Cetanākaraṇīya sutta: Aṅguttara 10.2. Volition

Textual Scholarship
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Aṅguttara Nikāya
The Book of the Tens
10.2. Volition

“Bhikkhus, for a virtuous person, one whose behavior is virtuous, no volition need be exerted: ‘Let non-regret arise in me.’ It is natural that non-regret arises in a virtuous person, one whose behavior is virtuous.

(3) “For one without regret no volition need be exerted: ‘Let joy arise in me.’ It is natural that joy arises in one without regret.

(4) “For one who is joyful no volition need be exerted: ‘Let rapture arise in me.’ It is natural that rapture arises in one who is joyful.

(5) “For one with a rapturous mind no volition need be exerted: ‘Let my body be tranquil.’ It is natural that the body of one with a rapturous mind is tranquil.

(6) “For one tranquil in body no volition need be exerted: ‘Let me feel pleasure.’ It is natural that one tranquil in body feels pleasure.

(7) “For one feeling pleasure no volition need be exerted: ‘Let my mind be concentrated.’ It is natural that the mind of one feeling pleasure is concentrated.

(8) “For one who is concentrated no volition need be exerted: ‘Let me know and see things as they really are.’ It is natural that one who is concentrated knows and sees things as they really are.

(9) “For one who knows and sees things as they really are no volition need be exerted: ‘Let me be disenchanted and dispassionate.’ It is natural that one who knows and sees things as they really are is disenchanted and dispassionate.

(10) “For one who is disenchanted and dispassionate no volition need be exerted: ‘Let me realize the knowledge and vision of liberation.’ It is natural that one who is disenchanted and dispassionate realizes the knowledge and vision of liberation.

“Thus, bhikkhus, (9)–(10) the knowledge and vision of liberation is the purpose and benefit of disenchantment and dispassion; (8) disenchantment and dispassion are the purpose and benefit of the knowledge and vision of things as they really are; (7) the knowledge and vision of things as they really are is the purpose and benefit of concentration; (6) concentration is the purpose and benefit of pleasure; (5) pleasure is the purpose and benefit of tranquility; (4) tranquility is the purpose and benefit of rapture; (3) rapture is the purpose and benefit of joy; (2) joy is the purpose and benefit of non-regret; and (1) non-regret is the purpose and benefit of virtuous behavior.

“Thus, bhikkhus, one stage flows into the next stage, one stage fills up the next stage, for going from the near shore to the far shore.”

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Cetanākaraṇīyasutta

“Sīlavato, bhikkhave, sīlasampannassa na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘avippaṭisāro me uppajjatū’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ sīlavato sīlasampannassa avippaṭisāro uppajjati. Avippaṭisārissa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘pāmojjaṁ me uppajjatū’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ avippaṭisārissa pāmojjaṁ jāyati. Pamuditassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘pīti me uppajjatū’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ pamuditassa pīti uppajjati. Pītimanassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘kāyo me passambhatū’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ pītimanassa kāyo passambhati. Passaddhakāyassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘sukhaṁ vediyāmī’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati. Sukhino, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘cittaṁ me samādhiyatū’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati. Samāhitassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘yathābhūtaṁ jānāmi passāmī’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ samāhito yathābhūtaṁ jānāti passati. Yathābhūtaṁ, bhikkhave, jānato passato na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘nibbindāmi virajjāmī’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ yathābhūtaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ nibbindati virajjati. Nibbinnassa, bhikkhave, virattassa na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: )‘vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ sacchikaromī’ti. Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ nibbinno viratto vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ sacchikaroti.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, nibbidāvirāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso; yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidāvirāgatthaṁ nibbidāvirāgānisaṁsaṁ; samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso; sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ; passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā; pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā; pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ; avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso; kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni. Iti kho, bhikkhave, dhammā dhamme abhisandenti, dhammā dhamme paripūrenti apārā pāraṁ gamanāyā”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

3

Could you explain this to me? Does that mean that we don’t need to try hard at all to attain jhana if we are virtuous because we will definitely attain it?

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To appreciate this sutta I think we need to learn more about the word dhammatā esa which follows na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ: ‘avippaṭisāro me uppajjatū’ti.

the Commentary to the sutta:

dutiye na cetanāya karaṇīyanti na cetetvā kappetvā pakappetvā kātabbaṃ. dhammatā esāti dhammasabhāvo eso kāraṇaniyamo ayaṃ. abhisandentīti pavattenti. paripūrentīti paripuṇṇaṃ karonti. apārā pāraṃ gamanāyāti orimatīrabhūtā tebhūmakavaṭṭā nibbānapāraṃ gamanatthāya.

Dhammatā esā ti —
“This is the nature of things” means:
dhammasabhāvo eso, kāraṇaniyamo ayaṃ
— this is the intrinsic nature (dhammasabhāva) of phenomena, a fixed causal order (kāraṇa-niyama)

Dutiye na cetanāya karaṇīyaṃ ti —
“Not to be done by volition” means:
na cetetvā kappetvā pakappetvā kātabbaṃ
— it should not be done by planning, arranging, or constructing through mental intention.

Effort, viriya arises with either kusala or akusala cittas and isn’t it true that in spiritual matters exetion can be done with a subtle wrong view. Dhammas arise when there are the right conditions, not at any other time, and when there are those conditions they must arise. It points to the absolute anattaness of the process of development. All the good intentions in the world are not going to help if the conditions are not present.

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This makes sense. Thank you

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here is a related sutta
2nd cetanakaraniya sutta
Numbered Discourses 11.2
Aṅguttara Nikāya 11.2
1. Dependence
1. Nissayavagga
Making a Wish

Cetanākaraṇīyasutta
“Mendicants, an ethical person, who has fulfilled ethical conduct, need not make a wish:
“Sīlavato, bhikkhave, sīlasampannassa na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May I have no regrets!’
‘avippaṭisāro me uppajjatū’ti.
It’s only natural that an ethical person has no regrets.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ sīlavato sīlasampannassa avippaṭisāro uppajjati.

When you have no regrets you need not make a wish:
Avippaṭisārissa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May I feel joy!’
‘pāmojjaṁ me uppajjatū’ti.
It’s only natural that joy springs up when you have no regrets.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ avippaṭisārissa pāmojjaṁ uppajjati.

When you feel joy you need not make a wish:
Pamuditassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May I experience rapture!’
‘pīti me uppajjatū’ti.
It’s only natural that rapture arises when you’re joyful.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ pamuditassa pīti uppajjati.

When your mind is full of rapture you need not make a wish:
Pītimanassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May my body become tranquil!’
‘kāyo me passambhatū’ti.
It’s only natural that your body becomes tranquil when your mind is full of rapture.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ pītimanassa kāyo passambhati.

When your body is tranquil you need not make a wish:
Passaddhakāyassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May I feel bliss!’
‘sukhaṁ vediyāmī’ti.
It’s only natural to feel bliss when your body is tranquil.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati.

When you feel bliss you need not make a wish:
Sukhino, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May my mind be immersed in samādhi!’
‘cittaṁ me samādhiyatū’ti.
It’s only natural for the mind to become immersed in samādhi when you feel bliss.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

When your mind is immersed in samādhi you need not make a wish:
Samāhitassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May I truly know and see!’
‘yathābhūtaṁ jānāmi passāmī’ti.
It’s only natural to truly know and see when your mind is immersed in samādhi.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ samāhito yathābhūtaṁ jānāti passati.

When you truly know and see you need not make a wish:
Yathābhūtaṁ, bhikkhave, jānato passato na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May I grow disillusioned!’
‘nibbindāmī’ti.
It’s only natural to grow disillusioned when you truly know and see.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ yathābhūtaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ nibbindati.

When you’re disillusioned you need not make a wish:
Nibbinnassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May I become dispassionate!’
‘virajjāmī’ti.
It’s only natural to grow dispassionate when you’re disillusioned.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ nibbinno virajjati.

When you’re dispassionate you need not make a wish:
Virattassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:
‘May I realize the knowledge and vision of freedom!’
‘vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ sacchikaromī’ti.
It’s only natural to realize the knowledge and vision of freedom when you’re dispassionate.
Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ viratto vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ sacchikaroti.

And so, mendicants, the knowledge and vision of freedom is the purpose and benefit of dispassion. Dispassion is the purpose and benefit of disillusionment. Disillusionment is the purpose and benefit of truly knowing and seeing. Truly knowing and seeing is the purpose and benefit of immersion. Immersion is the purpose and benefit of bliss. Bliss is the purpose and benefit of tranquility. Tranquility is the purpose and benefit of rapture. Rapture is the purpose and benefit of joy. Joy is the purpose and benefit of not having regrets. Not having regrets is the purpose and benefit of skillful ethics.
Iti kho, bhikkhave, virāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso, nibbidā virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā, yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ, samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso, sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ, passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā, pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā, pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ, avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni.
And so, mendicants, good qualities flow on and fill up from one to the other, for going from the near shore to the far shore.”
Iti kho, bhikkhave, dhammā dhamme abhisandenti, dhammā dhamme paripūrenti apārā pāraṁ gamanāyā”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

The Commentary:

  1. cetanākaraṇīyasuttavaṇṇanā
  2. dutiye na cetanāya karaṇīyanti na cetetvā kappetvā pakappetvā kātabbaṃ. dhammatā esāti dhammasabhāvo eso kāraṇaniyamo ayaṃ. abhisandentīti pavattenti. paripūrentīti paripuṇṇaṃ karonti. apārā pāraṃ gamanāyāti orimatīrabhūtā tebhūmakavaṭṭā nibbānapāraṃ gamanatthāya.

In the second (sutta), “not to be done by intention” means it is not to be done by intending, arranging, or preparing.

“This is the nature (dhammatā)” means: this is the essential nature of things, the law of cause and effect (kāraṇa-niyama).

“They flow forth” means they set things in motion.

“They fulfill” means they bring things to completion.

[This all occurs] for the purpose of crossing from this shore—referring to the cycle of existence within the threefold world (the sensuous, form, and formless realms)—to the far shore, Nibbāna.

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in the Netti pakarana (translated as The Guide) it has

p.193

  1. Herein, what is the type of Thread dealing with penetration ? <Above, below, in every way released,
    And seeing not at all that ‘/ am this’;
    Thus liberated, he has crossed the flood
    Not crossed before, for non-renewal of being >
    (§352;Pe24, 176). This is the type of Thread dealing with penetration.

  2. [l£&]< Ananda, no virtuous man has to choose “How shall I have no remorse ?”; for it is essential to the idea of the virtuous man that he has no remorse. No man without remorse has to choose "How shall I be glad V’;for it is essential to the idea of a man without remorse that he is glad. No man who is glad has to choose “How shall I be happy ?”; for it is essential to the idea of a man who is glad that he is happy. No happy man has to choose “How will my body become tranquil V”; for it is essential to the idea of a happy man that his body is tranquil. No one tranquil in body lias to choose “How shall I feel [bodily] pleasure ?”; for it is essential to the idea of one tranquil in body that he feels [bodily] pleasure. No one [feeling bodily] pleasure has to choose "How shall I become concentrated V’‘; for it is essential to the idea of one [feeling bodily] pleasure that he is concentrated. No one who is concentrated has to choose “How shall I understand how [things] are ?”; for it is essential to the idea of one who is con- centrated that he understands how [things] are. No one who under- stands how [things] are has to choose thus "How shall I find dispassion V’';
    for it is essential to the idea of one who understands how [things] are that he finds dispassion. No one finding dispassion has to choose “How will lust fade in me ?”;for it is essential to tlie idea of one finding dispassion that lust fades in him. No one in whom lust has faded The Pattern of the Dispensation
    193
    has to choose “How shall I be liberated ?”; for it is essential to the idea of one in whom lust has faded that he is liberated. No one liberated has to choose "How shall I have knowledge and seeing of deliverance V; for it is essential to the idea of one liberated that he has knowledge and seeing of deliverance> (cf. A. v, 2f.; cf. Pe 44, 182).

This is the type of Thread dealing with penetration.

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To clarify this translation:
> sīlavato, ānanda, na cetanā karaṇīyā:

“kinti me avippaṭisāro jāyeyyā”ti.
dhammatā esā, ānanda, yaṃ sīlavato avippaṭisāro jāyeyya. Ānanda, no virtuous man has to choose: ‘How shall I have no remorse?’;
for it is essential to the idea of the virtuous man that he has no remorse.
avippaṭisārinā, ānanda, na cetanā karaṇīyā:
“kinti me pāmojjaṃ jāyeyyā”ti.
dhammatā esā, ānanda, yaṃ avippaṭisārino pāmojjaṃ jāyeyya. No man without remorse has to choose: ‘How shall I be glad?’;
for it is essential to the idea of a man without remorse that he is glad.
pamuditena, ānanda, na cetanā karaṇīyā:
“kinti me pīti jāyeyyā”ti.
dhammatā esā, ānanda, yaṃ pamuditassa pīti jāyeyya. No man who is glad has to choose: ‘How shall I be happy?’;
for it is essential to the idea of a man who is glad that he is happy.
pītimanassa, ānanda, na cetanā karaṇīyā:
“kinti me kāyo passambheyyā”ti.
dhammatā esā, ānanda, yaṃ pītimanassa kāyo passambheyya. No happy man has to choose: ‘How will my body become tranquil?’;
for it is essential to the idea of a happy man that his body is tranquil.
passaddhakāyassa, ānanda, na cetanā karaṇīyā:
“kintāhaṃ sukhaṃ vediyeyya”nti.
dhammatā esā, ānanda, yaṃ passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vediyeyya. No one tranquil in body has to choose: ‘How shall I feel [bodily] pleasure?’;
for it is essential to the idea of one tranquil in body that he feels [bodily] pleasure.
sukhino, ānanda, na cetanā karaṇīyā:
“kinti me samādhi jāyeyyā”ti.
dhammatā esā, ānanda, yaṃ sukhino samādhi jāyeyya. No one [feeling bodily] pleasure has to choose: ‘How shall I become concentrated?’;
for it is essential to the idea of one [feeling bodily] pleasure that he is concentrated.
samāhitassa, ānanda, na cetanā karaṇīyā:
“kintāhaṃ yathābhūtaṃ pajāneyya”nti.
dhammatā esā, ānanda, yaṃ samāhito yathābhūtaṃ pajāneyya. No one who is concentrated has to choose: ‘How shall I understand how [things] are?’;
for it is essential to the idea of one who is concentrated that he understands how things are.

In in place of the literal “it is a law of nature” (for dhammatā esā) Nanamoli has " for it is essential to the idea of the virtuous man".
I prefer the literal.

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From what I understand from reading this, feeling bodily pleasures is essential for concentration. So, even if we force concentration, we can’t become concentrated if our body is tense and we don’t feel any bodily pleasure, joy, bliss, or tranquility.

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Thanks for pointing to that
Actually I think a better word is pleasant or happiness. No need to insert “bodily” there.

also in the phrase : Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati. I think kayo refers to the mental body.

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here is another sutta that shows that nature of conditionality.
Bhūmijasutta MN126

“Whatever recluses and brahmins have right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration, if they make an aspiration and they lead the holy life, they are able to procure fruit; if they make no aspiration and they lead the holy life, they are still able to procure fruit; if they both make an aspiration and make no aspiration and they lead the holy life, they are still able to procure fruit; if they neither make an aspiration nor make no aspiration and they lead the holy life, they are still able to procure fruit. Why is that? Because that [right path] is a proper method for procuring fruit.”

āsaṅka -aspiration

anāsañcepi: no aspiration

It shows that what is critical is understanding the right path. Any wishing for results is incidental. Thus:

Bhikkhus, just as the dawn is the forerunner and first indication of the rising of the sun, so is right view the forerunner and first indication of wholesome states.

For one of right view, bhikkhus, right intention springs up. For one of right intention, right speech springs up. For one of right speech, right action springs up. For one of right action, right livelihood springs up. For one of right livelihood, right effort springs up. For one of right effort, right mindfulness springs up. For one of right mindfulness, right concentration springs up. For one of right concentration, right knowledge springs up. For one of right knowledge, right deliverance springs up.

Anguttara Nikaya 10:121

Note: Sammā saṅkappassa Bodhi translates as right intention. however it is better translated as right thought. It touches the object.

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What does this mean?
“If they both make an aspiration and make no aspiration and they lead the holy life”

“If they neither make an aspiration nor make no aspiration and they lead the holy life”

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It means the aspiration is not important. If there is the development of the path, starting with right view, then the results come - with or without any aspirations.

I look at it this way: effort is best spent on understanding what the Buddha taught more than on trying for special states. If understanding grows then the factors that come with that are inevitably beneficial.

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