Back to the library

B01030207satipaṭṭhānavibhaṅgo (mindfulness analysis treatise)

Page 1 of 5

English

The Division of the Foundations of Mindfulness The Suttanta Section The four foundations of mindfulness – Here, a monk dwells observing the body in the body internally, he dwells observing the body in the body externally, he dwells observing the body in the body internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, removing covetousness and displeasure in the world. He dwells observing feelings in feelings internally, he dwells observing feelings in feelings externally, he dwells observing feelings in feelings internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, removing covetousness and displeasure in the world. He dwells observing mind in mind internally, he dwells observing mind in mind externally, he dwells observing mind in mind internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, removing covetousness and displeasure in the world. He dwells observing phenomena in phenomena internally, he dwells observing phenomena in phenomena externally, he dwells observing phenomena in phenomena internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, removing covetousness and displeasure in the world. The Exposition of Body Contemplation And how, monk, does he dwell observing the body in the body internally? Here, a monk reviews this very body, from the soles of the feet upwards, from the tips of the hair downwards, enclosed by skin, full of various impurities – ‘In this body there are hair, body-hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal mesentery, stomach, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, joint-fluid, urine.’ He attends to that sign, develops it, makes it much of, establishes it well. Having attended to that sign, developed it, made it much of, established it well, he directs his mind to the external body. And how, monk, does he dwell observing the body in the body externally? Here, a monk reviews an external body, from the soles of the feet upwards, from the tips of the hair downwards, sk He reflects on this body, up to the skin, full of various kinds of impurity: "In this body there are hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal mesentery, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, joint-fluid, urine." He attends to that sign, develops it, makes it much of, establishes it well. Having attended to that sign, developed it, made it much of, established it well, he directs his mind to the body, internally and externally. And how, monks, does a monk dwell contemplating the body in the body, internally and externally? Here, monks, a monk reflects on this body, from the soles of the feet upwards, from the top of the hair downwards, enclosed by skin, full of various kinds of impurity: "In this body there are hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal mesentery, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, joint-fluid, urine." Thus, monks, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and distress concerning the world. 357. "Contemplating." What is contemplation here? That wisdom, understanding... non-delusion, investigation of phenomena, right view – this is called "contemplation." One is endowed with, fully endowed with, attained to, fully attained to, arisen with, complete with, possessed of this contemplation. Therefore, one is called "contemplating." 358. "Dwells." He moves, he acts, he maintains, he conducts, he lives, he walks, he dwells. Therefore, he is called "dwelling." 359. "Ardent." What is ardency here? That mental exertion of energy... right effort – this is called "ardency." One is endowed with, fully endowed with, attained to, fully attained to, arisen with, complete with, possessed of this ardency. Therefore it is said: "ardent." Conscious. What is consciousness there? That wisdom, understanding... and so on... non-delusion, investigation of phenomena, right view – this is called "consciousness." By this consciousness, one is endowed, fully endowed, attained, fully attained, established, accomplished, possessed. Therefore it is said: "conscious." Mindful. What is mindfulness there? That mindfulness, recollection... and so on... right mindfulness – this is called "mindfulness." By this mindfulness, one is endowed, fully endowed, attained, fully attained, established, accomplished, possessed. Therefore it is said: "mindful." Having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world. What is the world there? This very body is the world. The five aggregates of clinging are the world. This is called "the world." What is covetousness there? That passion, attachment... and so on... attachment of mind – this is called "covetousness." What is displeasure there? That mental unpleasantness, mental suffering, unpleasant and painful feeling born of mental contact, unpleasant and painful feelings born of mental contact – this is called "displeasure." Thus, this covetousness and this displeasure in this world are removed, completely removed, calmed, tranquilized, appeased, vanished, utterly vanished, settled, completely settled, dried up, completely dried up, made an end of. Therefore it is said: "having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world." Explanation of Contemplation of the Body. 2. Explanation of Contemplation of Feelings And how, monks, does a monk dwell contemplating feelings in feelings internally? Here, a monk, when experiencing a pleasant feeling, understands: "I am experiencing a pleasant feeling." When experiencing a painful feeling, he understands: "I am experiencing a painful feeling." When experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling, he understands: "I am experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling." Or, when experiencing a worldly pleasant feeling, he understands: "I am experiencing a worldly pleasant feeling." Or, when experiencing an unworldly pleasant feeling, he understands: "I am experiencing an unworldly pleasant feeling." "I feel," he knows. Or feeling painful feeling with bait, he knows 'I feel painful feeling with bait'. Or feeling painful feeling without bait, he knows 'I feel painful feeling without bait'. Or feeling neutral feeling with bait, he knows 'I feel neutral feeling with bait'. Or feeling neutral feeling without bait, he knows 'I feel neutral feeling without bait'. He attends to that sign, develops it, makes it much of, and thoroughly establishes it. Having attended to that sign, developed it, made it much of, and thoroughly established it, he directs his mind to external feelings. And how does a bhikkhu dwell contemplating feelings in external feelings? Here, a bhikkhu, feeling a pleasant feeling, knows 'He feels a pleasant feeling'. Feeling a painful feeling, he knows 'He feels a painful feeling'. Feeling a neutral feeling, he knows 'He feels a neutral feeling'. Or feeling a pleasant feeling with bait, he knows 'He feels a pleasant feeling with bait'. Or feeling a pleasant feeling without bait, he knows 'He feels a pleasant feeling without bait'. Or feeling a painful feeling with bait, he knows 'He feels a painful feeling with bait'. Or feeling a painful feeling without bait, he knows 'He feels a painful feeling without bait'. Or feeling a neutral feeling with bait, he knows 'He feels a neutral feeling with bait'. Or feeling a neutral feeling without bait, he knows 'He feels a neutral feeling without bait'. He attends to that sign, develops it, makes it much of, and thoroughly establishes it. Having attended to that sign, developed it, made it much of, and thoroughly established it, He directs his mind to feelings internally and externally. And how, monk, does he dwell observing feelings in feelings internally and externally? Here, monk, he understands a pleasant feeling as "a pleasant feeling," a painful feeling as "a painful feeling," a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling as "a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling." Or a pleasant feeling with attachment as "a pleasant feeling with attachment," or a pleasant feeling without attachment as "a pleasant feeling without attachment." Or a painful feeling with attachment as "a painful feeling with attachment," or a painful feeling without attachment as "a painful feeling without attachment." Or a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling with attachment as "a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling with attachment," or a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling without attachment as "a neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling without attachment." Thus, monk, he dwells observing feelings in feelings internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and distress in the world. 364. "Observing" means... "Dwells" means... "Ardent" means... "Clearly comprehending" means... "Mindful" means... "Having removed covetousness and distress in the world" means. Therein, what is the world? That very feeling is the world. The five aggregates of clinging are the world. This is called "the world." Therein, what is covetousness? That greed, that attachment... that attachment of the mind— this is called "covetousness." Therein, what is distress? That mental unpleasantness, mental pain, unpleasant, painful feeling born of mental contact, unpleasant, painful feeling born of mental contact— this is called "distress." Thus, this covetousness and this distress in this world are removed, completely removed, calmed, quieted, utterly pacified, gone to their setting, utterly gone to their setting, put away, thoroughly put away, dried up, completely dried up, brought to an end. Therefore it is said:

Page 1 of 5