[Christian]

Bhikkunupassaya Sutta

I look forward to helping with translation and meaning of this fragment:

Then they reflect:
So iti paṭisañcikkhati:

‘I have accomplished the goal for which I directed my mind.
‘yassa khvāhaṃ atthāya cittaṃ paṇidahiṃ, so me attho abhinipphanno.

Let me now pull back.’
Handa dāni paṭisaṃharāmī’ti.

They pull back, and neither place the mind nor keep it connected.
So paṭisaṃharati ceva na ca vitakketi na ca vicāreti.

They understand: ‘I’m neither placing the mind nor keeping it connected. Mindful within myself, I’m happy.’
‘Avitakkomhi avicāro, ajjhattaṃ satimā sukhamasmī’ti pajānāti.

What pullback mean here? Thank you

[Lal]

In order to make it more clear, I will translate the whole verse containing that fragment:

“Katamesu catūsu? Idhānanda, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ. Tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato kāyārammaṇo vā uppajjati kāyasmiṃ pariḷāho, cetaso vā līnattaṃ, bahiddhā vā cittaṃ vikkhipati. Tenānanda, bhikkhunā kismiñcideva pasādanīye nimitte cittaṃ paṇidahitabbaṃ. Tassa kismiñcideva pasādanīye nimitte cittaṃ paṇidahato pāmojjaṃ jāyati. Pamuditassa pīti jāyati. Pītimanassa kāyo passambhati. Passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vedayati. Sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘yassa khvāhaṃ atthāya cittaṃ paṇidahiṃ, so me attho abhinipphanno. Handa dāni paṭisaṃharāmī’ti. So paṭisaṃharati ceva na ca vitakketi na ca vicāreti. ‘Avitakkomhi avicāro, ajjhattaṃ satimā sukhamasmī’ti pajānāti“.

Translated:
“What four? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu having removed covetousness and displeasure (abhijjhādomanassaṃ) regard to the world, dwells contemplating the body and its actions (kāye kāyānupassī) with comprehension and mindfulness. If there arises in him any distracting thoughts or sluggishness of the mind, he should focus his mind on an inspiring sign (pasādanīye nimitta). Then joy will arise in him which will intensify to rapture. When the mind is uplifted by rapture, the body becomes tranquil. One tranquil in body experiences bodily sukha, which leads to samādhi. He reflects thus: ‘I have fully accomplished the goal of attaining citta pasāda by focusing on fruitful actions/thoughts. Let me now withdraw from that inspiring sign (focus or nimitta). So he withdraws the mind from that nimitta and does not maintain that focus (vitakka) or examine it in detail (vicāra) anymore. He understands: ‘Without even focusing or examining such a good nimitta, internally concentrated (ajjhattam satimā), I realize that I am happy“.

The point is that once he gets to samādhi, there is no need to focus on a nimitta to keep experiencing the joy in the mind and sukha in the body.

[Christian]

Thank you very much Lal, now it’s make perfect sense

[Author]

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