[365] "And what, carpenter (thapati), are skillful thoughts (saṅkappā)? Thought of renunciation (nekkhamma), thought of non-ill will (abyāpāda), and thought of non-harming (avihiṃsā) — these, carpenter, are called skillful thoughts.
"And from what, carpenter, do these skillful thoughts originate? Their origination too has been stated: it should be said that they originate from perception (saññā). What perception? Perception indeed is manifold, of many kinds, of various sorts. That which is perception of renunciation, perception of non-ill will, perception of non-harming — skillful thoughts originate from this.
"And where do these skillful thoughts cease without remainder? Their cessation too has been stated. Here, carpenter, with the subsiding of thought (vitakka) and examination (vicāra) … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna. It is here that these skillful thoughts cease without remainder.
"And how practicing, carpenter, is one practicing for the cessation of skillful thoughts? Here, carpenter, a bhikkhu generates desire (chanda), strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and endeavors for the non-arising of evil, unskillful states that have not arisen … for the abandoning of evil, unskillful states that have arisen … for the arising of skillful states that have not arisen … he generates desire, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and endeavors for the persistence, non-decline, increase, abundance, development, and fulfillment of skillful states that have arisen. Practicing thus, carpenter, one is practicing for the cessation of skillful thoughts."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.