SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 47 Linked Discourses on Mindfulness Meditation – Satipaṭṭhānasaṁyutta > SN 47.3 A Monk

Linked Discourses 47.3 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.3

1. In Ambapālī’s Wood – 1. Ambapālivagga

SN 47.3 A Monk – Bhikkhusutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Then a bhikkhu went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.

“This is exactly how some foolish people ask me for something. But when the teaching has been explained they think only of following me around.”

“Evameva panidhekacce moghapurisā mañceva ajjhesanti, dhamme ca bhāsite mameva anubandhitabbaṁ maññantī”ti.

“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief! May the Holy One teach me the Dhamma in brief! Hopefully I can understand the meaning of what the Buddha says! Hopefully I can be an heir of the Buddha’s teaching!”

“Desetu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ, desetu sugato saṅkhittena dhammaṁ. Appeva nāmāhaṁ bhagavato bhāsitassa atthaṁ jāneyyaṁ, appeva nāmāhaṁ bhagavato bhāsitassa dāyādo assan”ti.

“Well then, bhikkhu, you should purify the starting point of skillful qualities.

“Tasmātiha tvaṁ, bhikkhu, ādimeva visodhehi kusalesu dhammesu.

What is the starting point of skillful qualities?

Ko cādi kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ?

Well purified ethics and correct view.

Sīlañca suvisuddhaṁ, diṭṭhi ca ujukā.

When your ethics are well purified and your view is correct, you should develop the four kinds of mindfulness meditation in three ways, depending on and grounded on ethics.

Yato kho te, bhikkhu, sīlañca suvisuddhaṁ bhavissati diṭṭhi ca ujukā, tato tvaṁ, bhikkhu, sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya cattāro satipaṭṭhāne tividhena bhāveyyāsi.

What four?

Katame cattāro?

Meditate observing an aspect of the body internally—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

Idha tvaṁ, bhikkhu, ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

Or meditate observing an aspect of the body externally—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

Or meditate observing an aspect of the body internally and externally—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Or meditate observing an aspect of feelings internally …

Ajjhattaṁ vā vedanāsu …pe…

externally …

bahiddhā vā vedanāsu …

internally and externally—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

ajjhattabahiddhā vā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Or meditate observing an aspect of the mind internally …

Ajjhattaṁ vā citte …

externally …

bahiddhā vā citte …

internally and externally—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

ajjhattabahiddhā vā citte cittānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Or meditate observing an aspect of principles internally …

Ajjhattaṁ vā dhammesu …

externally …

bahiddhā vā dhammesu …

internally and externally—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

ajjhattabahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

When you develop the four kinds of mindfulness meditation in these three ways, depending on and grounded on ethics, you can expect growth, not decline, in skillful qualities, whether by day or by night.”

Yato kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya ime cattāro satipaṭṭhāne evaṁ tividhena bhāvessasi, tato tuyhaṁ, bhikkhu, yā ratti vā divaso vā āgamissati vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no parihānī”ti.

And then that bhikkhu approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho so bhikkhu bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then that bhikkhu, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

Atha kho so bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.”

“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.

And that bhikkhu became one of the perfected.

Aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.