MAHASATIPATTHANA SUTTA
(Great Discourse on Steadfast Mindfulness) - Part 1
Maha Vagga Pali, Digha Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka

From "TEN SUTTAS FROM DIGHA NIKAYA"

BURMA PITAKA ASSOCIATION, 1984

        Summary

         Perception of the True Nature of the Body

(i) Section on Breathing

(ii) Section on Body Movement and Posture

(iii) Section on Clear Comprehension

(iv) Section on Consideration of Repulsiveness

(v) Section on Consideration of the Primary Elements

(vi) Section on Nine Kinds of Corpses

         Perception of the True Nature of Sensation

         Perception of the True Nature of Mind

         Perception of the True Nature of Dhamma

         Exposition of the Noble Truth of Dukkha

         Exposition of the Noble Truth of the Origin of Dukkha

         Exposition of the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Dukkha

         Exposition of the Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha

         372. Thus have I heard:

        The Bhagava was at one time residing at the market-town called Kammasadhamma in the Kuru Country. There the Bhagava addressed the bhikkhus, (saying): "O Bhikkhus," and they replied to him, "Venerable Sir." The Bhagava said:

Summary

         373. Bhikkhus¹, this is the one and only way for the purification (of the minds) of beings, for overcoming sorrow and lamentation, for the complete destruction of (physical) pain and (mental) distress, for attainment of the noble (ariya) Magga, and for the realization of Nibbana. That (only way) is the practice of the four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness, Satipatthana.

        What are the four (Satipatthanas)? Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu (i.e., the disciple) following my Teaching keeps his mind steadfastly on the body ( kaya) ²with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, (and perceives its impermanent, insecure, soulless, and repulsive nature), thus keeping away covetousness and distress (which will appear if he is not mindful of' the five khandhas).

         The bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on sensation (vedana), with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, (and perceives its impermanent, insecure, and soulless nature), thus keeping away covetousness and distress (which will appear if he is not mindful of the five khandhas).

        The bhikkhu concentrates steadfastly on the mind (citta), with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, (and perceives its impermanent, insecure, and soulless nature), thus keeping away covetousness and distress (which will appear if he is not mindful of the five khandhas).

         The bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the dhamma ³with diligence, comprehension and mindful ness, (and perceives their impermanent, insecure, and soulless nature), thus keeping away covetousness and distress (which will appear if he is not mindful of the five khandhas).

        1: Bhikkhus: "This term here includes all those dedicated to the practice of this Teaching. (not only those who have been admitted to the Order). (The Commentary)

        2: the body: Strictly speaking, the aggregate of physical phenomena.

        3: dhamma: the five dhammas consisting of (1) five nivaranas (2) five khandhas. (3) twelve ayatanas, (4) seven bojjhangas, and (5) four ariya saccas. This will become clear in Paras 382 to 403 of this sutta.

End of the Summary

Perception of the True Nature of the Body:

(i) Section on Breathing

         374. Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu keep his mind steadfastly on the body?

        Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu following the practice of my Teaching, having gone to the forest, or to the foot of a tree or to an empty, solitary place, sits down cross-legged, keeping his body erect, and sets up mindfulness, orienting it (towards the object of concentration).

(Then) with entire mindfulness he breathes in and with entire mindfulness he breathes out.

Breathing in a long inhalation, he is conscious of breathing in a long inhalation, or breathing out a long exhalation, he is conscious of breathing out a long exhalation.

Breathing in a short inhalation, he is conscious of breathing in a short inhalation, or breathing out a short exhalation, he is conscious of breathing out a short exhalation.

        He trains himself to be clearly conscious of the whole stretch of the in-coming breath at its beginning, its middle, and at its end. He trains himself to be clearly conscious of the whole stretch of the out-going breath at its beginning, its middle, and at its end. (By being fully conscious of the inhalation) he trains himself to calm down the strong inhalation as he breathes in. (By being fully conscious of the exhalation) he trains himself to calm down the strong exhalation as he breathes out¹.

         Just as, bhikkhus, a skilful turner or a turner's apprentice knows a long pull (on the string turning the lathe) when a long pull is made, or knows a short pull when a short pull is made, even so, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu breathing in a long inhalation is conscious of breathing in a long inhalation, or breathing out a long exhalation is conscious of breathing out a long exhalation, or breathing in a short inhalation is conscious of breathing in a short inhalation, or breathing out a short exhalation is conscious of breathing out a short exhalation. He trains himself to be clearly conscious of the whole stretch of the in-coming breath at its beginning, its middle, and at its end. He trains himself to be clearly conscious of the whole stretch of the out-going breath at its beginning, its middle, and at its end. He trains himself to calm down the strong inhalation as he breathes in. He trains himself to calm dawn the strong exhalation as he breathes out.

        Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his (own breathing, and perceives its impermanent, insecure, and soulless nature).

(Occasionally) he realizes that the aggregate of physical phenomena (which is the breathing) of others must be of a similar nature. Because of this realization, he can be said to keep his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena (which is the breathing) of others. In this way, he is considered to keep his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his (own breathing) or which is that of others.

(When he gains more concentration), he perceives the cause and the actual appearing of the aggregate of physical phenomena (which is the process of breathing). He (also) perceives the cause and the actual dissolution of the aggregate of physical phenomena (which is the process of breathing). He (also) perceives both the actual appearing and the actual dissolution of the aggregate of physical phenomena (which is the process of breathing with their causes¹.

        And further, the bhikkhu is firmly mindful of the fact that there is only the aggregate of physical phenomena (which is inhaling and exhaling). That mindfulness is solely for gaining (vipassana) insights progressively, solely for gaining further mindfulness stage by stage. The bhikkhu remains detached from craving and wrong views, without clinging to any of the five khandhas (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

        ¹: No special effort is necessary to calm down the strong inhalation and exhalation. The more one gets mental concentration the more the strong inhalation and exhalation will calm down. When the mental concentration reaches its highest point, inhalation and exhalation will become so delicate that the yogi will feel that his breathing has stopped.

End of the Section on Breathing

Perception of the True Nature of the Body

(ii) Section on Body Movement and Posture

         375. And again, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu when walking, is conscious of walking; or when standing, he is conscious of standing; or when sitting, he is conscious of sitting; or when lying down, he is conscious of lying down; or in whatever movement or posture his body is, he is conscious of it.

        Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his body ...

... ( and perceives its impermanent, insecure, soulless, and repulsive nature). (Occasionally) he realizes that the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body of others must be of a similar nature. Because of this realization, he can be said to keep his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body of others. In this way he is considered to keep his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his own body or which is that of others. (When he gains more concentration), he perceives the cause and the actual appearing of the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body. He (also) perceives the cause and the actual dissolution of the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body. He (also) perceives both the actual appearing and the actual dissolution of the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body, with their causes¹. And further, the bhikkhu is firmly mindful of the fact that there is only the aggregate of physical phenomena (without soul or atta directing it)². That (mindfulness) is solely for gaining (vipassana) insights progressively, solely for gaining further mindfulness stage by stage. The bhikkhu remains detached from craving and wrong views, without clinging to any of the five khandhas

        ... (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is also in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

        ¹: The causes of the appearing and dissolution of the aggregate of physical phenomena which is inhalation and exhalation are the existence or the non-existence of the body, the nose and the mind.

         ²: The causes of appearing of physical phenomena are ignorance of the Four Ariya Truths, craving, kamma, and nutriment. They and their effect, i.e. , the continuous appearance of physical phenomena, are called five Samudaya dhamma. The perception of these five Samudaya dhamma is called Samudaya dhammanupassi. They are perceived in the following way:

        When the bhikkhu can steadfastly keep his mind on the body-postures by means of diligence, mindfulness, concentration, comprehension, he perceives the sign or incessant appearance of' physical phenomena (nibbatti lakkhana): This perception usually begins, when the bhikkhu achieves the second vipassana nana - paccaya pariggaha nana. From this perception, the bhikkhu draws the conclusion that rebirth of beings take place in a similar way.

        Therefore, while the bhikkhu is perceiving the continuous appearance of physical phenomena he realizes that endless rebirths are due to: (1) ignorance of Four Ariya Truths; (2) craving for pleasure of the senses; (3) kamma (deeds, words and thoughts) which has the potency for rebirth as its effect; (4) nutriment which is essential for physical phenomena; (5) mind (citta) which is the motivating force; (6) heat and cold. The causes of dissolution of physical phenomena are the absence of the above factors.

         The bhikkhu then realizes that extinction of ignorance of Four Ariya Truths will cause the extinction of endless appearance of physical phenomena. The actual perception of the sign of change or disappearance or deterioration of physical phenomena will begin when the bhikkhu achieves the third vipassana nana - Sammasana nana. The sign of change is called viparinama lakkhana. In fact, the perception of the appearance and disappearance of physical phenomena, by means of nibbatti and viparinama lakkhana, becomes clearer when the bhikkhu achieves the fourth vipassana nana — Udayabbaya nana. However, the perception of only the disappearance of physical phenomena becomes stronger, when he achieves the fifth vipassana nana—bhanga nana.

        ³This shows the mental state of the bhikkhu when his mindfulness is at its height. Before he reaches this mental state, he occasionally imagines, in spite of his efforts to be mindful, (a) that body and limbs are his, (b) that his jiva (soul or atta) is directing them, to make postures. Occasionally, he even feels proud of and pleased with "his" body and limbs.

        These false views of the body and limbs begin to disappear when he achieves the fifth vipassana nana - bhanga nana. From that stage the bhikkhu perceives only the deterioration of the body. And he is no longer conscious of the body and the limbs as such.. And therefore he does not take pride and pleasure in them.

         With this perception of the non-existence of the body and limbs, he fully achieves the eleventh vipassana nana, (sankharupekkha nana.)

End of the Section on Body Movement and Posture

Perception of the True Nature of the Body

(iii) Section on Clear Comprehension

         376. And again, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu

in moving forward and in moving back does so with clear comprehension;

in looking straight ahead and sideways, he does so with clear comprehension; in bending and in stretching his limbs, he does so with clear comprehension;

in carrying or wearing the great robe, alms-bowl and the other two robes, he does so with clear comprehension;

in eating, drinking, chewing and savouring, he does so with clear comprehension;

in defecating and urinating, he does so with clear comprehension;

in walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking, speaking or in keeping silent, he does so with clear comprehension.

         Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his body .......(p)....... (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is also in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

End of the Section on Clear Comprehension

Perception of the True Nature of the Body:

        377. And again. bhikkhus, the bhikkhu examines and reflects closely upon this very body, from the soles of the feet up and from the tips of the hair down, enclosed by the skin and full of manifold impurities, (thinking thus:) "There are in this body: hair of the head, hairs of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes (including the pleura, the diaphragm and other forms of membrane in the body), spleen, lungs, large intestine, small intestine, contents of the stomach, faeces, (brain)¹, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, solid fat, tears, liquid fat, saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid (i.e., lubricating oil of the joints) and urine.

         Just as if, bhikkhus, there were a bag with an opening at each end, and full of various kinds of grain such as hill-paddy, paddy, green gram, cow-pea, sesame and husked rice; and a man with sound eyes, having opened it, should examine and reflect (on the contents thus: "This is hill-paddy, this is paddy, this is green gram, this is cow-pea, this is sesame, this is husked rice," even so, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu examines and reflects on this very body, from the soles of the feet up and from the tips of the hair down, enclosed by the skin and full of manifold impurities, (thinking thus:) "There are in this body: hair of the head, ....... urine."

        Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his body .......(p)....... (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is also in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

End of the Section on Consideration of Repulsiveness

        ¹: 'the brain' is not included in the Pali Text of this Sutta; but is included in the Patisambhida Magga.

Perception of the True Nature of the Body:

(v) Section on Consideration of the Primary Elements

         378. And again, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu examines and reflects on this body, in whatever position it remains or is placed, as composed of the primary elements¹: "There are in this body (only) the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element."

        Just as if, bhikkhus, a skilful butcher or a butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow and cut it up into portions should be sitting at the junction of four main roads, (so that only pieces of meat are seen and not the cow as such), even so the bhikkhu examines and reflects on this very body in whatever position it remains or is placed, as composed of the primary elements:

         "There are in this body (only) the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element."

        Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his body .......(p)....... (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is also in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

End of the Section on Consideration of the Primary Elements

         ¹: the primary elements: dhatu, 'element', is a force of Nature which behaves in accordance with the laws of Nature. The four primary elements literally translated above for the sake of brevity as 'earth, water, fire, and air elements' are:

1. Pathavi-dhatu: a force of Nature that has the attribute of causing hardness. (It is sometimes translated as the element of solidity or of extension);
2. Apo-dhatu: a force of Nature that has the attributes of causing cohesion and of causing fluidity. (It is sometimes translated as the element of cohesion);
3. Tejo-dhatu: a force of Nature that has the attribute of causing heat or cold, i.e., thermal energy. (It is sometimes translated as the element of heat);
4. Vayo-dhatu: a force of Nature that has the attribute of causing motion or impetus. (It is sometimes translated as the element of motion).

         The Pathavi-dhatu is predominant in the first twenty items of the list given in Section (iv). The Apo-dhatu is predominant in the last twelve items. The Tejo-dhatu consists of four kinds of heat in the body and Vayo dhatu consists of six kinds of Vayo in the body.

Perception of the True Nature of the Body:

(vi) Section on Nine Kinds of Corpses

        379. And again, bhikkhus, as if the bhikkhu is seeing a body, one day dead, or two days dead, or three days dead, swollen, turning black and blue, and festering, abandoned in the charnel-ground, he applies (this perception) to his own body thus: "Indeed, this body of mine, too, is of the same nature; it will become like that; it cannot escape such (a fate)."

         Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his body ...(p)... (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is also in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

         And again, bhikkhus, as if the bhikkhu is seeing a body abandoned in the charnel-ground, being devoured by crows, being devoured by hawks, being devoured by vultures, being devoured by herons, being devoured by dogs, being devoured by tigers, being devoured by leopards, being devoured by jackals, or being devoured by various kinds of worms, he applies (this perception) to his own body thus: "Indeed, this body of mine, too, is of the same nature; it will become like that: it cannot escape such (a fate)."

         Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his body ...(p)... (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is also in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

         And again, bhikkhus, as if the bhikkhu is seeing a body abandoned in the charnel-ground— (reduced to) a skeleton held together by the tendons, with some flesh and blood still adhering to it ...

(reduced to) a skeleton held together by the tendons, blood-besmeared, fleshless ...

(reduced to) a skeleton still held together by the tendons, without flesh and blood ...

(reduced to) loose bones scattered in all directions, - at one place bones of a hand, at another place bones of a foot, at another place ankle-bones, at another place shin-bones, at another place thigh-bones, at another place hip-bones, at another place rib-bones, at another place spinal-bones, at another place shoulder-bones, at another place neck-bones, at another place the jawbone, at another place the teeth, at another place the skull he a applies (this perception) to his own body thus: "Indeed, this body of mine. too, is of the same nature; it will become like that; it cannot escape such (a fate)."

         Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his body ...(p)... (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is also in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

         And again, bhikkhus, as if the bhikkhu is seeing a body abandoned in the charnel-ground— (reduced to) bleached bones of conch-like colour...,

(reduced to) bones more than a year old, lying in a heap...,

(reduced to) rotted bones, crumbling to dust, he then applies (this perception) to his own body thus:

         "Indeed, this body of mine, too, is of the same nature; it will become like that; it cannot escape such (a fate)."

         Thus he keeps his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his body (and perceives its impermanent, insecure, soulless, and repulsive nature). (Occasionally) he realizes that the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body of others must be of a similar nature. Because of this realization, he can be said to keep his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body of others. In this way, he is considered to keep his mind steadfastly on the aggregate of physical phenomena which is his own body or which is that of others. (When he gains more concentration), he perceives the cause and the actual appearing of the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body. He (also) perceives the cause and the actual dissolution of the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body. He (also) perceives both the actual appearing and the actual dissolution of the aggregate of physical phenomena which is the body, with their causes. And further, the bhikkhu is firmly mindful of the fact that there is only the aggregate of physical phenomena (without soul or atta directing it). That (mindfulness) is solely for gaining (vipassana) insights progressively, solely for gaining further mindfulness stage by stage. The bhikkhu remains detached from craving and wrong views without clinging to any of the five khandhas (that are continuously deteriorating). Bhikkhus, it is also in this way that the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, (perceiving its true nature).

End of the Section on Nine Kinds of Corpses

End of the Fourteen Ways of Perception of the True Nature of the Body.
(Fourteen Ways: consisting of one way of perception in each of the first five sections and nine ways of perception in the sixth and last Section.)