Saṁyutta Nikāya,
V: Mahā-Vagga
47. Satipaṭṭhana Saṁyutta
1. Ambapāli-Vagga

Sutta 4

The Great Chapter,
47: Kindred Sayings on the Stations of Mindfulness
Chapter I: Ambapālī

Sālā Suttaṁ

Sālā¹

 

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THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying among the Kosalans at Sālā, a brahmin village.

[123] Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Monks, those who are novices,
not long gone forth (from home),
late-comers into this Norm and Discipline,² -
such monks should be roused³
and admonished for,
and established in,
the cultivation of the four stations of mindfulness.

Of what four and how?

(Ye should say this:)

"Come ye, friends, do ye abide in body
contemplating body (as transient),
ardent,
composed
and one-pointed,⁴
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,⁵
for insight into body
as it really is.

■

In feelings do ye abide
contemplating feelings (as transient),
ardent,
composed
and one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
for insight into body
as it really is.

■

In mind do ye abide
contemplating mind (as transient),
ardent,
composed
and one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
for insight into body
as it really is.

■

In mind-states do ye abide
contemplating mind-states (as transient),
ardent,
composed
and one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
for insight into body
as it really is.

Monks, those monks who are imperfect,⁶
who have not attained their goal,
who abide aspiring
for the peace from bondage unsurpassed,⁷ -
they also abide in body
contemplating body (as transient),
ardent,
composed
and one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
for insight into body
as it really is.

■

So also do they abide in feelings,
contemplating feelings (as transient),
ardent,
composed
and one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
for insight into body
as it really is.

■

So also do they abide in mind,
contemplating mind (as transient),
ardent,
composed
and one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
for insight into body
as it really is.

■

So also do they abide in mind-states,
contemplating mind-states (as transient),
ardent,
composed
and one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
for insight into body
as it really is.

Monks, those monks who are Arahants,⁸
destroyers of the āsavas,
who have lived the life,
done what was to be done,
[124] who have removed the burden,
who have won their biggest good,⁹
who have utterly destroyed the fetters of becoming,
who by perfect knowledge have become free,¹⁰ -
they also abide in body contemplating body (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
with respect to body being released.

■

So also in feelings, they abide,
contemplating feelings (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
with respect to feelings being released.

■

So also in mind, they abide,
contemplating mind (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
with respect to mind being released.

■

So also in mind-states, they abide,
contemplating mind-states (as transient),
ardent,
composed,
one-pointed,
of tranquil mind,
calmed down,
of concentrated mind,
with respect to mind-states being released.

(For such reasons), monks,
those who are novices,
not long gone forth,
late-comers into this Norm and Discipline, -
such monks should be roused,
admonished for,
and established in,
the cultivation of
these stations of mindfulness."

 

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¹ Text gives as title Sallaṅ (? barb) and infra, text 227, Salaṅ. So also Uddāna ad fin.; but B. v.ll. Kosalāyaṅ, Kosālāyaṅ, Kosallāyaṅ. Cf. M. i, 285. We must read Sālā.

² Cf. K.S. iii, 77.

³ Sampādetabba-gaṇhāpetabba. Comy. Cf. DA. 300; UdA. 242; infra, text, 155.

⁴ Ekodi-bhūtā. Khaṇika-samādhinā ekagga-bhūtā samāhtā, 'by a momentary concentration become one-pointed and tranquillized.' Comy. Cf. VM. 144; Manual of a Mystic (passim).

⁵ Ekagga-cittā means much the same. Comy. upacār'appanāvasena, 'by way of the preliminary processes.'

⁶ Sekhā. Cf. M. i, 4; S. i, 121, and below, text 326 n. [?]: A. i, 231 ff.

⁷ Anuttaraṅ yoga-kkhemaṅ.

⁸ M. i, 4; K.S. iv, 80.

⁹ Anupatta-sadaṭṭhā.

¹⁰ Samma-d-aññā vimuttā.