Aṅguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
VII. Satipaṭṭhāna Vagga

IX. The Book of the Nines

Chapter VII: The Arisings of Mindfulness

Sutta 65

Kāma-Guṇa Sati-Paṭṭhāna Suttaṃ

Sense Desire

[300]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Savatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied;
and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these five strands of sense desire.

What five?

There are shapes, cognized by the eye,
longed for,
alluring,
pleasurable,
lovely,
bound up with passion and desire.

■

There are sounds cognized by the ear,
longed for,
alluring,
pleasurable,
lovely,
bound up with passion and desire.

■

There are smells cognized by the nose,
longed for,
alluring,
pleasurable,
lovely,
bound up with passion and desire.

■

There are tastes cognized by the tongue,
longed for,
alluring,
pleasurable,
lovely,
bound up with passion and desire.

■

There are contacts, cognized by the touch,
longed for,
alluring,
pleasurable,
lovely,
bound up with passion and desire.¹

[301] Monks, these are the five strands of sense desire.

Monks, when these five strands are put away,
four arisings of mindfulness should be made to become.

What four?

Monks, herein a monk abides contemplating the body as body,
strenuous,
mindful
and self-possessed,
having overcome both the hankering and discontent
common in the world.

■

He abides contemplating the feelings as feelings
strenuous,
mindful
and self-possessed,
having overcome both the hankering and discontent
common in the world.

■

He abides contemplating the mind as mind
strenuous,
mindful
and self-possessed,
having overcome both the hankering and discontent
common in the world.

■

He abides contemplating ideas as ideas
strenuous,
mindful
and self-possessed,
having overcome both the hankering and discontent
common in the world.

Monks, when these five strands are put away,
these four arisings of mindfulness should be made to become.