SN 47.40

Vibhaṅgasutta

“Satipaṭṭhānañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi satipaṭṭhānabhāvanañca satipaṭṭhānabhāvanāgāminiñca paṭipadaṁ. Taṁ suṇātha. Katamañca, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhānaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati …pe… citte cittānupassī viharati …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhānaṁ.

Analysis

“Mendicants, I will teach you mindfulness meditation, the development of mindfulness meditation, and the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation. Listen … And what is mindfulness meditation? 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. This is called mindfulness meditation.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhānabhāvanā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samudayadhammānupassī kāyasmiṁ viharati, vayadhammānupassī kāyasmiṁ viharati, samudayavayadhammānupassī kāyasmiṁ viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Samudayadhammānupassī vedanāsu viharati …pe… samudayadhammānupassī citte viharati …pe… samudayadhammānupassī dhammesu viharati, vayadhammānupassī dhammesu viharati, samudayavayadhammānupassī dhammesu viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhānabhāvanā.

And what is the development of mindfulness meditation? It’s when a mendicant, with respect to the body, meditates observing the liability to originate, to vanish, and to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. With respect to feelings … mind … principles, they meditate observing the liability to originate, to vanish, and to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. This is called the development of mindfulness meditation.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhānabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ— sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhānabhāvanāgāminī paṭipadā”ti.

And what is the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is called the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation.”