SN 47.25

Aññatarabrāhmaṇasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “ko nu kho, bho gotama, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? Ko pana, bho gotama, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti?

A Certain Brahmin

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then a certain brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: “What is the cause, worthy Gotama, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One? And what is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?”

“Catunnaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. Catunnañca kho, brāhmaṇa, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.

“Brahmin, 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? Idha, brāhmaṇa, 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, brāhmaṇa, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. Imesañca kho, brāhmaṇa, 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.”

Evaṁ vutte, so brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

When he said this, the brahmin said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! … From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”