Majjhima Nikaya - Satipatthana Sutta

MN 10
Satipatthana Sutta
Frames of Reference
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate translation:NyanasattaSomaThanissaro
PTS: M i 55



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 1995 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
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I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in the Kuru
country. Now there is a town of the Kurus called Kammasadhamma. There the
Blessed One addressed the monks, "Monks."
"Lord," the monks replied.
The Blessed One said this: "This is the direct path 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 frames of reference. Which four?
"There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself —
ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world. He remains focused on feelings... mind... mental qualities in & of
themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with
reference to the world.
A. Body
"And how does a monk remain focused on the body in & of itself?
[1] "There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the
shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his legs crosswise,
holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the fore [lit: the front of
the chest]. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"Breathing in long, he discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing out
long, he discerns that he is breathing out long. Or breathing in short, he
discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, he discerns that
he is breathing out short. He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the
entire body and to breathe out sensitive to the entire body. He trains himself
to breathe in calming bodily fabrication and to breathe out calming bodily
fabrication. Just as a skilled turner or his apprentice, when making a long
turn, discerns that he is making a long turn, or when making a short turn
discerns that he is making a short turn; in the same way the monk, when
breathing in long, discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing out
short, he discerns that he is breathing out short... He trains himself to
breathe in calming bodily fabrication, and to breathe out calming bodily
fabrication.
"In this way he 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] "Furthermore, when walking, the monk discerns that he is walking. When
standing, he discerns that he is standing. When sitting, he discerns that he is
sitting. When lying down, he discerns that he is lying down. Or however his body
is disposed, that is how he discerns it.
"In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or
focused externally... unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk
remains focused on the body in & of itself.
[3] "Furthermore, when going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert;
when looking toward & looking away... when bending & extending his limbs... when
carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl... when eating, drinking,
chewing, & savoring... when urinating & defecating... when walking, standing,
sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he makes
himself fully alert.
"In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or
focused externally... unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk
remains focused on the body in & of itself.
[4] "Furthermore...just as if a sack with openings at both ends were full of
various kinds of grain — wheat, rice, mung beans, kidney beans, sesame seeds,
husked rice — and a man with good eyesight, pouring it out, were to reflect,
'This is wheat. This is rice. These are mung beans. These are kidney beans.
These are sesame seeds. This is husked rice,' in the same way, monks, a monk
reflects on this very body from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of
the head on down, surrounded by skin and full of various kinds of unclean
things: 'In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin,
flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen,
lungs, large intestines, small intestines, gorge, feces, bile, phlegm, pus,
blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine.'
"In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or
focused externally... unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk
remains focused on the body in & of itself.
[5] "Furthermore...just as a skilled butcher or his apprentice, having killed a
cow, would sit at a crossroads cutting it up into pieces, the monk contemplates
this very body — however it stands, however it is disposed — in terms of
properties: 'In this body there is the earth property, the liquid property, the
fire property, & the wind property.'
"In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or
focused externally... unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk
remains focused on the body in & of itself.
[6] "Furthermore, as if he were to see a corpse cast away in a charnel ground —
one day, two days, three days dead — bloated, livid, & festering, he applies it
to this very body, 'This body, too: Such is its nature, such is its future, such
its unavoidable fate'...
"Or again, as if he were to see a corpse cast away in a charnel ground, picked
at by crows, vultures, & hawks, by dogs, hyenas, & various other creatures... a
skeleton smeared with flesh & blood, connected with tendons... a fleshless
skeleton smeared with blood, connected with tendons... a skeleton without flesh
or blood, connected with tendons... bones detached from their tendons, scattered
in all directions — here a hand bone, there a foot bone, here a shin bone, there
a thigh bone, here a hip bone, there a back bone, here a rib, there a breast
bone, here a shoulder bone, there a neck bone, here a jaw bone, there a tooth,
here a skull... the bones whitened, somewhat like the color of shells... piled
up, more than a year old... decomposed into a powder: He applies it to this very
body, 'This body, too: Such is its nature, such is its future, such its
unavoidable fate.'
"In this way he 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.
B. Feelings
"And how does a monk remain focused on feelings in & of themselves? There is the
case where a monk, when feeling a painful feeling, discerns that he is feeling a
painful feeling. When feeling a pleasant feeling, he discerns that he is feeling
a pleasant feeling. When feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he
discerns that he is feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
"When feeling a painful feeling of the flesh, he discerns that he is feeling a
painful feeling of the flesh. When feeling a painful feeling not of the flesh,
he discerns that he is feeling a painful feeling not of the flesh. When feeling
a pleasant feeling of the flesh, he discerns that he is feeling a pleasant
feeling of the flesh. When feeling a pleasant feeling not of the flesh, he
discerns that he is feeling a pleasant feeling not of the flesh. When feeling a
neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of the flesh, he discerns that he is
feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of the flesh. When feeling a
neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling not of the flesh, he discerns that he is
feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling not of the flesh.
"In this way he 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.
C. Mind
"And how does a monk remain focused on the mind in & of itself? There is the
case where a monk, when the mind has passion, discerns that the mind has
passion. When the mind is without passion, he discerns that the mind is without
passion. When the mind has aversion, he discerns that the mind has aversion.
When the mind is without aversion, he discerns that the mind is without
aversion. When the mind has delusion, he discerns that the mind has delusion.
When the mind is without delusion, he discerns that the mind is without
delusion.
"When the mind is constricted, he discerns that the mind is constricted. When
the mind is scattered, he discerns that the mind is scattered. When the mind is
enlarged, he discerns that the mind is enlarged. When the mind is not enlarged,
he discerns that the mind is not enlarged. When the mind is surpassed, he
discerns that the mind is surpassed. When the mind is unsurpassed, he discerns
that the mind is unsurpassed. When the mind is concentrated, he discerns that
the mind is concentrated. When the mind is not concentrated, he discerns that
the mind is not concentrated. When the mind is released, he discerns that the
mind is released. When the mind is not released, he discerns that the mind is
not released.
"In this way he 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.
D. Mental Qualities
"And how does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves?
[1] "There is the case where a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of
themselves with reference to the five hindrances. And how does a monk remain
focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the five
hindrances? There is the case where, there being sensual desire present within,
a monk discerns that 'There is sensual desire present within me.' Or, there
being no sensual desire present within, he discerns that 'There is no sensual
desire present within me.' He discerns how there is the arising of unarisen
sensual desire. And he discerns how there is the abandoning of sensual desire
once it has arisen. And he discerns how there is no future arising of sensual
desire that has been abandoned. (The same formula is repeated for the remaining
hindrances: ill will, sloth & drowsiness, restlessness & anxiety, and
uncertainty.)
"In this way he 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 with reference to the five hindrances.
[2] "Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of
themselves with reference to the five clinging-aggregates. And how does he
remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the five
clinging-aggregates? There is the case where a monk [discerns]: 'Such is form,
such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling... Such is
perception... Such are fabrications... Such is consciousness, such its
origination, such its disappearance.'
"In this way he remains focused internally on the mental qualities in & of
themselves, or focused externally... unsustained by anything in the world. This
is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with
reference to the five clinging-aggregates.
[3] "Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of
themselves with reference to the sixfold internal & external sense media. And
how does he remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference
to the sixfold internal & external sense media? There is the case where he
discerns the eye, he discerns forms, he discerns the fetter that arises
dependent on both. He discerns how there is the arising of an unarisen fetter.
And he discerns how there is the abandoning of a fetter once it has arisen. And
he discerns how there is no future arising of a fetter that has been abandoned.
(The same formula is repeated for the remaining sense media: ear, nose, tongue,
body, & intellect.)
"In this way he remains focused internally on the mental qualities in & of
themselves, or focused externally... unsustained by anything in the world. This
is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with
reference to the sixfold internal & external sense media.
[4] "Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of
themselves with reference to the seven factors for Awakening. And how does he
remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the
seven factors for Awakening? There is the case where, there being mindfulness as
a factor for Awakening present within, he discerns that 'Mindfulness as a factor
for Awakening is present within me.' Or, there being no mindfulness as a factor
for Awakening present within, he discerns that 'Mindfulness as a factor for
Awakening is not present within me.' He discerns how there is the arising of
unarisen mindfulness as a factor for Awakening. And he discerns how there is the
culmination of the development of mindfulness as a factor for Awakening once it
has arisen. (The same formula is repeated for the remaining factors for
Awakening: analysis of qualities, persistence, rapture, serenity, concentration,
& equanimity.)
"In this way he remains focused internally on mental qualities in & of
themselves, or externally... unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the
world. This is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves
with reference to the seven factors for Awakening.
[5] "Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of
themselves with reference to the four noble truths. And how does he remain
focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the four noble
truths? There is the case where he discerns, as it has come to be, that 'This is
stress.' He discerns, as it has come to be, that 'This is the origination of
stress.' He discerns, as it has come to be, that 'This is the cessation of
stress.' He discerns, as it has come to be, that 'This is the way leading to the
cessation of stress.' 1
"In this way he 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 with reference to the four noble truths...
E. Conclusion
"Now, if anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for
seven years, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here
& now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return.
"Let alone seven years. If anyone would develop these four frames of reference
in this way for six years... five... four... three... two years... one year...
seven months... six months... five... four... three... two months... one
month... half a month, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis
right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance —
non-return.
"Let alone half a month. If anyone would develop these four frames of reference
in this way for seven days, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either
gnosis right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance —
non-return.
"'This is the direct path 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 frames of reference.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this
was it said."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.



Note
1. For an elaboration on the four noble truths see DN 22, which is otherwise
identical to this sutta.