SN 47.22

Ciraṭṭhitisutta

Taṁyeva nidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti?

Long Lasting

The same setting. Venerable Bhadda said to Venerable Ānanda: “What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One? What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?”

“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda. Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā. Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi: ‘ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī’”ti? “Evamāvuso”ti. “Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. Catunnañca kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.

“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda! Your approach and eloquence are excellent, and it’s a good question. For you asked: ‘What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One? What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?’” “Yes, reverend.” “It’s because of not developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t last long after the final quenching of the Realized One. It’s because of developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. Imesañca kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti.

What four? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. It’s because of not developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t last long after the final quenching of the Realized One. It’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.”