Connected Discourses on the Establishments of Mindfulness

1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in Ambapālī’s Grove. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”¹²² What follows is the uddesa (condensed statement) of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (DN No. 22; MN No. 10) without the niddesa (elaboration). Full-length commentaries on the text are at Sv III 741-61 and Ps II 244-66; the commentary in Spk is much abridged. The relevant passages, with excerpts from the subcommentary, are translated in Soma, The Way of Mindfulness, pp. 35-64. The commentaries offer two derivations of satipaṭṭhāna: one from sati + upaṭṭhāna, “the establishment of mindfulness”; the other from sati + paṭṭhāna, “the foundation of mindfulness.” The former emphasizes the act of setting up mindfulness, the latter the objects to which mindfulness is applied. While the commentaries lean towards the derivation from sati + paṭṭhāna, the former is certainly more original and is supported by the Skt smṛtyupasthāna. See too the common expressions, upaṭṭhitasati, “with mindfulness established” (e.g., at 54:13; V 331,10, etc.) and parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā, “having established mindfulness in front of him” (e.g., at 54:1; V 311,13, etc.). Paṭis, by consistently glossing sati with upaṭṭhāna, also shows a preference for this derivation. For a brief explanation of the expression according to the commentarial method, see Vism 678-79 (Ppn 22:34).

2“Venerable sir!” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

3“Bhikkhus, this is the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and displeasure, for the achievement of the method, for the realization of Nibbāna, that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.¹²³ Ekāyano ayaṁ maggo is often translated “This is the only way” (Soma) or “This is the sole way” (Nyanaponika), implying that the Buddha’s way of mindfulness is an exclusive path. The commentary to the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, however, gives five explanations of the phrase, of which only one suggests exclusivity (see Sv III 743-44; Ps I 229-30; translated in Soma, The Way of Mindfulness, pp. 36-39). Spk here mentions only the first: ekamaggo ayaṁ bhikkhave maggo, na dvedhāpathabhūto; “a single path, bhikkhus, is this path, not a forked path.” Ekāyana magga occurs elsewhere in the Nikāyas only at MN I 74,14-15 foll., where it clearly means a path leading straight to its destination. I thus understand the metaphorical use of the phrase to be a way of indicating that satipaṭṭhāna leads straight to “the purification of beings,” etc.; perhaps the way of mindfulness is being contrasted with other types of meditation that do not always lead straight to the goal. For a fuller discussion, see Gethin, The Buddhist Path to Awakening, pp. 59-66. The word should not be confused with ekayāna, “one vehicle,” the central theme of the Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra. Spk explains the “method” (ñāya) as the Noble Eightfold Path. Thus, by developing the path of satipaṭṭhāna, which is mundane in the preliminary phase, one eventually achieves the supramundane path. On ñāya, see II, n. 122.
What four?

4“Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.¹²⁴ For a translation of the commentarial passage on this basic formula, see Soma, The Way of Mindfulness, pp. 51-64. An early word gloss is at Vibh 194-95. Gethin discusses the basic formula, Buddhist Path to Awakening, pp. 47-53. A few key points: The repetitive phrase “contemplating the body in the body” (kāye kāyānupassī) serves “to determine the object (the body) by isolating it” from other things such as feeling, mind, etc., and to show that one contemplates only the body as such, not as permanent, pleasurable, a self, or beautiful. Similarly in regard to the other three establishments. “Ardent” (ātāpī) connotes energy, “clearly comprehending” (sampajāno) implies wisdom. “Covetousness and displeasure” (abhijjhā-domanassa) are code words for the first two hindrances, and thus their removal may be understood to imply some success in concentration. Thus altogether four of the five spiritual faculties (indriya) are indicated here, and while faith is not mentioned it is clearly a prerequisite for taking up the practice in the first place.
Spk glosses vineyya: tadaṅgavinayena vā vikkhambhanavinayena vā vinayitvā, “having removed: having removed by removal in a particular respect or by removal through suppression.” “Removal in a particular respect” signifies temporary removal by deliberate restraint or by insight, “removal through suppression” temporary removal by the attainment of jhāna. The phrase need not be understood to mean that one must first abandon the hindrances before one starts to develop the four establishments of mindfulness. It would be sufficient to have temporarily suspended “covetousness and displeasure” through dedication to the practice itself.
He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

5“This, bhikkhus, is the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and displeasure, for the achievement of the method, for the realization of Nibbāna, that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.”

6This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, those bhikkhus delighted in the Blessed One’s statement. [142]

2. Mindful

1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in Ambapālī’s Grove. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”

2“Venerable sir!” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

3“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell mindful and clearly comprehending: this is our instruction to you.¹²⁵ The same advice is at 36:7 (IV 211,1-19). Spk comments at length on the practice of clear comprehension. For a translation see Soma, The Way of Mindfulness, pp. 83-132, and Bodhi, Discourse on the Fruits of Recluseship, pp. 96-134. Briefly, the four are: (1) clear comprehension of purpose-fulness (sātthaka-sampajañña), discerning a worthy purpose in one’s intended action; (2) clear comprehension of suitability (sappāya-sampajañña), discerning a suitable means of achieving one’s aim; (3) clear comprehension of the resort (gocara-sampajañña), maintaining awareness of one’s meditation subject when engaged in various activities; and (4) clear comprehension as nondelusion (asammoha-sampajañña ), discerning one’s actions as conditioned processes devoid of a substantial self. For a good contemporary explanation, see Nyanaponika, The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, pp. 46-57.

4“And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu mindful? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is mindful.

5“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu exercise clear comprehension? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is one who acts with clear comprehension when going forward and returning; when looking ahead and looking aside; when drawing in and extending the limbs; when wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; when eating, drinking, chewing his food, and tasting; when defecating and urinating; when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, speaking, and keeping silent. It is in such a way that a bhikkhu exercises clear comprehension.

6“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell mindful and clearly comprehending. This is our instruction to you.”

3. A Bhikkhu

1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2“Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, [143] I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”

3“It is in just such a way that some foolish persons here make requests of me, but when the Dhamma has been spoken to them, they think only of following me around.”¹²⁶ Spk: This bhikkhu, it is said, after asking the Buddha to explain a meditation subject, had just roamed here and there and did not devote himself to solitude. Therefore the Buddha spoke thus to restrain him.

4“Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma in brief! Let the Fortunate One teach me the Dhamma in brief! Perhaps I may understand the meaning of the Blessed One’s statement; perhaps I may become an heir of the Blessed One’s statement.”

5“Well then, bhikkhu, purify the very starting point of wholesome states. And what is the starting point of wholesome states? Virtue that is well purified and view that is straight.¹²⁷ Spk: The view is that of one’s responsibility for one’s own action (kammassakatādiṭṭhi), i.e., belief in kamma and its fruits, which implies as well belief in rebirth. The Buddha’s statement here establishes that right view (the first factor of the Noble Eightfold Path) and right conduct (factors 3-5) are the basis for the successful practice of mindfulness meditation.
Then, bhikkhu, when your virtue is well purified and your view straight, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you should develop the four establishments of mindfulness in a threefold way.

6“What four? Here, bhikkhu, dwell contemplating the body in the body internally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating the body in the body externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating the body in the body internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.¹²⁸ Spk says nothing, but Sv III 765,15-18 and Ps I 249,24-27 explain in regard to mindfulness of breathing: “At one time in his own and at another in another’s respiration-body, he dwells in contemplation of the body. By this there is reference to the time when the yogi’s mind moves repeatedly back and forth (internally and externally by way of object) without laying aside the familiar subject of meditation” (The Way of Mindfulness, p. 74). In relation to the other three establishments, the commentaries give basically the same explanation, without addressing the problem of how one without psychic abilities can contemplate another person’s feelings and states of mind.

7“Dwell contemplating feelings in feelings internally … externally … internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating mind in mind internally … externally … internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena, internally … externally … internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

8“When, bhikkhu, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you develop these four establishments of mindfulness thus in a threefold way, then, whether night or day comes, you may expect only growth in wholesome states, not decline.”

9Then that bhikkhu, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s statement, [144] rose from his seat and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, he departed keeping him on his right.

10Then, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, that bhikkhu, by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life entered and dwelt in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness. He directly knew: “Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.” And that bhikkhu became one of the arahants.

4. At Sālā

1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans at the brahmin village of Sālā. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:

2“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are newly ordained, not long gone forth, recently come to this Dhamma and Discipline, should be exhorted, settled, and established by you in the development of the four establishments of mindfulness. What four?

3“‘Come, friends, dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, unified, with limpid mind, concentrated, with one-pointed mind, in order to know the body as it really is. Dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … in order to know feelings as they really are. Dwell contemplating mind in mind … in order to know mind as it really is. Dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena … in order to know phenomena as they really are.’ [145]

4“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are trainees, who have not attained their mind’s ideal, who dwell aspiring for the unsurpassed security from bondage: they too dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, unified, with limpid mind, concentrated, with one-pointed mind, in order to fully understand the body as it really is. They too dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … in order to fully understand feelings as they really are. They too dwell contemplating mind in mind … in order to fully understand mind as it really is. They too dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena … in order to fully understand phenomena as they really are.

5“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and are completely liberated through final knowledge: they too dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, unified, with limpid mind, concentrated, with one-pointed mind, detached from the body. They too dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … detached from feelings. They too dwell contemplating mind in mind … detached from mind. They too dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena … detached from phenomena.

6“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are newly ordained, not long gone forth, recently come to this Dhamma and Discipline, should be exhorted, settled, and established by you in the development of these four establishments of mindfulness.”

5. A Heap of the Wholesome

1At Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One said this: “Bhikkhus, if one were to say of anything ‘a heap of the unwholesome,’ it is about the five hindrances that one could rightly say this. For this is a complete heap of the unwholesome, that is, the five hindrances. What five? [146] The hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will, the hindrance of sloth and torpor, the hindrance of restlessness and remorse, the hindrance of doubt. If one were to say of anything ‘a heap of the unwholesome,’ it is about these five hindrances that one could rightly say this. For this is a complete heap of the unwholesome, that is, the five hindrances.

2“If, bhikkhus, one were to say of anything ‘a heap of the wholesome, ’ it is about the four establishments of mindfulness that one could rightly say this. For this is a complete heap of the wholesome, that is, the four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.¹²⁹ Interestingly, the first section of the contemplation of phenomena deals with the five hindrances, showing how the application of mindfulness can turn even defilements into the raw material for the development of the practice. If one were to say of anything ‘a heap of the wholesome, ’ it is about these four establishments of mindfulness that one could rightly say this. For this is a complete heap of the wholesome, that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.”

6. The Hawk

1“Bhikkhus, once in the past a hawk suddenly swooped down and seized a quail.¹³⁰ The parable of the hawk and the quail is also related in the Sakuṇagghi Jātaka (No. 168; Jā II 58-59), with the Bodhisatta as the quail and Devadatta as the hawk. For additional references, see KS 5:125, n. 1. Though sakuṇagghi is a feminine, this need not imply the hawk is female. Ajjhapattā is a reduplicated aorist which, in the Pāli tradition, became transformed into a past participle; see von Hinüber, “Traces of the Reduplicated Aorist in Pāli,” in Selected Papers, pp. 52-61. The conjunction of two finite verbs here seems hard to account for, as normally an absolutive would precede a finite verb. Then, while the quail was being carried off by the hawk, he lamented: ‘We were so unlucky, of so little merit! We strayed out of our own resort into the domain of others. If we had stayed in our own resort today, in our own ancestral domain, this hawk wouldn’t have stood a chance against me in a fight.’ - ‘But what is your own resort, quail, what is your own ancestral domain?’ - ‘The freshly ploughed field covered with clods of soil.’ [147]

2“Then the hawk, confident of her own strength, not boasting of her own strength,¹³¹ PED does not list apatthaddhā, but CPD explains it as a past participle < Skt apa-stambh. Ja II 59,17,20 reads atthaddhā/ thaddhā. Be and Ee have sake bale asaṁvadamānā, Se sake bale avacamānā; Spk explains it as though it were not a negation: saṁvadamānā ti sammā vadamānā, attano balassa suṭṭhu vaṇṇaṁ vadamānā; “boasting: speaking fully, thoroughly praising her own strength.” released the quail, saying: ‘Go now, quail, but even there you won’t escape me.’

3“Then, bhikkhus, the quail went to a freshly ploughed field covered with clods of soil. Having climbed up on a large clod, he stood there and addressed the hawk: ‘Come get me now, hawk! Come get me now, hawk!’

4“Then the hawk, confident of her own strength, not boasting of her own strength, folded up both her wings and suddenly swooped down on the quail. But when the quail knew, ‘That hawk has come close,’ he slipped inside that clod, and the hawk shattered her breast right on the spot. So it is, bhikkhus, when one strays outside one’s own resort into the domain of others.

5“Therefore, bhikkhus, do not stray outside your own resort into the domain of others. Māra will gain access to those who stray outside their own resort into the domain of others; Māra will get a hold on them.¹³² Cp. 35:243 (IV 185,7-15; 186,23-30). [148]

6“And what is not a bhikkhu’s own resort but the domain of others? It is the five cords of sensual pleasure. What five? Forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. Sounds cognizable by the ear … Odours cognizable by the nose … Tastes cognizable by the tongue … Tactile objects cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure. This is what is not a bhikkhu’s own resort but the domain of others.

7“Move in your own resort, bhikkhus, in your own ancestral domain. Māra will not gain access to those who move in their own resort, in their own ancestral domain; Māra will not get a hold on them.

8“And what is a bhikkhu’s resort, his own ancestral domain? It is the four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is a bhikkhu’s resort, his own ancestral domain.”

7. The Monkey

1“Bhikkhus, in the Himalayas, the king of mountains, there are rugged and uneven zones where neither monkeys nor human beings can go; there are rugged and uneven zones where monkeys can go but not human beings; there are even and delightful regions where both monkeys and human beings can go. There, along the monkey trails, hunters set out traps of pitch for catching monkeys.

2“Those monkeys who are not foolish and frivolous, when they see the pitch, avoid it from afar. But a monkey who is foolish and frivolous approaches the pitch and seizes it with his hand; he gets caught there. Thinking, ‘I will free my hand,’ he seizes it with his other hand; he gets caught there. Thinking, ‘I will free both hands,’ he seizes it with his foot; he gets caught there. Thinking, ‘I will free both hands and my foot,’ he seizes it with his other foot; he gets caught there.’ Thinking, ‘I will free both hands and feet,’ he applies his muzzle to it; he gets caught there.

3“Thus, bhikkhus, that monkey, trapped at five points, lies there screeching. He has met with calamity and disaster and the hunter can do with him as he wishes. [149] The hunter spears him, fastens him to that same block of wood,¹³³ Be reads tasmiṁ yeva kaṭṭhakataṅgāre avassajjetvā, followed by Ee (which differs only in having avasajjetvā); Se has tasmiṁ yeva makkaṭaṁ uddharitvā avissajjetvā, an obvious rewording of the received text to make it more intelligible. Neither Spk nor Spk-pṭ offers any help. CPD calls kaṭṭhakataṅgāre a “problematic reading of uncertain meaning” and supposes the sentence to be corrupt. However, in a recent review of Sanskrit-Wörterbuch der buddhistischen Texte aus den Turfan-Funden, Bhikkhu Pāsādiko points out that the Wörterbuch has an entry kāṣṭha-kaḍambara corresponding to kaṭṭhakataṅgāra of the Pāli; on this basis he suggests amending our text to read kaṭṭhakaliṅgare āvajjetvā, which he renders “having fastened [the monkey] just to that wooden staff [of his].” Pāsādiko translates the Chinese version of the Saṁyuktāgama text thus: “Hardly has the hunter arrived when he takes the staff, fastens [the monkey] to it and goes away, carrying [the load] on his shoulder” (pp. 191-92). I accept the amendation of kataṅgāre to kaliṅgare, though I think it likely that the latter refers, not to the hunter’s staff, but to the same (tasmiṁ yeva) block of wood on which the monkey was trapped by the pitch. Elsewhere kaliṅgara means log or block (see 20:8, Dhp 41), though I know of no instance where it means a staff. I also do not see how āvajjetvā could mean “having fastened,” and prefer to retain the verb given in the text. The sense then is that the hunter secures the monkey to the block of wood to which it is stuck and then goes off with the block, bringing the monkey along. and goes off where he wants. So it is, bhikkhus, when one strays outside one’s own resort into the domain of others.

4“Therefore, bhikkhus, do not stray outside your own resort into the domain of others. Māra will gain access to those who stray outside their own resort into the domain of others; Māra will get a hold on them.

5“And what is not a bhikkhu’s own resort but the domain of others? It is the five cords of sensual pleasure…. (as above) … This is what is not a bhikkhu’s own resort but the domain of others.

6“Move in your own resort, bhikkhus, in your own ancestral domain. Māra will not gain access to those who move in their own resort, in their own ancestral domain; Māra will not get a hold on them.

7“And what is a bhikkhu’s resort, his own ancestral domain? It is the four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is a bhikkhu’s resort, his own ancestral domain.”

8. The Cook

(i. The incompetent cook)

1“Bhikkhus, suppose a foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries: sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland. [150]

2“That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own master’s preference:¹³⁴ Reading with Se, sakassa bhattu nimittaṁ na uggaṇhāti. Be and Ee have bhattassa, but bhattu is genitive of bhattar, the relevant noun here (not bhatta). I translate literally, even at the cost of awkwardness, to preserve the parallel with the meditating monk. ‘Today this curry pleased my master, or he reached for this one, or he took a lot of this one, or he spoke in praise of this one; or the sour curry pleased my master today, or he reached for the sour one, or he took a lot of the sour one, or he spoke in praise of the sour one; or the bitter curry … or the pungent curry … or the sweet curry … or the sharp curry … or the mild curry … or the salty curry … or the bland curry pleased my master … or he spoke in praise of the bland one.’

3“That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not gain [gifts of] clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own master’s preference.

4“So too, bhikkhus, here some foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the body, his mind does not become concentrated, his corruptions are not abandoned, he does not pick up that sign.¹³⁵ Spk: He does not know, “This meditation subject of mine has reached up to conformity or change-of-lineage.” He isn’t able to grasp the sign of his own mind. The terms “conformity” (anuloma) and “change-of-lineage” (gotrabhū) denote the final occasions of sense-sphere consciousness before one attains either jhāna or the supramundane path and fruit; presumably the preliminary to jhāna is intended. The phrase cittassa nimittaṁ gahessati is at AN III 423,13, glossed by Mp: cittassa nimittan ti samādhivipassanācittassa nimittaṁ, samādhivipassanākāraṁ; “sign of the mind: sign of the mind of concentration or insight, the mode of concentration or insight.”
He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, his mind does not become concentrated, his corruptions are not abandoned, he does not pick up that sign.

5“That foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not gain pleasant dwellings in this very life, nor does he gain [151] mindfulness and clear comprehension. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not pick up the sign of his own mind.

(ii. The competent cook)

6“Suppose, bhikkhus, a wise, competent, skilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries: sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.¹³⁶ This portion of the sutta is quoted at Vism 150-51 (Ppn 4:122). Spk says that satipaṭṭhāna is treated as insight of the preliminary stage.

7“That wise, competent, skilful cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master … or he spoke in praise of the bland one.’

8“That wise, competent, skilful cook gains [gifts of] clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that wise, competent, skilful cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference.

9“So too, bhikkhus, here some wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the body, his mind becomes concentrated, his corruptions [152] are abandoned, he picks up that sign. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, his mind becomes concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that sign.

10“That wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu gains pleasant dwellings in this very life, and he gains mindfulness and clear comprehension. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu picks up the sign of his own mind.”

9. Ill

1Thus have I heard.¹³⁷ This incident is recorded in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, at DN II 98-101. Spk assigns the incident to the tenth month before the Master’s demise. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in Beluvagāmaka. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:

2“Come, bhikkhus, enter upon the rains wherever you have friends, acquaintances, and intimates in the vicinity of Vesālī. I myself will enter upon the rains right here in Beluvagāmaka.”

3“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied, and they entered upon the rains wherever they had friends, acquaintances, and intimates in the vicinity of Vesālī, while the Blessed One entered upon the rains right there in Beluvagāmaka.

4Then, when the Blessed One had entered upon the rains, a severe illness arose in him and terrible pains bordering on death assailed him. But the Blessed One endured them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed. Then the thought occurred to the Blessed One: “It is not proper for me to attain final Nibbāna without having addressed my attendants and taken leave of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. Let me then suppress this illness by means of energy and live on, having resolved upon the life formation.”¹³⁸ Jīvitasaṅkhāraṁ adhiṭṭhāya. Spk: The life formation is life itself [Spk-pṭ: because of revitalizing the body without letting it fail] as well as fruition attainment, by which life is vitalized, sustained, prolonged. The latter is intended here. The concise meaning is, “I will attain fruition attainment, which is capable of prolonging life.” He entered the attainment with the determination, “Let the pain not arise for another ten months,” and the pain, suppressed by the attainment, did not arise for another ten months. [153] Then the Blessed One suppressed that illness by means of energy and lived on, having resolved upon the life formation.

5The Blessed One then recovered from that illness. Soon after he had recovered, he came out from his dwelling and sat down in the seat that had been prepared in the shade behind the dwelling. The Venerable Ānanda then approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “It’s splendid, venerable sir, that the Blessed One is bearing up, splendid that he has recovered!¹³⁹ I follow Se and Ee, which do not include the initial exclamation found in Be, diṭṭho me bhante bhagavato phāsu; the latter, however, is at DN II 99,21. I think Ee is correct in retaining diṭṭhā; in Se and Be the word is taken as a past participle and is represented as neuter diṭṭhaṁ, but here it seems to function idiomatically with the meaning “lucky” or “splendid.” See DN III 73,18: diṭṭhā bho satta jīvasi, “It’s splendid, sir being, that you’re alive.” The lines that follow are at 22:84 (III 106,19-21); see III, n. 149. Here Spk explains dhammā pi nappaṭibhanti as meaning, “The teachings on the establishments of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānadhammā) are not clear to me.” Possibly the expression means simply, “Things (in general) aren’t clear to me.” But, venerable sir, when the Blessed One was ill my body seemed as if it were drugged, I had become disoriented, the teachings were not clear to me. Nevertheless, I had this much consolation: that the Blessed One would not attain final Nibbāna without having made some pronouncement concerning the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.”

6“What does the Bhikkhu Saṅgha now expect from me, Ānanda? I have taught the Dhamma, Ānanda, without making a distinction between inside and outside.¹⁴⁰ Anantaraṁ abāhiraṁ. Spk: Without making a distinction of inside and outside with respect either to Dhamma or persons. One makes the distinction with respect to Dhamma when one thinks, “I will teach so much Dhamma to others but this much I won’t teach.” One does so with respect to persons when one thinks, “I’ll teach this person but not that one.” The Master did not teach in this way. The “teacher’s closed fist” (ācariyamuṭṭhi) is found among outsiders, who reserve certain teachings for their favourite pupils only when they are lying on their deathbed; but the Tathāgata does not have this. In connection with these two ideas, see Mil 144-45, 159-60.
The Tathāgata has no closed fist of a teacher in regard to the teachings. If, Ānanda, anyone thinks, ‘I will take charge of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha,’ or ‘The Bhikkhu Saṅgha is under my direction,’ it is he who should make some pronouncement concerning the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. But, Ānanda, it does not occur to the Tathāgata, ‘I will take charge of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha,’ or ‘The Bhikkhu Saṅgha is under my direction, ’ so why should the Tathāgata make some pronouncement concerning the Bhikkhu Saṅgha? Now I am old, Ānanda, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, come to the last stage. My age is now turning eighty. Just as an old cart keeps going by a combination of straps,¹⁴¹ Readings of this obscure compound vary. Be has vekhamissakena , Se veghamissakena (the reading at Ee DN II 100,14-15), Ee vedhamissakena. In a note Be proposes veṭhamissakena , the actual reading in the gloss given by Spk (both Be and Se). A similar expression occurs at Th 143a, in Ee veghamissena. At EV I, n. to 143, Norman presents the case for veṭha (= Skt veṣṭa, “band, noose”). Gombrich discusses the problem in “Old Bodies Like Carts,” arguing for the reading vedha, “trembling,” but it is hard to see how this sits comfortably in a compound with missakena. Hence I follow Spk and Norman in reading veṭhamissakena. Spk: By a combination of straps: by a combination of straps through being repaired with bands for the arms, bands for the wheels, etc. (bāhābandhacakkabandhādinā paṭisaṅkharaṇena veṭhamissakena). So it seems … keeps going (maññe yāpeti): He shows, “Like an old cart, it seems it is by a combination of straps, i.e., by being strapped with the fruition of arahantship (arahattaphalaveṭhanena), that the body of the Tathāgata assumes the four modes of deportment.”
It should be noted that this passage would hardly make sense if the commentaries were right in holding that Ānanda was born on the same day as the Bodhisatta, for the Buddha would not need to insist on the frailties of old age if Ānanda too was an old man. See II, n. 296.
so it seems the body of the Tathāgata keeps going by a combination of straps. [154]

7“Whenever, Ānanda, by nonattention to all signs and by the cessation of certain feelings, the Tathāgata enters and dwells in the signless concentration of mind, on that occasion, Ānanda, the body of the Tathāgata is more comfortable.¹⁴² The expression used here is animitta cetosamādhi, but this concentration must be different from the one with the same name mentioned at 40:9. Spk explains the latter as deep insight concentration, the present one as fruition attainment (phalasamāpatti). This would then make it identical with the animitta cetovimutti of 41:7 (IV 297,4-6). Therefore, Ānanda, dwell with yourselves as your own island, with yourselves as your own refuge, with no other refuge; dwell with the Dhamma as your island, with the Dhamma as your refuge, with no other refuge. And how, Ānanda, does a bhikkhu dwell with himself as his own island, with himself as his own refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as his island, with the Dhamma as his refuge, with no other refuge? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

8“Those bhikkhus, Ānanda, either now or after I am gone, who dwell with themselves as their own island, with themselves as their own refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as their island, with the Dhamma as their refuge, with no other refuge—it is these bhikkhus, Ānanda, who will be for me topmost of those keen on the training.”¹⁴³ The attadīpa exhortation is also at 22:43. Spk explains dhamma in dhammadīpa, dhammasaraṇa as the ninefold supramundane Dhamma (the four paths, four fruits, and Nibbāna). Tamatagge has been much puzzled over in the scholarly literature on the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta. Spk (which parallels Sv II 548-49) takes the term as equivalent to tama-agge, with -t- inserted as a euphonic conjunct (padasandhi). It is possible that tamatagge should be understood as equivalent to tamato agge, on the analogy of ajjatagge or daharatagge, but this would still leave the problem of meaning unsolved; “from the darkness on” hardly makes good sense here. Spk is evidently perplexed about the meaning and, without quite admitting uncertainty, wavers between taking tama as the superlative suffix (transposed by metathesis) and as “darkness”: “These are topmost (aggatamā), hence tamataggā. Thus, ‘having cut the entire stream of darkness (tamasotaṁ in both Be and Se, but tamayogaṁ, bond of darkness, in the parallel passage at Sv II 549,1), these bhikkhus of mine will be at the extreme top, in the highest place. They will be at the top of them. Among all those keen on the training, just those whose range is the four satipaṭṭhānas will be at the top.’ Thus he brings the teaching to its culmination in arahantship.” Spkpṭ explains tama-agge: “In the absence of the bond of darkness (tamayoga!), (they will be) at the top of the world with its gods.” The words are not preserved in the fragments of the Turfan Skt version, but the Tibetan and Chinese parallels, probably based on Skt texts, point to a meaning as “the highest.” I have followed suit with “topmost,” though I cannot account for the exact meaning of the original or for the use of the locative. I have also gone along with the commentaries in taking ye keci sikkhākāmā as an implicit genitive.

10. The Bhikkhunīs’ Quarter

1Then in the morning the Venerable Ānanda dressed and, taking bowl and robe, he approached the bhikkhunīs’ quarters and sat down in the appointed seat. Then a number of bhikkhunīs approached the Venerable Ānanda, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2“Here, Venerable Ānanda, a number of bhikkhunīs, dwelling with their minds well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, perceive successively loftier stages of distinction.”¹⁴⁴ I read with Be and Se, uḷāraṁ pubbenāparaṁ visesaṁ sañjānanti. Ee reads sampajānanti. Spk explains “successively loftier stages of distinction” by way of the successive stages of wisdom, from the comprehension of the four primary elements through the ascription of the three characteristics to all formations. [155]

3“So it is, sisters, so it is! It may be expected of anyone, sisters—whether bhikkhu or bhikkhunī—who dwells with a mind well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, that such a one will perceive successively loftier stages of distinction.”

4Then the Venerable Ānanda instructed, exhorted, inspired, and gladdened those bhikkhunīs with a Dhamma talk, after which he rose from his seat and left. Then the Venerable Ānanda walked for alms in Sāvatthī. When he had returned from the alms round, after his meal he approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and reported all that had happened. [The Blessed One said:]

5“So it is, Ānanda, so it is! It may be expected of anyone, Ānanda—whether bhikkhu or bhikkhunī—who dwells with a mind well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, that such a one will perceive successively loftier stages of distinction.

6“What four? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. [156] While he is contemplating the body in the body, there arises in him, based on the body, either a fever in the body or sluggishness of mind, or the mind is distracted outwardly. That bhikkhu should then direct his mind towards some inspiring sign.¹⁴⁵ Spk: A fever of defilement (kilesapariḷāha) arises having made the body its basis (ārammaṇa). When this happens, one should not let oneself become excited by the defilement but “should then direct the mind to some inspiring sign” (kismiñcideva pasādaniye nimitte cittaṁ paṇidahitabbaṁ), that is, one should place the meditating mind on some object that inspires confidence, such as the Buddha, etc. When he directs his mind towards some inspiring sign, gladness is born. When he is gladdened, rapture is born. When the mind is uplifted by rapture, the body becomes tranquil. One tranquil in body experiences happiness. The mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. He reflects thus: ‘The purpose for the sake of which I directed my mind has been achieved. Let me now withdraw it.’¹⁴⁶ Spk: “Let me withdraw it from the inspiring object and redirect it towards the original meditation object.” So he withdraws the mind and does not think or examine. He understands: ‘Without thought and examination, internally mindful, I am happy.’¹⁴⁷ Spk explains this to mean that he is “without defiled thought, without defiled examination,” but the absence of vitakka and vicāra seems to imply he has reached the second jhāna. See too MN III 136,20-29, where the four satipaṭṭhānas do service for the first jhāna, and the Buddha also enjoins the practice of the four without thought and examination, hence in the mode of the second jhāna.

7“Again, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he is contemplating phenomena in phenomena, there arises in him, based on phenomena, either a fever in the body or sluggishness of mind, or the mind is distracted outwardly. That bhikkhu should then direct his mind towards some inspiring sign. When he directs his mind towards some inspiring sign … He understands: ‘Without thought and examination, internally mindful, I am happy.’

8“It is in such a way, Ānanda, that there is development by direction.¹⁴⁸ Paṇidhāya bhāvanā. Spk glosses ṭhapetvā bhāvanā, “development having put aside.” Development by this method comes about by directing the mind away from its main object towards some other object. Spk compares this to a man carrying a load of sugar to a refinery who pauses from time to time, puts down the load, eats a sugar cane, and then continues on his way. [157]

9“And how, Ānanda, is there development without direction? Not directing his mind outwardly, a bhikkhu understands: ‘My mind is not directed outwardly.’ Then he understands: ‘It is unconstricted after and before, liberated, undirected.’¹⁴⁹ Spk gives various explanations of “unconstricted after and before” (pacchā pure asaṅkhittaṁ). See 51:20 (V 277,29-278,4) and n. 272 below. Then he further understands: ‘I dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful; I am happy.’

10“Not directing his mind outwardly, a bhikkhu understands: ‘My mind is not directed outwardly.’ Then he understands: ‘It is unconstricted after and before, liberated, undirected.’ Then he further understands: ‘I dwell contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful; I am happy.’

11“Not directing his mind outwardly, a bhikkhu understands: ‘My mind is not directed outwardly.’ Then he understands: ‘It is unconstricted after and before, liberated, undirected.’ Then he further understands: ‘I dwell contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful; I am happy.’

12“Not directing his mind outwardly, a bhikkhu understands: ‘My mind is not directed outwardly.’ Then he understands: ‘It is unconstricted after and before, liberated, undirected.’ Then he further understands: ‘I dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful; I am happy.’

13“It is in this way, Ānanda, that there is development without direction.

14“Thus, Ānanda, I have taught development by direction, I have taught development without direction. Whatever should be done, Ānanda, by a compassionate teacher out of compassion for his disciples, desiring their welfare, that I have done for you. These are the feet of trees, Ānanda, these are empty huts. Meditate, Ānanda, do not be negligent, lest you regret it later. This is our instruction to you.”

15This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, the Venerable Ānanda delighted in the Blessed One’s statement.

1At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2“Venerable sir, it is said, ‘a great man, a great man.’¹⁵⁰ Mahāpurisa. See AN IV 228-35 for the eight thoughts of a great man (aṭṭha mahāpurisavitakkā). In what way, venerable sir, is one a great man?”

3“With a liberated mind, I say, Sāriputta, one is a great man. Without a liberated mind, I say, one is not a great man.

4“And how, Sāriputta, does one have a liberated mind? Here, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. As he dwells contemplating the body in the body, the mind becomes dispassionate, and by nonclinging it is liberated from the taints.

5“He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. As he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, the mind becomes dispassionate, and by nonclinging it is liberated from the taints.

6“It is in such a way, Sāriputta, that one has a liberated mind. With a liberated mind, I say, Sāriputta, one is a great man. Without a liberated mind, I say, one is not a great man.” [159]

12. Nālandā

1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Nālandā in Pāvārika’s Mango Grove.¹⁵¹ This sutta is included in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta at DN II 81-83 but without the last paragraph; a much more elaborate version makes up DN No. 28. In the former its chronological position seems questionable; see n. 157. Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2“Venerable sir, I have such confidence in the Blessed One that I believe there has not been nor ever will be nor exists at present another ascetic or brahmin more knowledgeable than the Blessed One with respect to enlightenment.”

3“Lofty indeed is this bellowing utterance of yours, Sāriputta, you have roared a definitive, categorical lion’s roar:¹⁵² Spk: A bellowing utterance (āsabhī vācā): like (the bellowing) of a chief bull (usabha), unshaking, unwavering. Definitive, categorical (ekaṁso gahito): Not spoken in compliance with oral tradition, etc., but as if it had been penetrated by personal knowledge, thus it is “definitive, categorical.” The meaning is that it is stated as a firm conclusion (sanniṭṭhānakathā va). ‘Venerable sir, I have such confidence in the Blessed One that I believe there has not been nor ever will be nor exists at present another ascetic or brahmin more knowledgeable than the Blessed One with respect to enlightenment.’ Have you now, Sāriputta, encompassed with your mind the minds of all the Arahants, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones, arisen in the past and known thus: ‘Those Blessed Ones were of such virtue, or of such qualities, or of such wisdom, or of such dwellings, or of such liberation’?”¹⁵³ Spk explains evaṁdhammā as samādhipakkhā dhammā, “the states pertaining to concentration,” and says evaṁvihārino is added in order to include the attainment of cessation.

4“No, venerable sir.”

5“Then, Sāriputta, have you encompassed with your mind the minds of all the Arahants, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones, who will arise in the future and known thus: ‘Those Blessed Ones will be of such virtue, or of such qualities, or of such wisdom, or of such dwellings, or of such liberation’?” [160]

6“No, venerable sir.”

7“Then, Sāriputta, have you encompassed with your mind my own mind—I being at present the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One—and known thus: ‘The Blessed One is of such virtue, or of such qualities, or of such wisdom, or of such dwellings, or of such liberation’?”

8“No, venerable sir.”

9“Sāriputta, when you do not have any knowledge encompassing the minds of the Arahants, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past, the future, and the present, why do you utter this lofty, bellowing utterance and roar this definitive, categorical lion’s roar: ‘Venerable sir, I have such confidence in the Blessed One that I believe there has not been nor ever will be nor exists at present another ascetic or brahmin more knowledgeable than the Blessed One with respect to enlightenment’?”

10“I do not have, venerable sir, any knowledge encompassing the minds of the Arahants, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past, the future, and the present, but still I have understood this by inference from the Dhamma.¹⁵⁴ Api ca dhammanvayo vidito. Spk: Inferential knowledge (anumānañāṇa) has arisen in accordance with the implications of his personal knowledge of the Dhamma; the methodology (nayaggāha) has been understood. He says, “Standing just upon the knowledge of a disciple’s perfections, I know from this angle, O Blessed One.” Suppose, venerable sir, a king had a frontier city with strong ramparts, walls, and arches, and with a single gate. The gatekeeper posted there would be wise, competent, and intelligent; one who keeps out strangers and admits acquaintances. While he is walking along the path that encircles the city he would not see a cleft or an opening in the walls even big enough for a cat to slip through. He might think: ‘Whatever large creatures enter or leave this city, all enter and leave through this one gate.’

11“So too, venerable sir, I have understood this by inference from the Dhamma: Whatever Arahants, Perfectly Enlightened Ones arose in the past, all those Blessed Ones had first abandoned the five hindrances, corruptions of the mind and weakeners of wisdom; and then, with their minds well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, [161] they had developed correctly the seven factors of enlightenment; and thereby they had awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.¹⁵⁵ Spk: Here the establishments of mindfulness are insight, the enlightenment factors are the path, and unsurpassed perfect enlightenment is arahantship. Or else the enlightenment factors are mixed (both insight and the path). And, venerable sir, whatever Arahants, Perfectly Enlightened Ones will arise in the future, all those Blessed Ones will first abandon the five hindrances, corruptions of the mind and weakeners of wisdom; and then, with their minds well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, they will develop correctly the seven factors of enlightenment; and thereby they will awaken to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. And, venerable sir, the Blessed One, who is at present the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, first abandoned the five hindrances, corruptions of the mind and weakeners of wisdom; and then, with his mind well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, he developed correctly the seven factors of enlightenment; and thereby he has awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.”

12“Good, good, Sāriputta! Therefore, Sāriputta, you should repeat this Dhamma exposition frequently to the bhikkhus and the bhikkhunīs, to the male lay followers and the female lay followers. Even though some foolish people may have perplexity or uncertainty regarding the Tathāgata, when they hear this Dhamma exposition their perplexity or uncertainty regarding the Tathāgata will be abandoned.”¹⁵⁶ This conclusion also comes at the end of DN No. 28, at DN III 116, following the much more effusive praise of the Buddha found there.

13. Cunda

1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.¹⁵⁷ The event related in this sutta poses a problem for the traditional chronology of the Buddha’s life. In the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, Sāriputta’s lion’s roar (just above) takes place during what appears to be the Buddha’s final journey along the route from Rājagaha to Vesālī. From Vesālī the Buddha heads towards Kusinārā without ever returning to Sāvatthī, some 200 km to the west. Yet the present sutta shows the Buddha residing at Sāvatthī when he receives the news of Sāriputta’s death. To preserve the traditional chronology, the commentaries (Spk here, and Sv II 550) have the Buddha make an additional side trip to Sāvatthī following his rains retreat at Beluvagāmaka (see DN II 98-99), an excursion not mentioned in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta. Sāriputta accompanies him on this trip to Sāvatthī, later takes his leave, and returns to his native village Nālakagāma, where he falls ill and dies. For the commentarial story of Sāriputta’s death, see Nyanaponika, “Sāriputta: The Marshal of the Dhamma,” in Nyanaponika and Hecker, Great Disciples of the Buddha, pp. 47-59. Now on that occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling among the Magadhans at Nālakagāma—sick, afflicted, gravely ill—and the novice Cunda was his attendant.¹⁵⁸ Spk identifies this Cunda as Sāriputta’s younger brother and says, improbably, that because the bhikkhus used to address him as “novice Cunda” before his higher ordination they continued to address him thus even when he was an elder. Then, because of that illness, the Venerable Sāriputta attained final Nibbāna.

2The novice Cunda, taking the Venerable Sāriputta’s bowl and robe, went to Sāvatthī, to Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There he approached the Venerable Ānanda, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: [162] “Venerable sir, the Venerable Sāriputta has attained final Nibbāna. This is his bowl and robe.”

3“Friend Cunda, we should see the Blessed One about this piece of news. Come, friend Cunda, let us go to the Blessed One and report this matter to him.”

4“Yes, venerable sir,” the novice Cunda replied.

5Then the Venerable Ānanda and the novice Cunda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Venerable Ānanda then said to the Blessed One: “This novice Cunda, venerable sir, says that the Venerable Sāriputta has attained final Nibbāna, and this is his bowl and robe. Venerable sir, since I heard that the Venerable Sāriputta has attained final Nibbāna, my body seems as if it has been drugged, I have become disoriented, the teachings are no longer clear to me.”¹⁵⁹ Spk says that here dhammā signifies the condensed and catechistic teachings (uddesaparipucchā dhammā). The expression also occurs at 22:84 and 47:9; see n. 139 above and III, n. 149.

6“Why, Ānanda, when Sāriputta attained final Nibbāna, did he take away your aggregate of virtue, or your aggregate of concentration, or your aggregate of wisdom, or your aggregate of liberation, or your aggregate of the knowledge and vision of liberation?”¹⁶⁰ These are the five “aggregates of Dhamma” (dhammakkhandha ) possessed in full only by arahants; see 6:2. The ascription to Ānanda of the last two aggregates (liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation) seems puzzling, as he is still a trainee and thus not yet fully liberated. Such anomalies, however, do occasionally occur in the texts, as at 55:26 (V 384,1-12) where right knowledge and right liberation, usually unique attributes of the arahant, are ascribed to the stream-enterer Anāthapiṇḍika.

7“No, he did not, venerable sir. But for me the Venerable Sāriputta was an advisor and counsellor, one who instructed, exhorted, inspired, and gladdened me.¹⁶¹ Be and Ee include otiṇṇo between ovādako and viññāpako. The word is not in Se or SS. He was unwearying in teaching the Dhamma; he was helpful to his brothers in the holy life. We recollect the nourishment of Dhamma, the wealth of Dhamma, the help of Dhamma given by the Venerable Sāriputta.”

8“But have I not already declared, Ānanda, that we must be parted, separated, and severed from all who are dear and agreeable to us? [163] How, Ānanda, is it to be obtained here: ‘May what is born, come to be, conditioned, and subject to disintegration not disintegrate!’? That is impossible. It is just as if the largest branch would break off a great tree standing possessed of heartwood: so too, Ānanda, in the great Bhikkhu Saṅgha standing possessed of heartwood, Sāriputta has attained final Nibbāna. How, Ānanda, is it to be obtained here: ‘May what is born, come to be, conditioned, and subject to disintegration not disintegrate!’? That is impossible.

9“Therefore, Ānanda, dwell with yourselves as your own island, with yourselves as your own refuge, with no other refuge; dwell with the Dhamma as your island, with the Dhamma as your refuge, with no other refuge … (as in §9) … Those bhikkhus, Ānanda, either now or after I am gone, who dwell with themselves as their own island, with themselves as their own refuge, with no other refuge; who dwell with the Dhamma as their island, with the Dhamma as their refuge, with no other refuge—it is these bhikkhus, Ānanda, who will be for me topmost of those keen on the training.”

14. Ukkacelā

1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Vajjians at Ukkacelā on the bank of the river Ganges, together with a great Bhikkhu Saṅgha, not long after Sāriputta and Moggallāna had attained final Nibbāna.¹⁶² The commentaries assign the death of Moggallāna to a fortnight after that of Sāriputta. Sāriputta expired on the full-moon day of the month Kattika (October-November), Moggallāna on the following new-moon day. For an account of his death, see Hecker, “Moggallāna: Master of Psychic Power,” in Nyanaponika and Hecker, Great Disciples of the Buddha, pp. 100-5. Now on that occasion the Blessed One was sitting in the open air in the midst of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.

2Then the Blessed One, having surveyed the silent Bhikkhu Saṅgha, addressed the bhikkhus thus: [164]

3“Bhikkhus, this assembly appears to me empty now that Sāriputta and Moggallāna have attained final Nibbāna. This assembly was not empty for me [earlier],¹⁶³ I translate on the basis of the Se reading: asuññā me sā bhikkhave parisā hoti. Be differs only in omitting sā, but Ee brings parinibbutesu Sāriputta-Moggallānesu into this sentence and then reads suññā me bhikkhave parisā hoti, “Now that Sāriputta and Moggallāna have attained final Nibbāna, this assembly, bhikkhus, has become empty.” Spk gives no help in resolving the ambiguity. and I had no concern for whatever quarter Sāriputta and Moggallāna were dwelling in.

4“The Arahants, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones, who arose in the past also had just such a supreme pair of disciples as I had in Sāriputta and Moggallāna. The Arahants, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones, who will arise in the future will also have just such a supreme pair of disciples as I had in Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

5“It is wonderful, bhikkhus, on the part of the disciples, it is amazing on the part of the disciples, that they will act in accordance with the Teacher’s instructions and comply with his admonitions, that they will be dear and agreeable to the four assemblies, that they will be revered and esteemed by them.¹⁶⁴ The “four assemblies” are bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay followers, and female lay followers. It is wonderful, bhikkhus, on the part of the Tathāgata, it is amazing on the part of the Tathāgata, that when such a pair of disciples has attained final Nibbāna, there is no sorrow or lamentation in the Tathāgata.

6“How, bhikkhus, is it to be obtained here: ‘May what is born, come to be, conditioned, and subject to disintegration not disintegrate! ’? That is impossible. It is just as if the largest branches would break off a great tree standing possessed of heartwood: so too, bhikkhus, in the great Bhikkhu Saṅgha standing possessed of heartwood, Sāriputta and Moggallāna have attained final Nibbāna. How, bhikkhus, is it to be obtained here: ‘May what is born, come to be, conditioned, and subject to disintegration not disintegrate!’? That is impossible.

7“Therefore, bhikkhus, dwell with yourselves as your own island, with yourselves as your own refuge, with no other refuge; dwell with the Dhamma as your island, with the Dhamma as your refuge, with no other refuge … (as in §9) … [165] Those bhikkhus, either now or after I am gone, who dwell with themselves as their own island, with themselves as their own refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as their island, with the Dhamma as their refuge, with no other refuge—it is these bhikkhus who will be for me topmost of those keen on the training.”

15. Bāhiya

1At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Bāhiya approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2“Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”

3“Well then, Bāhiya, purify the very starting point of wholesome states.¹⁶⁵ As at 47:3. And what is the starting point of wholesome states? Virtue that is well purified and view that is straight. Then, Bāhiya, when your virtue is well purified and your view is straight, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you should develop the four establishments of mindfulness.

4“What four? Here, Bāhiya, dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

5“When, Bāhiya, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you develop these four establishments of mindfulness in such a way, then whether night or day comes, you may expect only growth in wholesome states, not decline.” [166]

6Then the Venerable Bāhiya, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words, rose from his seat, and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, he departed. Then, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the Venerable Bāhiya, by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life entered and dwelt in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness. He directly knew: “Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.” And the Venerable Bāhiya became one of the arahants.

16. Uttiya

1At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Uttiya approached the Blessed One … (all as in preceding sutta down to:) …

2“When, Uttiya, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you develop these four establishments of mindfulness in such a way, you will go beyond the realm of Death.”

3Then the Venerable Uttiya, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words, rose from his seat … (as in preceding sutta) … And the Venerable Uttiya became one of the arahants.

17. Noble

1“Bhikkhus, these four establishments of mindfulness, when developed and cultivated, are noble and emancipating; they lead the one who acts upon them out to the complete destruction of suffering. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. [167]

2“These four establishments of mindfulness, bhikkhus, when developed and cultivated, are noble and emancipating; they lead the one who acts upon them out to the complete destruction of suffering.”

18. Brahmā

1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvelā on the bank of the river Nerañjarā at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree just after he had become fully enlightened. Then, while the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in his mind thus: “This is the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and displeasure, for the achievement of the method, for the realization of Nibbāna, that is, the four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is the one-way path for the purification of beings … that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.”

2Then Brahmā Sahampati, having known with his own mind the reflection in the Blessed One’s mind, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, disappeared from the brahmā world and reappeared before the Blessed One.¹⁶⁶ As at 6:1, 6:2. He arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, raised his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, and said to him: “So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One! Venerable sir, this is the one-way path for the purification of beings … (all as above) [168] … that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.”

3This is what Brahmā Sahampati said. Having said this, he further said this:

4“The seer of the destruction of birth,
Compassionate, knows the one-way path
By which in the past they crossed the flood,
By which they will cross and cross over now.”

19. Sedaka

1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sumbhas, where there was a town of the Sumbhas named Sedaka. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:

2“Bhikkhus, once in the past an acrobat set up his bamboo pole and addressed his apprentice Medakathālikā thus:¹⁶⁷ The name is a feminine (meaning “frying pan”), but Spk says the name is given in the feminine gender (itthiliṅgavasena laddhanāmaṁ), presumably to a boy. The passage contains no pronouns that might establish the gender. ‘Come, dear Medakathālikā, climb the bamboo pole and stand on my shoulders.’ Having replied, ‘Yes, teacher,’ the apprentice Medakathālikā climbed up the bamboo pole and stood on the teacher’s shoulders. The acrobat then said to the apprentice Medakathālikā: ‘You protect me, dear Medakathālikā, and I’ll protect you. Thus [169] guarded by one another, protected by one another, we’ll display our skills, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.’ When this was said, the apprentice Medakathālikā replied: ‘That’s not the way to do it, teacher. You protect yourself, teacher, and I’ll protect myself. Thus, each self-guarded and self-protected, we’ll display our skills, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.’¹⁶⁸ From Spk’s description, it seems that the master places the lower end of the bamboo pole over the base of his throat or forehead (galavāṭake vā nalāṭe), and the pupil then climbs via his shoulders to the top of the pole. Though in the sutta the master speaks as if they both descend from the pole, this may be only a figure of speech. Spk: The master protects himself when he holds the pole firmly, moves with his apprentice, and looks constantly at the top of the pole. The apprentice protects himself when he keeps his body straight, balances himself against the wind, sets up steady mindfulness, and sits down motionless.

3“That’s the method there,” the Blessed One said. “It’s just as the apprentice Medakathālikā said to the teacher. ‘I will protect myself,’ bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised. ‘I will protect others,’ bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised. Protecting oneself, bhikkhus, one protects others; protecting others, one protects oneself.

4“And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation [of the four establishments of mindfulness]. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.¹⁶⁹ Spk: The bhikkhu who gives up frivolous activity and pursues, develops, and cultivates his basic meditation subject day and night attains arahantship. Then, when others see him and gain confidence in him, they become destined for heaven. This one protects others by protecting himself.

5“And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, lovingkindness, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.¹⁷⁰ The four terms are khantiyā avihiṁsāya mettatāya anudayatāya . Spk takes the last three as respectively compassion, lovingkindness, and altruistic joy, and explains this maxim from a narrowly monastic perspective thus: “The bhikkhu develops the jhānas based on the brahmavihāra, then uses the jhāna as a basis for insight and attains arahantship. This one protects himself by protecting others.” For a broader and profounder treatment of this maxim, see Nyanaponika, Protection through Satipaṭṭhāna.

6“‘I will protect myself,’ bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised. ‘I will protect others,’ bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised. Protecting oneself, bhikkhus, one protects others; protecting others, one protects oneself.”

20. The Most Beautiful Girl of the Land

1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living among the Sumbhas, where there was a town of the Sumbhas named Sedaka. [170] There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”

2“Venerable sir!” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:¹⁷¹ This sutta is related in the introduction to Ja No. 96 (I 393-401), which concludes with a verse that alludes back to the sutta: Samatittikaṁ anavasesakaṁ

3“Bhikkhus, suppose that on hearing, ‘The most beautiful girl of the land! The most beautiful girl of the land!’ a great crowd of people would assemble. Now that most beautiful girl of the land would dance exquisitely and sing exquisitely. On hearing, ‘The most beautiful girl of the land is dancing! The most beautiful girl of the land is singing!’ an even larger crowd of people would assemble.¹⁷² From the Pāli it cannot be determined whether the crowd gathers because they have heard “The most beautiful girl of the land!” being announced or gathers exclaiming “The most beautiful girl of the land!” I take it in the former way. Spk says such a girl is devoid of six physical defects (too tall or too short, too thin or too stout, too dark or too fair) and endowed with five kinds of beauty (of skin, flesh, sinews, bones, and age). The expression paramapāsāvinī nacce, paramapāsāvinī gīte seems to be unique to this text. PED explains pāsāvin as “bringing forth,” but see MW, s.v. pra-sava (2) > pra-savin, derived from pra-sūti (1) and meaning “impelling, exciting.” Spk: “In dancing and singing her presentation is supreme, her performance is the best; she dances and sings supremely well.” Then a man would come along, wishing to live, not wishing to die, wishing for happiness, averse to suffering. Someone would say to him: ‘Good man, you must carry around this bowl of oil filled to the brim between the crowd and the most beautiful girl of the land. A man with a drawn sword will be following right behind you, and wherever you spill even a little of it, right there he will fell your head.’

4“What do you think, bhikkhus, would that man stop attending to that bowl of oil and out of negligence turn his attention outwards?”

5“No, venerable sir.”

6“I have made up this simile, bhikkhus, in order to convey a meaning. This here is the meaning: ‘The bowl of oil filled to the brim’: this is a designation for mindfulness directed to the body. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will develop and cultivate mindfulness directed to the body, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.’ Thus, bhikkhus, should you train yourselves.”

1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda and the Venerable Bhadda were dwelling at Pāṭaliputta in the Cock’s Park. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Bhadda emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Venerable Ānanda:¹⁷³ Modelled on 45:18. “Wholesome virtues” (kusalāni sīlāni), just below, are identified by Spk with the fourfold purification of virtue. See n. 33.

2“Friend Ānanda, as to the wholesome virtues spoken of by the Blessed One, what is the purpose for which they were spoken of by him?”

3“Good, good, friend Bhadda! Your intelligence is excellent, your ingenuity is excellent, your inquiry is a good one. For you have asked me: ‘Friend Ānanda, as to the wholesome virtues spoken of by the Blessed One, what is the purpose for which they were spoken of by him?’”

4“Yes, friend.”

5“Those wholesome virtues spoken of by the Blessed One were spoken of by him for the purpose of developing the four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, friend, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. [172]

6“Those virtues spoken of by the Blessed One were spoken of by him for the sake of developing these four establishments of mindfulness.”

22. Duration

1The same setting. Sitting to one side the Venerable Bhadda said to the Venerable Ānanda:

2“Friend Ānanda, what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna? And what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna?”

3“Good, good, friend Bhadda! Your intelligence is excellent, your acumen is excellent, your inquiry is a good one. For you have asked me: ‘Friend Ānanda, what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna? And what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna?’”

4“Yes, friend.”

5“It is, friend, because the four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. And it is because the four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. What four? Here, friend, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

6“It is because these four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. And it is because these four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna.” [173]

23. Decline

(As above down to:)

1“Friend Ānanda, what is the cause and reason for the decline of the true Dhamma? And what is the cause and reason for the nondecline of the true Dhamma?”…

2“It is, friend, when these four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma declines. And it is when these four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not decline.”

24. Simple Version

1At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, there are these four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. [174] He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. These are the four establishments of mindfulness.”

25. A Certain Brahmin

1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then a certain brahmin approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Blessed One:

2“Master Gotama, what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna? And what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna?”

3“It is, brahmin, because the four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. And it is because the four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. What four? … (as in §22) … It is because these four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated … are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna.”

4When this was said, that brahmin said to the Blessed One: ‘Magnificent, Master Gotama!… From today let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

26. Partly

1On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and the Venerable Anuruddha were dwelling at Sāketa in the Thornbush Grove. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Anuruddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, [175] they sat down to one side, and the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Anuruddha:

2“Friend Anuruddha, it is said, ‘A trainee, a trainee.’ In what way, friend, is one a trainee?”

3“It is, friend, because one has partly developed the four establishments of mindfulness that one is a trainee. What four? Here, friends, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is because one has partly developed these four establishments of mindfulness that one is a trainee.”

27. Completely

1The same setting. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Anuruddha:

2“Friend Anuruddha, it is said, ‘One beyond training, one beyond training.’ In what way, friend, is one beyond training?”

3“It is, friend, because one has completely developed the four establishments of mindfulness that one is beyond training. What four?… (as above) … It is because one has completely developed these four establishments of mindfulness that one is beyond training.”

28. The World

1The same setting. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Anuruddha:

2“By having developed and cultivated what things has the Venerable Anuruddha attained to greatness of direct knowledge?” [176]

3“It is, friend, because I have developed and cultivated the four establishments of mindfulness that I have attained to greatness of direct knowledge. What four? Here, friend, I dwell contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is, friend, because I have developed and cultivated these four establishments of mindfulness that I directly know this thousandfold world.”¹⁷⁴ Sahassaṁ lokaṁ abhijānāmi. Spk: This is stated by way of his constant dwelling. For after rising in the morning and washing his face, the elder sits in his dwelling and recollects a thousand aeons in the past and a thousand aeons in the future (sic; no comment from Spk-pṭ). In regard to the thousandfold world system in the present, he follows its course just by adverting to it. Thus with the divine eye he directly knows the thousandfold world.

29. Sirivaḍḍha

1On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Now on that occasion the householder Sirivaḍḍha was sick, afflicted, gravely ill. Then the householder Sirivaḍḍha addressed a man thus:

2“Come, good man, approach the Venerable Ānanda, pay homage to him in my name with your head at his feet, and say: ‘Venerable sir, the householder Sirivaḍḍha is sick, afflicted, gravely ill; he pays homage to the Venerable Ānanda with his head at his feet.’ Then say: ‘It would be good, venerable sir, if the Venerable Ānanda would come to the residence of the householder Sirivaḍḍha out of compassion.’”

3“Yes, master,” that man replied, and he approached the Venerable Ānanda, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and delivered his message. [177] The Venerable Ānanda consented by silence.

4Then, in the morning, the Venerable Ānanda dressed and, taking bowl and robe, went to the residence of the householder Sirivaḍḍha. He then sat down in the appointed seat and said to the householder Sirivaḍḍha: “I hope you are bearing up, householder, I hope you are getting better. I hope your painful feelings are subsiding and not increasing, and that their subsiding, not their increase, is to be discerned.”

5“I am not bearing up, venerable sir, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be discerned.”

6“Well then, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. I will dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.’ It is in such a way that you should train.”

7“Venerable sir, as to these four establishments of mindfulness taught by the Blessed One—these things exist in me, and I live in conformity with those things. I dwell, venerable sir, contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. And as to these five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One, I do not see any of these unabandoned in myself.”

8“It is a gain for you, householder! It is well gained by you, householder! You have declared, householder, the fruit of nonreturning.” [178]

30. Mānadinna

1The same setting. Now on that occasion the householder Mānadinna was sick, afflicted, gravely ill. Then the householder Mānadinna addressed a man thus:

2“Come, good man” … (as above) …

3“I am not bearing up, venerable sir, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be discerned. But, venerable sir, when I am being touched by such painful feeling, I dwell contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. And as to these five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One, I do not see any of these unabandoned in myself.”

4“It is a gain for you, householder! It is well gained by you, householder! You have declared, householder, the fruit of nonreturning.”

1At Sāvatthī. “‘This is the contemplation of the body in the body’—thus, bhikkhus, [179] in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.¹⁷⁵ This passage extends to each of the four establishments of mindfulness the general formula for reviewing the truth of the path in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (see 56:11; V 422,23-30).

2“‘That contemplation of the body in the body is to be developed’ … ‘That contemplation of the body in the body has been developed’—thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

3“‘This is the contemplation of feelings in feelings’ …

4“‘This is the contemplation of mind in mind’ …

5“‘This is the contemplation of phenomena in phenomena’—thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

6“‘That contemplation of phenomena in phenomena is to be developed’ … ‘That contemplation of phenomena in phenomena has been developed’—thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.”

32. Dispassion

1“Bhikkhus, these four establishments of mindfulness, when developed and cultivated, lead to utter revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.

2“What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

3“These four establishments of mindfulness, bhikkhus, when developed and cultivated, lead to utter revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.”

33. Neglected

1“Bhikkhus, those who have neglected these four establishments of mindfulness have neglected the noble path leading to the complete destruction of suffering. [180] Those who have undertaken these four establishments of mindfulness have undertaken the noble path leading to the complete destruction of suffering.

2“What four?… (as above) … Those who have neglected … Those who have undertaken these four establishments of mindfulness have undertaken the noble path leading to the complete destruction of suffering.”

34. Development

1“Bhikkhus, these four establishments of mindfulness, when developed and cultivated, lead to going beyond from the near shore to the far shore. What four? … (as above) … These four establishments of mindfulness, when developed and cultivated, lead to going beyond from the near shore to the far shore.”

35. Mindful

1At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell mindful and clearly comprehending. This is our instruction to you.

2“And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu mindful? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is mindful.

3“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu exercise clear comprehension? Here, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu feelings are understood as they arise, understood [181] as they remain present, understood as they pass away. Thoughts are understood as they arise, understood as they remain present, understood as they pass away. Perceptions are understood as they arise, understood as they remain present, understood as they pass away. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu exercises clear comprehension.¹⁷⁶ This practice is described at MN III 124,10-20 (as a wonderful quality of the Buddha); at AN II 45,15-20 (as a development of concentration, also at DN III 223,9-17); at AN IV 32,24-33,2 (as a factor leading to the four paṭisambhidās ); and at AN IV 168,12-15 (as a practice of mindfulness and clear comprehension). Paṭis I 178-80 treats this practice in relation to mindfulness of breathing. Spk explains the feelings, thoughts, and perceptions as those that occur in relation to the sense bases and objects comprehended in developing insight.

4“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell mindful and clearly comprehending. This is our instruction to you.”

36. Final Knowledge

1“Bhikkhus, there are these four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

2“When, bhikkhus, these four establishments of mindfulness have been developed and cultivated, one of two fruits may be expected: either final knowledge in this very life or, if there is a residue of clinging, the state of nonreturning.”

37. Desire

1“Bhikkhus, there are these four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. As he dwells thus contemplating the body in the body, whatever desire he has for the body is abandoned. With the abandoning of desire, the Deathless is realized.

2“He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … [182] … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena … having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. As he dwells thus contemplating phenomena in phenomena, whatever desire he has for phenomena is abandoned. With the abandoning of desire, the Deathless is realized.”

38. Full Understanding

1“Bhikkhus, there are these four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. As he dwells thus contemplating the body in the body, the body is fully understood. Because the body has been fully understood, the Deathless is realized.

2“He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena … having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. As he dwells thus contemplating phenomena in phenomena, the phenomena are fully understood. Because the phenomena have been fully understood, the Deathless is realized.”

39. Development

1“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the development of the four establishments of mindfulness. Listen to that….

2“What, bhikkhus, is the development of the four establishments of mindfulness? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, [183] ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This, bhikkhus, is the development of the four establishments of mindfulness.”

40. Analysis

1“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the establishment of mindfulness,¹⁷⁷ Here the singular is used and the preferred sense would be “the establishing of mindfulness.” and the development of the establishment of mindfulness, and the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness. Listen to that….

2“And what, bhikkhus, is the establishment of mindfulness? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is called the establishment of mindfulness.

3“And what, bhikkhus, is the development of the establishment of mindfulness? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the body; he dwells contemplating the nature of vanishing in the body; he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and vanishing in the body—ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.¹⁷⁸ This practice is called satipaṭṭhānabhāvanā presumably because it carries the practice of contemplation to a deeper level than the basic exercise. In the basic exercise the task set for the meditator is to contemplate the particular establishment chosen according to the prescribed pattern. At this stage, however, one gains insight into the arising and vanishing of the object, which prepares the way for the deeper insight knowledges to emerge. The expression samudayadhammānupassī kāyasmiṁ viharati is usually translated “he abides contemplating in the body its arising factors” (as at MLDB, p. 149), on the assumption that the compound contains a plural, samudayadhammā. A plural sense, however, is not mandatory, and it is more consistent with the use of the suffix -dhamma elsewhere to take it as meaning “subject to” or “having the nature of” here as well. At 22:126 (III 171-72) samudayadhamma, vayadhamma, and samudayavayadhamma serve as bahubbīhi (adjectival) compounds in apposition to each of the five aggregates, and it seems that in this passage too the terms should be understood in the same sense, as singulars meaning “subject to origination,” etc.
He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in feelings … He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in mind … He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in phenomena; he dwells contemplating the nature of vanishing in phenomena; he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and vanishing in phenomena—ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is called the development of the establishment of mindfulness.

4“And what, bhikkhus, is the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness? It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view … right concentration. This is called the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness.”

1At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, dwell with your minds well established in the four establishments of mindfulness. Do not let the Deathless be lost on you.¹⁷⁹ Mā vo amataṁ panassa. Spk offers no help, but I take panassa to be an aorist of panassati. Woodward has apparently understood it as pan’ assa and translates, “But let not that be to you the Deathless” (KS 5:161). But pana here would be syntactically out of place.

2“In what four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell, bhikkhus, with your minds well established in these four establishments of mindfulness. Do not let the Deathless be lost on you.”

42. Origination

1“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the origination and the passing away of the four establishments of mindfulness.¹⁸⁰ Here satipaṭṭhāna obviously refers to the four objects of mindfulness. Listen to that.

2“And what, bhikkhus, is the origination of the body? With the origination of nutriment there is the origination of the body. With the cessation of nutriment there is the passing away of the body.

3“With the origination of contact there is the origination of feeling. With the cessation of contact there is the passing away of feeling.

4“With the origination of name-and-form there is the origination of mind. With the cessation of name-and-form there is the passing away of mind.¹⁸¹ In this passage citta is taken to be synonymous with viññāṇā; nāmarūpa, being the condition for the latter, is the condition for the former as well. For citta always arises based on the physical organism (rūpa) and in conjunction with contact, feeling, perception, volition, and attention, the constituents of nāma.

5“With the origination of attention there is the origination of phenomena. With the cessation of attention there is the passing away of phenomena.”¹⁸² Manasikārasamudayā dhammānaṁ samudayo. Spk: The phenomena of the enlightenment factors originate through careful attention; the phenomena of the hindrances through careless attention. Cp. AN V 107,6-7: Manasikārasambhavā sabbe dhammā, phassasamudayā sabbe dhammā; “All phenomena come into being through attention; all phenomena originate from contact.” [185]

43. The Path

1At Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:¹⁸³ This sutta differs from 47:18 only in being a reminiscence of the events narrated there.

2“Bhikkhus, on one occasion I was dwelling at Uruvelā on the bank of the river Nerañjarā under the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree just after I became fully enlightened. Then, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind thus: ‘This is the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation … (as in §18) … that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.’

3“Then, bhikkhus, Brahmā Sahampati, having known with his own mind the reflection in my mind, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, disappeared from the brahmā world and reappeared before me. He arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, extended his joined hands towards me in reverential salutation, and said to me: ‘So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One! Venerable sir, this is the one-way path for the purification of beings … [186] … that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.’

4“This, bhikkhus, is what Brahmā Sahampati said. Having said this, he further said this:

5“‘The seer of the destruction of birth,
Compassionate, knows the one-way path
By which in the past they crossed the flood,
By which they will cross and cross over now.’”

44. Mindful

1“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell mindful. This is our instruction to you.

2“And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu mindful? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is mindful.

3“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell mindful. This is our instruction to you.”

45. A Heap of the Wholesome

1“Bhikkhus, if one were to say of anything ‘a heap of the wholesome, ’ it is about the four establishments of mindfulness that one could rightly say this. For this is a complete heap of the wholesome, that is, the four establishments of mindfulness. What four? [187]

2“Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

3“If, bhikkhus, one were to say of anything ‘a heap of the wholesome, ’ it is about these four establishments of mindfulness that one could rightly say this. For this is a complete heap of the wholesome, that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.”

46. The Restraint of the Pātimokkha

1Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”

2“In that case, bhikkhu, purify the very beginning of wholesome states. And what is the beginning of wholesome states? Here, bhikkhu, dwell restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in good conduct and proper resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults. Having undertaken the training rules, train in them. When, bhikkhu, you dwell restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha … seeing danger in the slightest faults, then, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you should develop the four establishments of mindfulness.

3“What four? Here, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

4“When, bhikkhu, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you develop these four establishments of mindfulness in such a way, then, whether night or day comes, you may expect only growth in wholesome states, not decline.”

5Then that bhikkhu, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s statement, rose from his seat.… [188] And that bhikkhu became one of the arahants.

47. Misconduct

1Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”

2“In that case, bhikkhu, purify the very beginning of wholesome states. And what is the beginning of wholesome states? Here, bhikkhu, having abandoned bodily misconduct, you should develop good bodily conduct. Having abandoned verbal misconduct, you should develop good verbal conduct. Having abandoned mental misconduct, you should develop good mental conduct. When, bhikkhu, having abandoned bodily misconduct … you have developed good mental conduct, then, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you should develop the four establishments of mindfulness.

3“What four? Here, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

4“When, bhikkhu, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you develop these four establishments of mindfulness in such a way, then, whether night or day comes, you may expect only growth in wholesome states, not decline.”

5Then that bhikkhu … became one of the arahants. [189]

48. Friends

1“Bhikkhus, those for whom you have compassion and who think you should be heeded—whether friends or colleagues, relatives or kinsmen—these you should exhort, settle, and establish in the development of the four establishments of mindfulness.

2“What four? Here, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

3“Bhikkhus, those for whom you have compassion … these you should exhort, settle, and establish in the development of these four establishments of mindfulness.”

49. Feelings

1“Bhikkhus, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These are the three feelings. The four establishments of mindfulness are to be developed for the full understanding of these three feelings.

2“What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

3“These four establishments of mindfulness, bhikkhus, are to be developed for the full understanding of these three feelings.”

50. Taints

1“Bhikkhus, there are these three taints. What three? The taint of sensuality, the taint of existence, the taint of ignorance. [190] These are the three taints. The four establishments of mindfulness are to be developed for the full understanding of these three taints.

2“What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

3“These four establishments of mindfulness, bhikkhus, are to be developed for the full understanding of these three taints.”

1“Bhikkhus, just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, so too a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

2“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop and cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.”

(The remaining suttas of this vagga are to be similarly elaborated parallel to 45:92-102.)

3Six about slanting to the east
And six about slanting to the ocean.
These two sixes make up twelve:
Thus the subchapter is recited.

(To be elaborated by way of the establishments of mindfulness parallel to 45:139-48.)

1Tathāgata, footprint, roof peak,
Roots, heartwood, jasmine,
Monarch, the moon and sun,
Together with the cloth as tenth.

(To be elaborated parallel to 45:149-60.)

1Strenuous, seeds, and nāgas,
The tree, the pot, the spike,
The sky, and two on clouds,
The ship, guest house, and river.

(To be elaborated parallel to 45:161-70.)

1Searches, discriminations, taints,
Kinds of existence, threefold suffering,
Barrenness, stains, and troubles,
Feelings, craving, and thirst.¹⁸⁵ The verse varies between the different eds. I translate from Be.

(To be elaborated parallel to 45:171-79.)

104. Higher Fetters

1“Bhikkhus, there are these five higher fetters. What five? Lust for form, lust for the formless, conceit, restlessness, [192] ignorance. These are the five higher fetters. The four establishments of mindfulness are to be developed for direct knowledge of these five higher fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.

2“What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. These four establishments of mindfulness are to be developed for direct knowledge of these five higher fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”

3Floods, bonds, kinds of clinging,
Knots, and underlying tendencies,
Cords of sensual pleasure, hindrances,
Aggregates, fetters lower and higher.

4The Connected Discourses on the Establishments of Mindfulness is to be elaborated in the same way as the Connected Discourses on the Path.¹⁸⁶ Be puts the summary verse after the note, but I follow Ee, whose arrangement is more logical.

[193]