Satipaṭṭhāna Pāṭha
Passage on the Establishing of Mindfulness
Atthi kho tena Bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammā-sambuddhena, ekāyano ayaṁ maggo sammadakkhāto, sattānaṁ visuddhiyā, soka-paridevānaṁ samatikkamāya, dukkha-domanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya, ñāyassa adhigamāya, nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ cattāro satipaṭṭhānā. Katame cattāro?
There is this direct path—rightly declared by the Blessed One, the One who Knows, the One who Sees, the Worthy One, Rightly Self-awakened—for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of unbinding—in other words, the four establishings of mindfulness. Which four?
Idha bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā domanassaṁ, vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ, cite cittānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ, dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ.
There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings… mind… mental qualities in & of themselves—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world.
[1] Kathañ-ca bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati? Idha bhikkhu ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, ajjhatta-bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, samudaya dhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati, vaya-dhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati, samudaya-vaya-dhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati. “Atthi kāyoti” vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti. Yāvadeva ñāṇa-mattāya paṭissati-mattāya, anissito ca viharati na ca kiñci loke upādiyati. Evaṁ kho bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
And how does a monk remain focused on the body in & of itself? A monk remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or externally on the body in & of itself, or both internally & externally on the body in & of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to the body, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to the body, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to the body. Or his mindfulness that ‘There is a body’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by [not clinging to] anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself.
[2] Kathañ-ca bhikkhu vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati? Idha bhikkhu ajjhattaṁ vā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati, ajjhatta-bahiddhā vā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati, samudaya- dhammānupassī vā vedanāsu viharati, vaya- dhammānupassī vā vedanāsu viharati, samudaya-vaya-dhammānupassī vā vedanāsu viharati. “Atthi vedanāti” vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti. Yāvadeva ñāṇa-mattāya paṭissati-mattāya, anissito ca viharati na ca kiñci loke upādiyati. Evaṁ kho bhikkhu vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati.
And how does a monk remain focused on feelings in & of themselves? A monk remains focused internally on feelings in & of themselves, or externally on feelings in & of themselves, or both internally & externally on feelings in & of themselves. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to feelings, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to feelings, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to feelings. Or his mindfulness that ‘There are feelings’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by [not clinging to] anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on feelings in & of themselves.
[3] Kathañ-ca bhikkhu citte cittānupassī viharati? Idha bhikkhu ajjhattaṁ vā citte cittānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā citte cittānupassī viharati, ajjhatta-bahiddhā vā citte cittānupassī viharati, samudaya-dhammānupassī vā cittasmiṁ viharati, vaya-dhammānupassī vā cittasmiṁ viharati, samudaya-vaya-dhammānupassī vā cittasmiṁ viharati. “Atthi cittanti” vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti. Yāvadeva ñāṇa-mattāya paṭissati-mattāya, anissito ca viharati na ca kiñci loke upādiyati. Evaṁ kho bhikkhu citte cittānupassī viharati.
And how does a monk remain focused on the mind in & of itself? A monk remains focused internally on the mind in & of itself, or externally on the mind in & of itself, or both internally & externally on the mind in & of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to the mind, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to the mind, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to the mind. Or his mindfulness that ‘There is a mind’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by [not clinging to] anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the mind in & of itself.
[4] Kathañ-ca bhikkhu dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati? Idha bhikkhu ajjhattaṁ vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati, ajjhatta-bahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati, samudaya- dhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati, vaya- dhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati, samudaya-vaya-dhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati. “Atthi dhammāti” vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti. Yāvadeva ñāṇa-mattāya paṭissati-mattāya, anissito ca viharati na ca kiñci loke upādiyati. Evaṁ kho bhikkhu dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati.
And how does a monk remain focused on the mental qualities in & of themselves? A monk remains focused internally on mental qualities in & of themselves, or externally on mental qualities in & of themselves, or both internally & externally on mental qualities in & of themselves. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to mental qualities, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to mental qualities, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to mental qualities. Or his mindfulness that ‘There are mental qualities’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by [not clinging to] anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves.
Ayaṁ kho tena Bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammā-sambuddhena, ekāyano ayaṁ maggo sammadakkhāto, sattānaṁ visuddhiyā, soka-paridevānaṁ samatikkamāya, dukkha-domanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya, ñāyassa adhigamāya, nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ cattāro satipaṭṭhānā.
There is this direct path—rightly declared by the Blessed One, the One who Knows, the One who Sees, the Worthy One, Rightly Self-awakened—for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of unbinding—in other words, the four establishings of mindfulness.
Ekāyanaṁ jāti-khay’anta-dassī
Maggaṁ pajānāti hitānukampī.
He who sees the destruction of birth,
compassionate for welfare, discerns the direct path.
Etena maggena tariṁsu pubbe
Tarissare c’eva taranti c’oghanti.
By this path they have crossed over before;
they will cross over; they are crossing over: the flood.
