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402. And, bhikkhus, what is
the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Dukkha? It is
the Noble Path of Eight Constituents, namely, sammaditthi, Right View,
sammasankappa, Right Thinking, sammavaca, Right Speech,
sammmanta (a, Right Action, samma-ajiva, Right Livelihood,
sammavayama, Right Effort, sammasati, Right Mindfulness,
sammasamadhi, Right Concentration.
And, bhikkhus, what is Right
View? Insight-knowledge of dukkha, Insight-knowledge of the origin of
dukkha, Insight-knowledge of the cessation of dukkha (i.e.,
Nibbana), Insight-knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of dukkha
(i.e., the Path leading to Nibbana). This, bhikkhus, is called Right View.
And, bhikkhus, what is Right
Thinking? Thoughts directed to liberation from sensuality, thoughts free from
ill will (i.e., thoughts of loving-kindness), and thoughts free from cruelty
(i.e., thoughts of compassion). This, bhikkhus, is called Right Thinking.
And, bhikkhus, what is
Right Speech? Abstaining from falsehood, from back-biting, from coarse speech,
from vain and unbeneficial talk. This, bhikkhus, is called Right Speech.
And, bhikkhus, what is Right
Action? Abstaining from killing, from taking what is not given, from wrongful
indulgence in sensual pleasures. This, bhikkhus, is called Right Action.
And, bhikkhus, what is Right
Livelihood? Bhikkhus, the ariya disciple following my Teaching
completely abstains from a wrong way of livelihood, and makes his living by a
right means of livelihood. This, bhikkhus, is called Right Livelihood.
And, bhikkhus, what is Right
Effort'? Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu following my Teaching generates will, makes
effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives most ardently to prevent
the arising of evil demeritorious states of mind that have not yet arisen. He
generates will, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives most
ardently to abandon evil demeritorious states of mind that have arisen. He
generates will, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives most
ardently to attain meritorious states of mind that have not yet arisen. He
generates will, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives most
ardently to maintain the meritorious states of mind that have arisen, to
prevent their lapsing, to increase them, to cause them to grow, to make them
develop in full (in samatha, vipassana meditation). This, bhikkhus, is called
Right Effort.
And, bhikkhus, what is Right
Mindfulness?
Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu (i.e.,
the disciple) following my Teaching keeps his mind steadfastly on the body
(kaya), with 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, with diligence, comprehension and
mindfulness, (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).
This, bhikkhus, is called
Right Mindfulness.
And, bhikkhus, what is Right
Concentration?
Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu who
follows my Teaching, being detached from sensual pleasures and demetitorious
factors, achieves and remains in the first jhana, which has vitakka
(initial application of the mind, vicara (sustained application of
the, mind), piti (delightful satisfaction) and sukha (bliss),
born of detachment from the hindrances (nivaranas).
Having got rid of vitakka
and vicara, the bhikkhu achieves and remains in the second jhana,
with internal tranquillity, with enhancement of one-pointedness of
Concentration, devoid of vitakka and vicara, but with piti and
sukha born of Concentration.
Having been detached from
piti, that bhikkhu dwells in equanimity with mindfulness and clear
comprehension, and experiences sukha in mind and body. He achieves and
remains in the third jhana, that which causes a person who attains it to be
praised by the Noble Ones as one who has equanimity and mindfulness, one who
abides in sukhas.
By dispelling both pain and
pleasure, and by the previous disappearance of sadness and gladness, that
bhikkhu achieves and remains in the fourth Jhana, a state of equanimity and
absolute purity of mindfulness, without pain or pleasure.
This, bhikkhus, is called
Right Concentration.
Bhikkhus, this is called the
Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Dukkha.
403. Thus he keeps his mind
steadfastly on the dhamma in himself (and perceives that they are just
Phenomena without any entity or soul). (Occasionally) realizes that the dhamma
in others must be of a similar nature: Because of this realization, he can be
said to keep his mind steadfastly on the dhamma in others. In this way, he is
considered to keep his mind steadfastly on the dhamma in himself or in others.
(When he gains more concentration), he perceives the cause and the actual
appearing of the dhamma. He (also) perceives the cause and the actual
dissolution of the dhamma. He (also) perceives both the actual appearing and
the actual dissolution of the dhamma, with their causes. And further the
bhikkhu is firmly mindful of the fact that there are only dhamma. 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 Four Noble Truths, (perceiving
their true nature).
End of the Section on the Noble Truths
End of "Perception of the True Nature of Dhamma"
404. Indeed, bhikkhus,
whosoever practises these four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness in this manner
for seven years, one of two results is to be certainly expected in him:
arahatship (anna, the knowledge of final emancipation, arahatta
phala) in this very existence, or if there yet be any trace of Clinging
left, the state of an anagami (the state of Non-return to the world of
sense-existence, anagami phala).
Let alone seven years,
bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness in
this manner for six years ..... for five years ..... for four years ..... for
three years ..... for two years ..... for one year
Let alone one year,
bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness in
this manner for seven months, one of two results is to be certainly expected in
him: arahatship in this very existence, or if there yet be any trace of
Clinging left, the state of an anagami.
Let alone seven months,
bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness in
this manner for six months ..... for five months ..... for four months .....
for three months ..... for two months ..... for one month ..... for
half-a-month .....
Let alone half-a-month,
bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness in
this manner for seven days, one of two results is to be certainly expected in
him: arahatship in this very existence, or if there yet be any trace of
Clinging left, the state of an anagami.
405. Because of these
beneficial results, I have declared (at the beginning) thus: "Bhikkhus,
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."
Thus spoke the Bhagava.
Delighted, the bhikkhus received the words of the Buddha with respectful
appreciation.
End of the Maha-Satipatthana
Sutta, the Ninth Sutta.
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