetabbo; | The domain of one in absorption … |
| yaṁ cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa. | |
| Kammavipāko, bhikkhave, acinteyyo, na cintetabbo; | The results of deeds … |
| yaṁ cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa. | |
| Lokacintā, bhikkhave, acinteyyā, na cintetabbā; | Speculation about the world … |
| yaṁ cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assa. | |
| Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri acinteyyāni, na cintetabbāni; yāni cintento ummādassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti. | These are the four unthinkable things. They should not be thought about, and anyone who tries to think about them will go mad or get frustrated.” |
| Sattamaṁ. |
Try it
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Questions people ask
What are the four unthinkables in Buddhism?
AN 4.77: the domain of the Buddhas, the domain of one in absorption, the results of deeds, and speculation about the world. Thinking about them leads to madness or frustration.