Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
47. Sati-Paṭṭhāna Saṃyutta
2. Nālandā Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
47. Kindred Sayings on the Stations of Mindfulness
2. Nālandā
Sutta 18
Brahmā Suttaṃ
Brahmā
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One was staying near Uruvelā,
on the bank of the river Nerañjarā, under the Goatherds' Banyan,[1]
after he had just attained enlightenment.
Then, as the Exalted One meditated in solitude,
there arose in his mind
this train of thought:
This is the one sole way[2]
that leads to the purification of beings,
to the utter passing beyond sorrow and grief,
to the destruction of woe and lamentation,
to the winning of the Method,
to the realizing of Nibbāna,
to wit:
the four stations of mindfulness.
What four?
A monk[3] should dwell in body contemplating body
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He should dwell as regards feelings contemplating feelings
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He should dwell as regards mind contemplating mind
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He should dwell as regards mind-states contemplating mind-states
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
This is the one sole way
that leads to the purification of beings,
to the utter passing beyond sorrow and grief,
to the destruction of woe and lamentation,
to the winning of the Method,
to the realizing of Nibbāna,
to wit:
the four stations of mindfulness."
§
Now Brahma Sahampati,[4]
reading with his mind
the mind of the Exalted One,
just as a strong man might stretch out [148] his bent arm,
or draw in his arm stretched out, -
even so did Brahmā Sahampati vanish from the Brahma World
and appear before the Exalted One.
Then drawing his outer robe over one shoulder,
joining his hands
he raised them to the Exalted One and said:
"Thus it is, Exalted One!
Thus it is, O Happy One!
This is the one sole way
that leads to the purification of beings,
to the utter passing beyond sorrow and grief,
to the destruction of woe and lamentation,
to the winning of the Method,
to the realizing of Nibbāna,
to wit:
the four stations of mindfulness.
What four?
A monk should dwell in body contemplating body
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He should dwell as regards feelings contemplating feelings
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He should dwell as regards mind contemplating mind
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He should dwell as regards mind-states contemplating mind-states
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
This is the one sole way
that leads to the purification of beings,
to the utter passing beyond sorrow and grief,
to the destruction of woe and lamentation,
to the winning of the Method,
to the realizing of Nibbāna,
to wit:
the four stations of mindfulness."
Thus spake Brahma Sahampati.
Having so said
Brahmā Sahampati added this further:
Beholding this one way for ending birth,[5]
This way the All-compassionate doth know:
By this way men ere now have crossed the flood,
Shall cross and do cross now.
[1] Ajapāla-nigrodhe Cf. Vin. i, 2, 3; UdA. 51; K.S. i, 128 n.; and infra, text p. 185.
[2] Supra, Bk. III, 1, i, ekāyano. Here as before it is ekamaggo. Comy.
[3] Comy. 'At that time there were no bhikkhus. This being so, he intended to show that whosoever cultivates the stations of mindfulness, by the fact of breaking up (bhindanena) the corruptions is thereby a bhikkhu.' This is a doubtful explanation, but in accordance with the defs. at Vibhanga, 245 (where sixteen explanations are given): e.g., 'one is a bhikku by name, by the vows, by begging, by mendicancy, by living the life of an almsman, by breaking ill states, etc.' At any rate, the name already existed in Sanskrit, solely in the meaning of 'almsman, mendicant.'
[4] Cf. K.S. i, 172 n.
[5] Jāti-khay'anta-dassī. Cf. Sn. v, 209, 476; SnA. ii, 410 (infra, text 186); quoted M. Nidd. 456.
