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for the cultivation of these four foundations of mindfulness.” First. 2. Discourse on Long Duration 388. The same introduction. Seated to one side, Venerable Bhadda said to Venerable Ānanda: “What, friend Ānanda, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby after the Tathāgata’s Parinibbāna, the true Dhamma does not last long? And what, friend Ānanda, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby after the Tathāgata’s Parinibbāna, the true Dhamma lasts long?” “Excellent, excellent, friend Bhadda! Excellent indeed, friend Bhadda, is your insight, excellent your discernment, excellent your question. For thus, friend Bhadda, you ask: ‘What, friend Ānanda, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby after the Tathāgata’s Parinibbāna, the true Dhamma does not last long? And what, friend Ānanda, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby after the Tathāgata’s Parinibbāna, the true Dhamma lasts long?’” “Yes, friend.” “Because of the non-cultivation and non-development of the four foundations of mindfulness, friend, after the Tathāgata’s Parinibbāna, the true Dhamma does not last long. And because of the cultivation and development of the four foundations of mindfulness, friend, after the Tathāgata’s Parinibbāna, the true Dhamma lasts long.” “Which four? Here, friend, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world; he dwells contemplating feelings in feelings… he dwells contemplating mind in mind… he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world. Because of the non-cultivation and non-development of these four foundations of mindfulness, friend, after the Tathāgata’s Parinibbāna, the true Dhamma does not last long. And because of the cultivation and development of these four foundations of mindfulness, friend, after the Tathāgata’s Parinibbāna, the true Dhamma lasts long.” Second. 3. Discourse on Decline 389. At one time the venerable Ānanda and the venerable Bhadda were staying in Pāṭaliputta, at the Kukuṭārāma. Then, in the evening, the venerable Bhadda, having risen from his seclusion, approached the venerable Ānanda; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Ānanda. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Bhadda said to the venerable Ānanda: "What, friend Ānanda, is the cause, what is the reason for the decline of the True Dhamma? What, friend Ānanda, is the cause, what is the reason for the non-decline of the True Dhamma?" "Excellent, excellent, friend Bhadda! Good, friend Bhadda, is your insight, good is your discernment, excellent is your question. For you, friend Bhadda, ask thus: 'What, friend Ānanda, is the cause, what is the reason for the decline of the True Dhamma? What, friend Ānanda, is the cause, what is the reason for the non-decline of the True Dhamma?'" "So it is, friend." "Through the non-development and non-cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness, friend, there is a decline of the True Dhamma. And through the development and cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness, friend, there is a non-decline of the True Dhamma." "Which four? Here, friend, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; he dwells contemplating feelings... the mind... mental qualities in mental qualities, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. Through the non-development and non-cultivation of these four foundations of mindfulness, friend, there is a decline of the True Dhamma. And through the development and cultivation of these four foundations of mindfulness, friend, there is a non-decline of the True Dhamma." Third. 4. Discourse on the Pure 390. At Sāvatthī. "These, monks, are the four foundations of mindfulness. Which four? Here, monks, a monk He dwells observing the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world; in feelings… in mind… in phenomena, he dwells observing phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world. These, bhikkhus, are the four foundations of mindfulness. The Fourth. 5. The Discourse to a Certain Brahmin 391. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then a certain brahmin approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and amiable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, that brahmin said to the Blessed One: "What, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause, why after the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma does not last long? And what, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause, why after the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma lasts long?" "It is, brahmin, because the four foundations of mindfulness are not developed, not cultivated, that after the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma does not last long. And it is, brahmin, because the four foundations of mindfulness are developed, are cultivated, that after the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma lasts long." "Which four? Here, brahmin, a bhikkhu dwells observing the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world; in feelings… in mind… in phenomena, he dwells observing phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world. It is, brahmin, because these four foundations of mindfulness are not developed, not cultivated, that after the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma does not last long. And it is, brahmin, because these four foundations of mindfulness are developed, are cultivated, that after the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma lasts long." When this was said, that brahmin said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, good Gotama, Gotama… (remainder omitted)… May Master Gotama hold me as a lay follower from this day forth, for life, gone for refuge. Fifth. 6. The Section Sutta 392. At one time the venerable Sāriputta, the venerable Mahāmoggallāna, and the venerable Anuruddha were dwelling in Sāketa, in the Kaṇḍakī forest. Then the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having risen from seclusion in the evening, approached the venerable Anuruddha. Having approached, they exchanged greetings with the venerable Anuruddha. Having concluded their courteous and memorable talk, they sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Sāriputta said to the venerable Anuruddha: “‘A trainee, a trainee,’ friend Anuruddha, it is said. To what extent, friend, is one a trainee?” “One is a trainee, friend, by having developed a section of the four foundations of mindfulness.” “Which four? Here, friend, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; contemplating feelings… (remainder omitted)… contemplating mind… (remainder omitted)… contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. By having developed a section of these four foundations of mindfulness, one is a trainee,” he said. Sixth. 7. The Complete Sutta 393. The same occasion. Sitting to one side, the venerable Sāriputta said to the venerable Anuruddha: “‘One beyond training, one beyond training,’ friend Anuruddha, it is said. To what extent, friend, is one beyond training?” “One is beyond training, friend, by having completely developed the four foundations of mindfulness.” “Which four? Here, friend, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; contemplating feelings… (remainder omitted)… contemplating mind… (remainder omitted)… contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure… ...without defilement. Indeed, friend, by having fully developed these four foundations of mindfulness, he becomes a learner no more. The Seventh. 8. The Discourse on the World. 394. The same introduction. Indeed, venerable Sāriputta, sitting to one side, said this to venerable Anuruddha: "By developing which things, friend Anuruddha, by making them abundant, have you attained great super-knowledge?" "By developing the four foundations of mindfulness, friend, by making them abundant, I have attained great super-knowledge." "Which four? Here, friend, I dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; ...feelings... ...mind... ...phenomena... I dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. Indeed, friend, by developing these four foundations of mindfulness, by making them abundant, I have attained great super-knowledge. And indeed, friend, by developing these four foundations of mindfulness, by making them abundant, I comprehend a thousand worlds." The Eighth. 9. The Discourse to Sirivaḍḍha. 395. At one time, venerable Ānanda was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Now at that time, the householder Sirivaḍḍha was afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. Then the householder Sirivaḍḍha addressed a certain man: "Come, good man, go to venerable Ānanda; having approached, in my name,