SN 52.3

Sutanusutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā anuruddho sāvatthiyaṁ viharati sutanutīre. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā anuruddhena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavocuṁ: “katamesaṁ āyasmā anuruddho dhammānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā mahābhiññataṁ patto”ti?

On the Bank of the Sutanu

At one time Venerable Anuruddha was staying near Sāvatthī on the bank of the Sutanu. Then several mendicants went up to Venerable Anuruddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side, and said to him: “What things has Venerable Anuruddha developed and cultivated to attain great direct knowledge?”

“Catunnaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā mahābhiññataṁ patto. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, kāye kāyānupassī viharāmi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāmi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ— imesaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā mahābhiññataṁ patto. Imesañca panāhaṁ, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā hīnaṁ dhammaṁ hīnato abbhaññāsiṁ, majjhimaṁ dhammaṁ majjhimato abbhaññāsiṁ, paṇītaṁ dhammaṁ paṇītato abbhaññāsin”ti.

“Reverends, I attained great direct knowledge by developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. What four? I meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. I meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. I attained great direct knowledge by developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation. And it was by developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I directly knew the lower principle as lower, the middle principle as middle, and the higher principle as higher.”