Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
47. Sati-Paṭṭhāna Saṃyutta
5. Amata Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
47. Kindred Sayings on the Stations of Mindfulness
5. The Deathless
Sutta 43
Magga Suttaṃ
The Way[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"On a certain occasion, monks,
I was staying at Uruvela,
on the bank of the river Nerañjarā,
under the Goatherds' Banyan,
after I had just attained enlightenment.
[162] Then, monks, as I meditated in solitude,
this train of thought arose in my mmd:
'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.'
Then, monks, Brahmā Sahampati,
reading with his mind my mind,
just as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm,
or draw in his outstretched arm, -
even so did Brahmā Sahampati vanish from the Brahma World
and appear before me.
Then, monks, Brahmā Sahampati,
drawing his outer robe over one shoulder,
joined his hands
and raised them to me
and thus spoke:
'True it is, O Exalted One!
True 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 Brahmā Sahampati.
So saying he added this further:
'Beholding this one way for ending birth,
This way the All-compassionate doth know:
By this way men ere now have crossed the flood,
Shall cross and do cross now.'"
[1] Cf. supra, text 167, where a similar Sutta is called Brahmā.
