<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation:  SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 47 Linked Discourses on Mindfulness Meditation – Satipaṭṭhānasaṁyutta > SN 47.43 The Path – Maggasutta

Linked Discourses 47.43 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.43

5. The Deathless – 5. Amatavagga

SN 47.43 The Path – Maggasutta

 

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū, at one time, when I was first awakened, I was staying near Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.

“ekamidāhaṁ, bhikkhave, samayaṁ uruvelāyaṁ viharāmi najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho.

As I was in private retreat this thought came to mind:

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

‘The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to end the cycle of suffering, and to realize extinguishment.

‘ekāyanvāyaṁ maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā.

What four?

Katame cattāro?

A bhikkhu would meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

Kāye vā bhikkhu kāyānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

Or they’d meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

vedanāsu vā bhikkhu vedanānupassī vihareyya …pe…

or mind …

citte vā bhikkhu cittānupassī vihareyya …pe…

or principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

dhammesu vā bhikkhu dhammānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to end the cycle of suffering, and to realize extinguishment.’

Ekāyanvāyaṁ maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’ti.

And then Brahmā Sahampati, knowing what I was thinking, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the Brahmā realm and reappeared in front of me.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati mama cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—brahmaloke antarahito mama purato pāturahosi.

He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said:

Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yenāhaṁ tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā maṁ etadavoca:

‘That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!

‘evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata.

Sir, the four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to end the cycle of suffering, and to realize extinguishment.

Ekāyanvāyaṁ, bhante, maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā.

What four?

Katame cattāro?

A bhikkhu would meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

Kāye vā, bhante, bhikkhu kāyānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

Or they’d meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

vedanāsu vā …pe…

or mind …

citte vā …pe…

or principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

dhammesu vā, bhante, bhikkhu dhammānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to end the cycle of suffering, and to realize extinguishment.’

Ekāyanvāyaṁ, bhante, maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’ti.

That’s what Brahmā Sahampati said.

Idamavoca, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati.

Then he went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvā athāparaṁ etadavoca:

‘The compassionate one, who sees the utter ending of rebirth,

‘Ekāyanaṁ jātikhayantadassī,

understands the path to convergence.

Maggaṁ pajānāti hitānukampī;

By this path people crossed over before,

Etena maggena tariṁsu pubbe,

will cross over, and are crossing over.’”

Tarissanti ye ca taranti oghan’”ti.