Majjhima Nikāya
1. Mūla-Paṇṇāsa
1. Mūla-Pariyāya Vagga
Sutta 10
Sati-Paṭṭhāna Suttaṃ
Setting Up the Mind
Or
The Master Past Your Passions Pastures
or
The Pastures of the Masters,
or
The Spell of Four Great Satisfactions
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
[290]
Evaṃ me sutaṃ
[1][chlm][pts][nysa][soma][than][ntbb][upal] I Hear Tell[1]
Once upon a time Bhagavā Kurūsuland came-a revisiting[2]
their market town, Kammāssadhamma.
It was while there that The Lucky Man addressed the beggars:
"Beggars!" he says.
and the beggars responding
'BrokeTooth!'
The Lucky Man says this to them:
One sure thing, this, Beggars,[3]
a way for the purification of beings,
for rising above personal grief and lamentation,
for the subsidence of pain and misery,
for mastering the method,
experiencing Nibbāna
— that is to say, the four settings-up of mind.
What four?
Here, beggars, a beggar
— lives observing the body, through the body,
ardent, cognizant, mindful,
having risen above personal grief and lamentation;
— lives observing sense experience,
through sense experiences,
ardent, cognizant, mindful,
having risen above personal grief and lamentation;
— lives observing the heart,
through states of the heart,
ardent, cognizant, mindful,
having risen above personal grief and lamentation;
— lives observing the Dhamma, through the Dhamma,
ardent, cognizant, satisfied,
having risen above personal grief and lamentation.
And how, beggars, does a beggar
live observing the body through the body?
Here beggars, a beggar,
having gotten himself off to the forest
or to the root of some tree,
or to some empty hut,
and having taken up his seat there
sitting down,
body upright,
legs bent-across-lapwise,[4]
and having set up minding around the mouth,[5]
just so minds the in-breath,
just so minds the out breath.
If he breaths in deeply, he knows:
'I am breathing in deeply.'
If he breaths out deeply, he knows:
'I am breathing out deeply.'
If he breaths in shallowly, he knows:
'I am breathing in shallowly.'
If he breaths out shallowly, he knows:
'I am breathing out shallowly.'
'Reflecting on the experience of[6] everything bodily, I will breath in,'
this is the way he trains.
'Observing everything bodily, I will breath out,'
this is the way he trains.
'Pacifying[7] bodily own-making, I will breath in,'
this is the way he trains.
'Pacifying bodily own-making, I will breath out,'
this is the way he trains.
In the same way as the spinner,[8] beggars,
or his apprentice,
in pulling long knows:
'I am pulling long,'
in pulling short knows:
'I am pulling short,'
even so, beggars, a beggar
if he breaths in deeply, knows:
'I am breathing in deeply,'
if he breaths out deeply, knows:
'I am breathing out deeply.'
If he breaths in shallowly, he knows:
'I am breathing in shallowly.'
If he breaths out shallowly, he knows:
'I am breathing out shallowly.'
'Observing everything bodily, I will breath in,'
this is the way he trains.
'Observing everything bodily, I will breath out,'
this is the way he trains.
'Pacifying body-own-making, I will breath in,'
this is the way he trains.
'Pacifying body-own-making, I will breath out,'
this is the way he trains.
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars,
deeper than that, a beggar,
having got going, knows:
'I have gotten going,'
standing, knows:
'I am standing,'
sitting, knows:
'I am sitting,'
lying down, knows:
'I am lying down.'
Thus in suchwise
as he manages the body
thus is such as he knows it to be.
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars,
deeper than that,
a beggar, departing or returning
does it with cognizance;
looking at or looking the other way,
he does it with cognizance;
stretching or flexing,
he does it with cognizance;
wearing cloak, bowl and upper-robe
he does it with cognizance;
eating, drinking, biting, or tasting
he does it with cognizance;
passing matter or passing water
he does it with cognizance;
on the go,
standing,
sitting,
asleep or awake,
speaking or becoming silent
he does it with cognizance.
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars,
deeper than that,
a beggar reflects on this body encased by skin
as filled
from the top of the tips of the hairs of the head above
to the bottom of the soles of the feet below
with diverse sorts of putrid filth,
thinking:
'There is in this body hair of the head,
body hair,
nails,
teeth,
skin,
meat,
sinews,
bones,
marrow,
kidneys,
heart,
liver,
pleura,
spleen,
lungs,
innards,
intestines,
stomach,
excrement,
bile,
phlegm,
pus,
blood,
sweat,
fat,
tears,
wax,
spit,
snot,
synovial fluid,
urine
and brain.'[9]
In the same way, beggars,
as with a double-mouthed sample-bag
filled with various sorts of grain,[10]
such as:
fine rice,[11]
unhusked rice,
kidney beans,
white beans,
sesame,
husked rice,
and a man there
with eyes in his head that can see,
could see,
when he dumped out that bag:
'Here is fine rice,
unhusked rice,
kidney beans,
white beans,
sesame,
husked rice.'
— Even so, beggars,
a beggar reflects on this body encased by skin
as filled
from the top of the tips of the hairs of the head above
to the bottom of the soles of the feel below
with diverse sorts of putrid filth,
thinking:
'There is in this body hair of the head,
body hair,
nails,
teeth,
skin,
meat,
sinews,
bones,
marrow,
kidneys,
heart,
liver,
pleura,
spleen,
lungs,
innards,
intestines,
stomach,
excrement,
bile,
phlegm,
pus,
blood,
sweat,
fat,
tears,
wax,
spit,
snot,
synovial fluid,
urine
and brain.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars,
deeper than that,
a beggar reviews this same body,
however it stands,
whatever it is doing,
in terms of the elementary data:
'There is, in this body
the earth element,
the water element,
the fire element
and the wind element.'
In the same way, beggars,
as the cattle-butcher
or the cattle-butchers apprentice
having butchered a cow,
arranges the parts
at the crossroads as he sits;
even so, beggars,
a beggar reviews this same body,
however it stands,
whatever it is doing,
in terms of the elementary data:
'There is, in this body
the earth element,
the water element,
the fire element
and the wind element.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
dead for 1, 2, 3 days
become bloated,
black and blue,
rotting.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
being eaten by crows,
being eaten by hawks,
being eaten by vultures,
being eaten by dogs,
being eaten by jackals,
being eaten by various sorts of living creatures.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
a trail of bones,
bloody members strung together by sinew.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
a trail of bones,
memberless
smeared with blood
strung together by sinew.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
a trail of bones,
stripped of flesh and blood,
strung together by sinew.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
just bones,
disconnected and scattered
here, there and in-between,
in one place the hand bone,
in another place the foot bone,
in another place the leg bone,
in another place the chest bone,
in another place the hipbone,
in another place the backbone,
and in another place the skull.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
just bones,
white,
something like the pearl-white of shells.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
just bones,
a heap of bones,
dried-up,
rotted
year-old bones.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
Again, beggars,
deeper than that,
a beggar, in the same way
as if he had seen a body
tossed into the charnel ground,
just bones,
putrid,
chewed up bones.
Relating this to his own body,
he thinks:
'This body of mine too
is a thing just like that,
will become just like that,
will come to just such an end as that.'
Thus he lives observing body, through body
with regard to the self
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to externals
or he lives observing body, through body
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing body,
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing body,
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is body'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing body through body.
And how, beggars, does a beggar
live observing sense experience
through sense experience?
Here beggars, a beggar
experiencing a pleasant sense experience, knows:
'I am experiencing a pleasant sense experience.'
Experiencing a painful sense experience, knows:
'I am experiencing a painful sense experience.'
Experiencing a sense experience
which is not-painful-but-not-pleasant, knows:
'I am experiencing a sense experience
which is not-painful-but-not-pleasant.'
Experiencing a carnal pleasant sense experience, he knows:
'I am experiencing a carnal pleasant sense experience.'
Experiencing a carnal-free pleasant sense experience, he knows:
'I am experiencing a carnal-free pleasant sense experience.'
Experiencing a carnal painful sense experience, he knows:
'I am experiencing a carnal painful sense experience.'
Experiencing a carnal-free painful sense experience, he knows:
'I am experiencing a carnal-free painful sense experience.'
Experiencing a carnal sense experience
that is not-painful-but-not-pleasant, he knows:
'I am experiencing a carnal sense experience
that is not-painful-but-not-pleasant.'
Experiencing a carnal-free sense experience
that is not-painful-but-not-pleasant, he knows:
'I am experiencing a carnal-free sense experience
that is not-painful-but-not-pleasant.'
Thus he lives observing sense experience
through sense experience
with regard to the self
or he lives observing sense experience
through sense experience
with regard to externals
or he lives observing sense experience
through sense experience
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing sense experience
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing sense experience
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing sense experience
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is sense experience'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars,
a beggar lives observing sense experience
through sense experience.
And how, beggars, does a beggar live
observing the heart through the heart?
Here beggars, a beggar knows,
of a heart with lust:
'This is a heart with lust.'
Of a heart without lust, he knows:
'This is a heart without lust.'
Of a heart with anger, he knows:
'This is a heart with anger.'
Of a heart without anger, he knows:
'This is a heart without anger.'
Of a deluded heart, he knows:
'This is a deluded heart.'
Of a heart without delusion, he knows:
'This is a heart without delusion.'
Of a narrow heart, he knows:
'This is a narrow heart.'
Of a broad heart, he knows:
'This is a broad heart.'
Of a closed heart, he knows:
'This is a closed heart.'
Of an open heart, he knows:
'This is an open heart.'
Of a heart that is less than superior, he knows:
'This heart is less than superior.'
Of a heart that is nothing less than superior, he knows:
'This heart is nothing less than superior.'
Of an unbalanced heart, he knows:
'This is an unbalanced heart.'
Of a balanced heart, he knows:
'This is a balanced heart.'
Of a heart that is not free, he knows:
'This is a heart that is not free.'
Of a heart that is free, he knows:
'This is a heart that is free.'[12]
Thus he lives observing the heart through the heart
with regard to the self
or he lives observing the heart through the heart
with regard to externals
or he lives observing the heart through the heart
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing the heart
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing the heart
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing the heart
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is the heart'
he sets up heart
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars, a beggar lives
observing the heart through the heart.
And how, beggars, does a beggar live
observing Dhamma through the Dhamma?
Here beggars, a beggar lives
observing Dhamma through the Dhamma:
'Five Diversions'.
And how, beggars, does a beggar, live
observing Dhamma through the Dhamma:
'Five Diversions'?
Here, beggars, a beggar,
when there is wishing for pleasure within, knows:
'There is within wishing for pleasure.'
When there is no wishing for pleasure within, knows:
'There is within no wishing for pleasure.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of unarisen wishing for pleasure,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen wishing for pleasure,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go wishing for pleasure.
When there is anger within, he knows:
'There is anger within.'
When there is no anger within, he knows:
'There is no anger within.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of unarisen anger,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen anger,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go anger.
When there is laziness and inertia within, he knows:
'There is laziness and inertia within.'
When there is no laziness and inertia within, he knows:
'There is no laziness and inertia within.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of unarisen laziness and inertia,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen laziness and inertia,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go laziness and inertia.
When there is fear and trembling within, he knows:
'There is fear and trembling within.'
When there is no fear and trembling within, he knows:
'There is no fear and trembling within.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of unarisen fear and trembling,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen fear and trembling,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go fear and trembling.
When there is vacillation within, he knows:
'There is vacillation within.'
When there is no vacillation within, he knows:
'There is no vacillation within.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of unarisen vacillation,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen vacillation,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go vacillation.
Thus he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to the self
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to externals
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is Dhamma'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars, a beggar lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma.
§
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar lives observing Dhamma
through the Dhamma:
'Five Boundup Stockpiles'.
And how, beggars, does a beggar
live observing Dhamma through the Dhamma:
'Five Boundup Stockpiles'?
Here beggars a beggar thinks:
'This is form,
this is the origin of form,
this is the settling of form.
This is sense experience,
this is the origin of sense experience,
this is the settling of sense experience.
This is perception,
this is the origin of perception,
this is the settling of perception.
This is own-making,
this is the origin of own-making,
this is the settling of own-making.
This is re-knowing-knowing-knowledge,
this is the origin of re-knowing-knowing-knowledge,
this is the settling of re-knowing-knowing-knowledge.'
Thus he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to the self
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to externals
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is Dhamma'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars, a beggar lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma.
§
Again, beggars,
deeper than that,
a beggar, lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma:
'Six Internal/External Realms'.
And how, beggars, does a beggar,
live observing Dhamma through the Dhamma:
'Six Internal/External Realms'?
Here beggars a beggar knows
the eye and knows shape,
he knows any yoke that arises
rebounding off the two,
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen yoke,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen yoke,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go yoke.
Here beggars a beggar knows
the ear and knows sounds,
he knows any yoke that arises
rebounding off the two,
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen yoke,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen yoke,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go yoke.
Here beggars a beggar knows
the nose and knows scents,
he knows any yoke that arises
rebounding off the two,
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen yoke,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen yoke,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go yoke.
Here beggars a beggar knows
the tongue and knows tastes,
he knows any yoke that arises
rebounding off the two,
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen yoke,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen yoke,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go yoke.
Here beggars a beggar knows
the body and knows touch,
he knows any yoke that arises
rebounding off the two,
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen yoke,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen yoke,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go yoke.
Here beggars a beggar knows
the mind and knows Dhamma,
he knows any yoke that arises
rebounding off the two,
he knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen yoke,
he knows it, should there come to be
letting go of that arisen yoke,
and he knows it when there comes to be
no future arising of that let go yoke.
Thus he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to the self
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to externals
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is Dhamma'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars, a beggar lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma.
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar lives observing Dhamma
through the Dhamma:
'Seven Dimensions of Awakening.'
And how, beggars, does a beggar live
observing Dhamma through the Dhamma:
'Seven Dimensions of Awakening'?
Here, beggars, a beggar,
when there is the mind dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is the mind dimension of self-awakening within.'
When there is no mind dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is within no mind dimension of self-awakening.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen
mind dimension of self-awakening,
and he knows it, should there come to be
all-round thorough development
of that arisen mind dimension of self-awakening.
Here, beggars, a beggar,
when there is the Dhamma-investigation dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is the Dhamma-investigation dimension of self-awakening within.'
When there is no Dhamma-investigation dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is within no Dhamma-investigation
dimension of self-awakening.'
He knows it,
should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen Dhamma-investigation dimension of self-awakening,
and he knows it,
should there come to be
all-round thorough development
of that arisen Dhamma-investigation dimension of self-awakening.
Here, beggars, a beggar,
when there is the energy dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is the energy dimension of self-awakening within.'
When there is no energy dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is within no energy dimension of self-awakening.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen energy dimension of self-awakening,
and he knows it, should there come to be
all-round thorough development
of that arisen energy dimension of self-awakening.
Here, beggars, a beggar,
when there is the enthusiasm dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is the enthusiasm dimension of self-awakening within.'
When there is no enthusiasm dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is within no enthusiasm dimension of self-awakening.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen
enthusiasm dimension of self-awakening,
and he knows it, should there come to be
all-round thorough development
of that arisen enthusiasm dimension of self-awakening.
Here, beggars, a beggar,
when there is the impassivity dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is the impassivity dimension of self-awakening within.'
When there is no impassivity dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is within no impassivity dimension of self-awakening.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen
impassivity dimension of self-awakening,
and he knows it, should there come to be
all-round thorough development
of that arisen impassivity dimension of self-awakening.
Here, beggars, a beggar,
when there is the serenity dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is the serenity dimension of self-awakening within.'
When there is no serenity dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is within no serenity dimension of self-awakening.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen serenity dimension of self-awakening,
and he knows it, should there come to be
all-round thorough development
of that arisen serenity dimension of self-awakening.
Here, beggars, a beggar,
when there is the detachment dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is the detachment dimension of self-awakening within.'
When there is no detachment dimension of self-awakening within, knows:
'There is within no detachment dimension of self-awakening.'
He knows it, should there come to be
the arising of an unarisen detachment dimension of self-awakening,
and he knows it, should there come to be
all-round thorough development
of that arisen detachment dimension of self-awakening.
Thus he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to the self
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to externals
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is Dhamma'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars, a beggar lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma.
§
Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma:
'Four Aristocrats of Truths'.
And how, beggars, does a beggar live
observing Dhamma through the Dhamma:
'Four Aristocrats of Truths'?
Here beggars a beggar thinks:
'This is pain'
and he knows it according to its nature.
He thinks:
'This is the origin of pain'
and he knows it according to its nature.
He thinks:
'This is the ending of pain'
and he knows it according to its nature.
He thinks:
'This is the way to bring about
the end of that pain'
and he knows it according to its nature.
Thus he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to the self
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to externals
or he lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma
with regard to himself and externals.
Or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the aging of things,
or he lives observing Dhamma
through the origins and aging of things.
Or thinking:
'This is Dhamma'
he sets up minding
just enough to get a measure of knowledge,
a measure of recollectedness.
Thus he lives observing
but does not grasp after
things of the world.
Even so, beggars, a beggar lives observing Dhamma through the Dhamma.
§
For him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for seven rains,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, seven rains,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for six rains,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, six rains,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for five rains,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, five rains,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for four rains,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, four rains,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for three rains,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, three rains,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for two rains,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, two rains,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for one rains,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, one rains,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for seven moons,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, seven moons,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for six moons,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, six moons,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for five moons,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, five moons,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for four moons,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, four moons,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for three moons,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, three moons,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for two moons,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, two moons,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for one moon,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, one moon,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for a half moon,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
Let stand, beggars, a half moon,
for him, beggars, who so develops these four satisfactions for seven days,
one fruit or another
of these two fruits
will result:
omniscience in this visible state, or
having involvements,
non-returning.
'One sure thing, this, Beggars,
a way for the purification of beings,
for rising above personal grief and lamentation,
for the subsidence of pain and misery,
for mastering the method,
experiencing Nibbāna
— that is to say, the four settings-up of mind.'
It was because of this
that which has been said
was said thus."
This is what Bhagava said.
"Delightful!" said those beggars, uplifted by what the Lucky Man said.
[1] 'I'm just tell'n you what I'm hearing. The story most people have heard is that this line (Evam me Suttam — usually translated 'Thus I have heard') was originally spoken by Ānanda at the first council as he recited from memory all he had heard. There is another story. This is the way a seer will begin when he is going to tell you what he has 'heard' in his meditations on a certain subject. In this translation I am going to tell you what I hear in this way but 'reflected off' — (as it carefully adheres to) the 'script' we have in the Pāḷi version of this spell.
[2] I hear this spell (or the spell that was originally delivered as this spell) was cast in front of an audience of a thousand seers on what in the USA would be known as Halloween Night.
[3] Ekāyano. It is almost obligatory for a translator of the Satipaṭṭhana to footnote this term. It is clear that the two camps are: 1. those who would wish to suggest that not only was This Practice The One and Only Way (among thousands and thousands described in the suttas ... which do, it is true, all come down to the same method) but that by extension Buddhism is the one and only way. Others that fall into this 'one and only way' camp include those who would rather not have to wade through the other 83,999 suttas. The other camp is made up of those who are trying to figure out how to say this in such a way that it does not imply that this practice or system is the one and only way (like the field/ground studies in psychology; they fail to see that this method is just a restatement of the same method used throughout the suttas, that is to say, essentially, the Four Truths). I have got a completely different take. The Buddha himself, no doubt anticipating this very debate, has suggested how to arrive at the meaning. He tells us straight out that it was because this way leads one who even only practices [perfectly] for seven days to either non-returning or Arahantship in this very life. Its got only one goal. It has a very narrow scope. The outcome is sure. Take a look; in one way we can say that the entire sutta is constructed so as to explain the meaning of 'ekayano'. This is [pick one]; a way to overcome dukkha; culminating in non-returning or higher.
[If practiced impeccably.]
On the other hand, for a different take on what is going on here, see SN 5.54.1, n.2
Bhk. Nanavira and Bhk. Nanamoli also see the meaning of this term approximately as I have it here. See: Nanavira, 'ekayano'.
[4] See SN 5.54.1, n3 and see 'The Seat'
[5] Parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā. Whatever the translators of this phrase finally agree on, this means in practice that the meditator is to make sure (mind) that the various muscles associated with (pari — around) the organs of the face (mukham) (especially around the eyes, at the corners of the nose and mouth, and the set of the teeth) are as free from tension as possible. Then the idea is to create a center or home base or initial focus at the mouth. "You take the mind from where it is randomly wandering around and you place it at the mouth. This, in turn is focus on the breathing and by extension on the body, sense experience, the heart and the Dhamma.
Woodward translates: "setting mindfulness in front of him" and interprets according to the hindu-yoga tradition "Between the eyebrows, where the Hindus place the brow-cakram."
Bhikkhu Bodhi translates: "set up mindfulness in front of him" and quotes commentary: "...Vibh 252,14-16 says: 'This mindfulness is set up, well set up at the tip of the nose or at the center of the upper lip.'
Path of Purity: "Establishing his mindfulness in front" means, setting his mindfulness in the direction of the subject of meditation. Or, pari (in parimukhaṃ "in front") has the meaning of "grasping all round"; mukhaṃ of "going out from"; sati (mindfulness) of "being present," and it is therefore said to be parimukhaṃ sati. The meaning is to be taken here according to the version of the Paṭisambhidā, [i, 176] of which the following is an abstract: setting up mindfulness concerning a going forth which is thoroughly grasped."
For further discussion of this phrase see: DhammaTalk, Give Ear, Remembering Sati and See SN 54
As of this time [Tuesday, March 17, 2020 12:40 PM] I am convinced that the best way to see this is to see it as a spectrum of foci that goes thus: Mind the mouth, mind the face, mind the front (or the interface between the internal and the external; and mind what you are about (that is, that you are setting up minding). Both in the forward direction and in the reverse; ending at minding the interface and remembering to let it all go.
[8] Bhamakāro. "string-maker" or 'spin-maker'. Walshe, Rhys Davids, Bhk. Thanissaro, Horner and others: 'Turner'. This could also be a lute player (? long note, short note); a turner (lathe worker) or potter (also called a turner), both giving difficulty with the idea of pulling long or short. The lathe or potting wheel is turned by pulling on a rope wound round a spindle that reverses gears when the rope has been fully pulled out and allowed to rewind around the spindle thus allowing a second pull ... but there is nothing in the mechanism that would allow for short or long pulls. A top (toy) spinner, also with issues with regard to the long and short pulls; or we could just take the word at face value and say this is a spinner (of yarn or thread, i.e., sutta — where now it is necessary to pull out the wool long, and where now it is necessary to pull out the wool only slightly). Two appeal to me: The Potter because of the relation to a sub-meaning of Bhagava; and 'spinner' because of the relationship to 'spinning' a 'sutta' (string, story, or spell). But did spinners have apprentices?
[9] The brain is not included in all versions of this list. I hear it was only inserted by those following the commentary. Here I am going to side with the commentary for once. This is at one level a joke. Here I think the commentator had vision. He got the joke (The location of the brain — Where most people's minds are located; 'His mind is in the gutter' is how it is often put in English.). This idea is reflected elsewhere in similes. For example below in the charnel ground images there is one that describes the bones, now scattered, with the skull located at the pelvis; this occurs again in SN: 2.17:9 where the bird that is torn apart has its head located at its tail feathers.
[10] This is another 'joke'. We in the modern west, with our flushing toilets will have a difficult time relating to this one, but the reader is reminded that when he opens that bag of his at the one end, a few days later what he puts in comes out when he opens up the other end, and a man with eyes in his head that can see can see: 'Here is that rice and beans, here is that potato I swallowed whole, etc.' Please note here also the Freudian-like symbolism of the corn, husked and ready for boiling.
[11] Fine quality rice husked and with the black grains removed.
[12] I have reversed the order on the last two sets to follow the usual and instructive way lists are usually ordered in the Pāḷi, that is, proceeding from the lower state to the better state.
