Mil 3.1.8
8. Distinguishing Characteristic of Attention Question
8. Manasikāralakkhaṇapañha
from: Great Chapter
8. Distinguishing Characteristic of Attention Question
The king asked: “Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and what is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom?” “Examination is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and severing is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.”
“How does attention have the distinguishing characteristic of examination? And how does wisdom have the distinguishing characteristic of severing? Please give me an analogy.” “Do you know barley reapers, your majesty?” “Yes, venerable sir, I know them.” “How, your majesty, do barley reapers reap barley?” “Venerable sir, they take a sheaf of barley in the left hand, and take a sickle in the right hand, and they cut with the sickle.”
“Just as, your majesty, a barley reaper takes a sheaf of barley in the left hand, takes a sickle in the right hand, and cuts the barley, in the same way, your majesty, does the spiritual aspirant take hold of the mind with attention, and cut off the defilements with wisdom. Indeed thus, your majesty, examination is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and severing is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.”
“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”
Distinguishing Characteristic of Attention Question eighth
8. Manasikāralakkhaṇapañha
Rājā āha— “kiṁlakkhaṇo, bhante nāgasena, manasikāro, kiṁlakkhaṇā paññā”ti? “Ūhanalakkhaṇo kho, mahārāja, manasikāro, chedanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti.
“Kathaṁ ūhanalakkhaṇo manasikāro, kathaṁ chedanalakkhaṇā paññā? Opammaṁ karohī”ti. “Jānāsi tvaṁ, mahārāja, yavalāvake”ti. “Āma, bhante, jānāmī”ti. “Kathaṁ, mahārāja, yavalāvakā yavaṁ lunantī”ti? “Vāmena, bhante, hatthena yavakalāpaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena dāttaṁ gahetvā dāttena chindantī”ti.
“Yathā, mahārāja, yavalāvako vāmena hatthena yavakalāpaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena dāttaṁ gahetvā yavaṁ chindati; evameva kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro manasikārena mānasaṁ gahetvā paññāya kilese chindati, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, ūhanalakkhaṇo manasikāro, evaṁ chedanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti.
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
Manasikāralakkhaṇapañho aṭṭhamo.