In short: in AN 1.51 the Buddha says the mind is radiant, but corrupted by passing defilements. Someone who doesn't understand this doesn't develop the mind; someone who does, trains it.
This mind, mendicants, is radiant. But it is corrupted by visiting corruptions. An unlearned ordinary person does not truly understand this. So I say that the unlearned ordinary person has no development of the mind.
AN 1.51, translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.
What it means
Greed, anger and confusion are "visiting" corruptions: guests, not the owner of the house. The mind can be freed from them, and knowing this is why mind training is worth doing. It is a deeply encouraging teaching for anyone who feels stuck in their moods. Start with mindfulness of breathing.
This page shows the whole Chapter on a Finger-Snap (AN 1.51 to 60).
Read the full guide
The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (AN1.51-60). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| 51 | 51 |
| “Pabhassaramidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. | “This mind, mendicants, is radiant. |
| Tañca kho āgantukehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ. | But it is corrupted by visiting corruptions. |
| Taṁ assutavā puthujjano yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. | An unlearned ordinary person does not truly understand this. |
| Tasmā ‘assutavato puthujjanassa cittabhāvanā natthī’ti vadāmī”ti. | So I say that the unlearned ordinary person has no development of the mind.” |
| Paṭhamaṁ. | |
| 52 | 52 |
| “Pabhassaramidaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ. | “This mind, mendicants, is radiant. |
| Tañca kho āgantukehi upakkilesehi vippamuttaṁ. | And it is freed from visiting corruptions. |
| Taṁ sutavā ariyasāvako yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. | A learned noble disciple truly understands this. |
| Tasmā ‘sutavato ariyasāvakassa cittabhāvanā atthī’ti vadāmī”ti. | So I say that the learned noble disciple has development of the mind.” |
| Dutiyaṁ. | |
| 53 | 53 |
| “Accharāsaṅghātamattampi ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mettācittaṁ āsevati; | “If, mendicants, a mendicant cultivates a mind of love even as long as a finger-snap, |
| ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave: | they’re called |
| ‘bhikkhu arittajjhāno viharati satthusāsanakaro ovādapatikaro, amoghaṁ raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñjati’. | a mendicant who does not lack absorption, who follows the Teacher’s instructions, who responds to advice, and who does not eat the country’s alms in vain. |
| Ko pana vādo ye naṁ bahulīkarontī”ti. | How much more so those who make much of it!” |
| Tatiyaṁ. | |
| 54 | 54 |
| “Accharāsaṅghātamattampi ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mettācittaṁ bhāveti; | “If, mendicants, a mendicant develops a mind of love even as long as a finger-snap, |
| ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave: | they’re called |
| ‘bhikkhu arittajjhāno viharati satthusāsanakaro ovādapatikaro, amoghaṁ raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñjati’. | a mendicant who does not lack absorption, who follows the Teacher’s instructions, who responds to advice, and who does not eat the country’s alms in vain. |
| Ko pana vādo ye naṁ bahulīkarontī”ti. | How much more so those who make much of it!” |
| Catutthaṁ. | |
| 55 | 55 |
| “Accharāsaṅghātamattampi ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mettācittaṁ manasi karoti; | “If, mendicants, a mendicant focuses on a mind of love even as long as a finger-snap, |
| ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave: | they’re called |
| ‘bhikkhu arittajjhāno viharati satthusāsanakaro ovādapatikaro amoghaṁ raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñjati’. | a mendicant who does not lack absorption, who follows the Teacher’s instructions, who responds to advice, and who does not eat the country’s alms in vain. |
| Ko pana vādo ye naṁ bahulīkarontī”ti. | How much more so those who make much of it!” |
| Pañcamaṁ. | |
| 56 | 56 |
| “Ye keci, bhikkhave, dhammā akusalā akusalabhāgiyā akusalapakkhikā, sabbe te manopubbaṅgamā. | “Mendicants, intention is the leader of all things whatsoever that are unskillful, part of the unskillful, on the side of the unskillful. |
| Mano tesaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭhamaṁ uppajjati, anvadeva akusalā dhammā”ti. | Intention is the first of those things to arise, and unskillful things follow right behind.” |
| Chaṭṭhaṁ. | |
| 57 | 57 |
| “Ye keci, bhikkhave, dhammā kusalā kusalabhāgiyā kusalapakkhikā, sabbe te manopubbaṅgamā. | “Mendicants, intention is the leader of all things whatsoever that are skillful, part of the skillful, on the side of the skillful. |
| Mano tesaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭhamaṁ uppajjati, anvadeva kusalā dhammā”ti. | Intention is the first of those things to arise, and skillful things follow right behind.” |
| Sattamaṁ. | |
| 58 | 58 |
| “Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā akusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā vā kusalā dhammā parihāyanti yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, pamādo. | “Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to unskillful qualities, or makes skillful qualities decline like negligence. |
| Pamattassa, bhikkhave, anuppannā ceva akusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā ca kusalā dhammā parihāyantī”ti. | When you’re negligent, unskillful qualities arise and skillful qualities decline.” |
| Aṭṭhamaṁ. | |
| 59 | 59 |
| “Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā kusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā vā akusalā dhammā parihāyanti yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, appamādo. | “Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to skillful qualities, or makes unskillful qualities decline like diligence. |
| Appamattassa, bhikkhave, anuppannā ceva kusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā ca akusalā dhammā parihāyantī”ti. | When you’re diligent, skillful qualities arise and unskillful qualities decline.” |
| Navamaṁ. | |
| 60 | 60 |
| “Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā akusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā vā kusalā dhammā parihāyanti yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, kosajjaṁ. | “Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to unskillful qualities, or makes skillful qualities decline like laziness. |
| Kusītassa, bhikkhave, anuppannā ceva akusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā ca kusalā dhammā parihāyantī”ti. | When you’re lazy, unskillful qualities arise and skillful qualities decline.” |
| Dasamaṁ. | |
| Accharāsaṅghātavaggo chaṭṭho. |
A related simile: the cloth and the dye.
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Questions people ask
What is the luminous mind in Buddhism?
In AN 1.51-52 the Buddha says: 'This mind is radiant, but it is corrupted by visiting corruptions', and that it can be freed from them. Defilements are temporary visitors, not the mind's nature.