Majjhima Nikāya
III. Upari Paṇṇāsa
2. Anupada Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings
III. The Final Fifty Discourses
2. The Division of the Uninterrupted

Sutta 119

Kāyagatā-Sati Suttaɱ

Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner, O.B.E., M.A.
Associate of Newham College, Cambridge
First Published in 1954

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved

For details see Terms of Use.

Scanned, digitized and proofread by Waiyin Chow.

 

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[129]

[25] [1][chlm][than][ntbb][upal] THUS have I heard:

At one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthī
in the Jeta Grove
in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Then when a number of monks
had returned from the alms-gathering
after the meal and were sitting down
gathered together in an assembly hall,
there arose this conversation:

“It is marvellous, revered sirs,
it is wonderful, revered sirs,
that mindfulness of body^[2]
when developed and made much of
is of great fruit,
of great advantage,
as was said
by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
the perfected one,
the fully Self-Awakened One.”

But this conversation between these monks
was interrupted.

For the Lord,
emerging from solitary meditation towards evening,
approached the assembly hall;
having approached,
he sat down on the seat made ready.

As he was sitting down,
the Lord addressed the monks,
saying:

“What were you talking about here, monks,
as you were sitting down?

And what was your conversation
that was interrupted?”

“As to this, revered sir,
when we had returned from the alms-gathering
after our meal
and were sitting down
gathered together [130] in the assembly hall
this conversation arose:

‘It is marvellous, revered sirs,
it is wonderful, revered sirs,
that mindfulness of body
when developed and made much of
is of great fruit,
of great advantage,
as was said
by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
the perfected one,
the fully Self-Awakened One.’

This, revered sir,
was our conversation that was interrupted,
for then the Lord arrived.”

“And how, monks,
when mindfulness of body
has been developed,
how
when it has been made much of,
is it of great fruit,
of great advantage?

As to this, monks, a monk^[3] who is forest-gone
or gone to the root of a tree
or gone to an empty place,
sits down cross-legged,
holding his back erect,
arousing mindfulness in front of him.

Mindful he breathes in,
mindful he breathes out.

Whether he is breathing in a long (breath)
he comprehends,

‘I am breathing in a long (breath)’;

or whether he is breathing out a long (breath)
he comprehends,

‘I am breathing out a long (breath)’;

or whether he is breathing in a short (breath)
he comprehends,

‘I am breathing in a short (breath)’;

or whether he is breathing out a short (breath)
he comprehends,

‘I am breathing out a short (breath).’

He trains himself, thinking,

‘I will breath in
experiencing the whole body.’

He trains himself, thinking,

‘I will breath out
experiencing the whole body.’

He trains himself, thinking,

‘I will breath in
tranquillising the activity of body.’

He trains himself, thinking,

‘I will breath out
tranquillising the activity of body.’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations^[4]
that are worldly^[5]
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus, monks, does a monk
develop mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
when a monk is walking^[6]
he comprehends,
‘I am walking’;
or when he is standing still
he comprehends,
‘I am standing still’;
or when he is sitting down
he comprehends,
‘I am sitting down’;
or when he is lying down
he comprehends,
‘I am lying down.’

So that however his body is disposed
he comprehends
that it is like that.

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks, a monk,
when he is setting out
or returning
is one acting in a clearly conscious way;
when he is looking in front
or looking around
is one acting in a clearly conscious way;
when he has bent in
or stretched out (his arm)
is one acting in a clearly conscious way;
when he is carrying his outer cloak,
bowl
and robe
is one acting in a clearly conscious way;
when he is eating,
drinking,
chewing,
tasting
is one acting in a clearly conscious way;
when he is obeying the calls of nature
is one acting in a clearly conscious way;
when he is walking,
standing,
sitting,
asleep,
awake,
talking,
silent,
he is one acting in a clearly conscious way.

While he [131] is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
a monk reflects
precisely on this body itself,
encased as it is in skin
and full of various impurities,
from the soles of the feet up
and from the crown of the head down,
that:

‘There is connected with this body
hair of the head,
hair of the body,
nails,
teeth,
skin,
flesh,
sinews,
bones,
marrow,
kidneys,
heart,
liver,
membranes,
spleen,
lungs,
intestines,
mesentery,
stomach,
excrement,
bile,
phlegm,
pus,
blood,
sweat,
fat,
tears,
serum,
saliva,
mucus,
synovic fluid,
urine.’

Monks, it is as if there were
a double mouthed provision bag
that was full of various kinds of grain
such as hill-paddy,
paddy,
kidney beans,
peas,
sesamum,
rice;
and a keen-eyed man,
pouring them out,
might reflect:

‘That’s hill-paddy,
that’s paddy,
that’s kidney beans,
that’s peas,
that’s sesamum,
that’s rice.’

Even so, monks,
does a monk reflect
precisely on this body itself,
encased as it is in skin
and full of various impurities,
from the soles of the feet up
and from the crown of the head down,
that:

‘There is connected with this body
hair of the head,
hair of the body,
nails,
teeth,
skin,
flesh,
sinews,
bones,
marrow,
kidneys,
heart,
liver,
membranes,
spleen,
lungs,
intestines,
mesentery,
stomach,
excrement,
bile,
phlegm,
pus,
blood,
sweat,
fat,
tears,
serum,
saliva,
mucus,
synovic fluid,
urine.’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
a monk reflects on this body itself
according to how it is placed or disposed
in respect of the elements,
thinking:

‘In this body
there is the element of extension,
there is the element of cohesion,
there is the element of radiation,
there is the element of motion.’

Monks, it is as if a skilled cattle-butcher
or his apprentice,
having slaughtered a cow,
might sit at the crossroads
displaying its carcase.

Even so, monks,
does a monk reflect on this body itself
according to how it is placed or disposed
in respect of the elements, thinking:

‘In this body
there is the element of extension,
there is the element of cohesion,
there is the element of radiation,
there is the element of motion.’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see,
thrown aside in a cemetery
a body that had been dead
for one day
or for two days
or for three days,
swollen,
discoloured,
decomposing;
so he focuses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see
thrown aside in a cemetery
a body which was being devoured
by crows
or ravens
or [132] vultures
or wild dogs
or jackals
or by various small creatures;
so he focusses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see
thrown aside in a cemetery
a body which was a skeleton
but with (some) flesh and blood,
sinew-bound;
so he focusses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see
thrown aside in a cemetery
a skeleton, which was fleshless
but blood-bespattered,
sinew-bound;
so he focusses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see
thrown aside in a cemetery
a skeleton which was without flesh or blood,
sinew-bound;
so he focusses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see
thrown aside in a cemetery
the bones scattered here and there,
no longer held together:
here a bone of the hand,
there a foot-bone,
here a leg-bone,
there a rib,
here a hip-bone,
there a back-bone,
here the skull;
so he focusses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see
thrown aside in a cemetery
a body the bones of which were white
and something like sea-shells;
so he focusses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see
thrown aside in a cemetery
a heap of dried up bones
more than a year old;
so he focusses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks,
it is as if a monk might see
thrown aside in a cemetery
the bones gone rotten and reduced to powder;
so he focusses on this body itself,
thinking:

‘This body too
is of a similar nature,
a similar constitution,
it has not got past
that (state of things).’

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks, a monk,
aloof from pleasures of the senses,^[7]
aloof from unskilled states of mind,
enters on and abides in
the first meditation
which is accompanied by
initial thought and discursive thought,
is born of aloofness,
and is rapturous and joyful.

He drenches,
saturates,
permeates,
suffuses
this very body
with the rapture and joy
that are born of aloofness;
there is no part of his whole body
that is not suffused
with the rapture and joy
that are born of aloofness.

Monks, as a skilled bath-attendant
or his apprentice,
having sprinkled bath-powder
into a bronze vessel,
might knead it
while repeatedly sprinkling^[8] it with water
until the ball of lather
had taken up moisture,
was drenched with moisture,
suffused with moisture
inside and out,
but without any oozing.

[133] Even so, monks,
does a monk
drench,
saturate,
permeate,
suffuse this very body
with the rapture and joy
that are born of aloofness;
there is no part of his whole body
that is not suffused
with the rapture and joy
that are born of aloofness.

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks, a monk,
by allaying initial thought and discursive thought,
with the mind subjectively tranquillised
and fixed on one point,
enters on and abides in
the second meditation
which is devoid of initial thought and discursive thought,
is born of concentration
and is rapturous and joyful.

He drenches,
saturates,
permeates,
suffuses
this very body
with the rapture and joy
that are born of concentration;
there is no part of his whole body
that is not suffused
with the rapture and joy
that are born of concentration.

Monks, it is like a pool of water
with water welling up within it,
but which has no inlet for water from the eastern side
which has no inlet for water from the western side
which has no inlet for water from the northern side
which has no inlet for water from the southern side,
and even if the god does not
send down showers upon it from time to time,
yet the current of cool water
having welled up from that pool will
drench,
saturate,
permeate,
suffuse
that pool with cool water.

Even so, monks, does a monk
drench,
saturate,
permeate,
suffuse
this very body
with the rapture and joy
that are born of concentration;
there is no part of his whole body
that is not suffused
with the rapture and joy
that are born of concentration.

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks, a monk,
by the fading out of rapture,
dwells with equanimity,
attentive and clearly conscious
and experiences in his person
that joy of which the ariyans say:

‘Joyful lives he
who has equanimity and is mindful,’

and he enters on
and abides in
the third meditation.

He drenches,
saturates,
permeates,
suffuses
this very body
with the joy that has no rapture;
there is no part of his whole body
that is not suffused
with the joy that has no rapture.

As in a pond of white lotuses,
or red lotuses,
or blue lotuses,
some white lotuses,
or red lotuses,
or blue lotuses
are born in the water,
grow up in the water,
never rising above the surface
but flourishing beneath it
and from their roots
to the tips
are drenched,
saturated,
permeated,
suffused
by cool water;
even so, monks, does a monk
drench,
saturate,
permeate,
suffuse this very body
with the joy that has no rapture;
there is no part of his whole body
that is not suffused
with the joy that has no rapture.

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop
mindfulness of body.

And again, monks, a monk,
by getting rid of joy
and by getting [134] rid of anguish,
by the going down
of his former pleasures and sorrows,
enters on
and abides in
the fourth meditation
which has neither anguish nor joy,
and which is entirely purified
by equanimity and mindfulness.

He, having suffused this very body
with a mind that is utterly pure,
utterly clean,
comes to be sitting down;
there is no part of his whole body
that is not suffused
by a mind that is utterly pure,
utterly clean.

Monks, it is as if a man
might be sitting down
who had clothed himself
including his head
with a white cloth;
there would be no part of his whole body
not covered by the white cloth.

Even so, monks, a monk,
having suffused this very body
with a mind that is utterly pure,
utterly clean,
comes to be sitting down;
there is no part of this whole body
that is not suffused
by a mind that is utterly pure,
utterly clean.

While he is thus diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
those memories and aspirations
that are worldly
are got rid of;
by getting rid of them
the mind itself
is inwardly settled,
calmed,
focussed,
concentrated.

Thus too, monks,
does a monk develop mindfulness of body.^[9]

Monks, those skilled states
that are connected with knowledge^[10]
are in anyone
in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of.

As, monks,
those streams that flow down to the ocean
are in anyone
in whom the great ocean
has been suffused by thought,^[11]
even so,
those skilled states
that are connected with knowledge
are in anyone
in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of.

Monks, Māra gains access
to whatever monk there is
in whom mindfulness of body
has not been developed,
not been made much of.

Monks, it is as though a man
were to throw a heavy round stone
into a mound of moist clay.

What do you think, monks?

Would that heavy round stone
gain access
to^[12] that mound of moist clay?”

[135] “Yes, revered sir.”

“Even so, monks,
Māra gains access to,
Māra gets a chance over
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has not been developed,
not made much of.

Monks, it is as though there were
a dry sapless stick,^[13]
and a man were to come along
bringing an upper piece of fire-stick,
thinking:

‘I will light a fire,
I will get heat.’

What do you think, monks?

Could that man,
bringing an upper piece of fire-stick
and rubbing that dry sapless stick (with it),
light a fire,
could he get heat?”

“Yes, revered sir.”

“Even so, monks,
Māra gains access to,
Māra gets a chance over
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has not been developed,
not been made much of.

Monks, it is as though a water-pot
were standing void and empty
on its support,
and a man were to come along
bringing a load of water.

What do you think, monks?

Would that man
get a chance to unload the water?”

“Yes, revered sir.”

“Even so, monks,
Māra gains access to,
Māra gets a chance over
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has not been developed,
not been made much of.

(But), monks,
Māra does not gain access to,
Māra does not get a chance over
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of.

Monks, it is as though a man
were to throw a light ball of thread
against a door-panel^[14]
made entirely from heartwood.

What do you think, monks?

Would that light ball of thread
gain access to a door-panel
made entirely from heart-wood?”

“No, revered sir.”

“Even so, monks,
Māra does not gain access to,
Māra does not get a chance over
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of.

It is as though, monks,
there were a wet sappy stick,^[15]
and a man were to come along
bringing an upper piece of fire-stick,
thinking:

‘I will light a fire,
I will get heat.’

What do you think, monks?

Could that man,
bringing an upper piece of fire-stick
and rubbing that wet sappy stick (with it),
light a fire,
could he get heat?”

[136] “No, revered sir.”

“Even so, monks,
Māra does not gain access to,
Māra does not get a chance over
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of.

Monks, it is as though^[16]
a full water-pot,
brimming with water
so that a crow could drink from it,
were placed in a support,
and a man were to come along
bringing a load of water.

What do you think, monks?

Would that man
get a chance to unload the water?”

“No, revered sir.”

“Even so, monks,
Māra does not gain access to,
Māra does not get a chance over
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of.

Anyone, monks,
in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of,
turns his mind
to this or that realisation
through super-knowledge
of a thing that may be realized
through super-knowledge
and achieves ability as a witness
now here,
now there,
whatever may be the plane.^[17]

Monks, it is as though
a full water-pot,
brimming with water
so that a crow could drink from it,
were placed in a support
and a strong man
were to rock it from side to side –
would the water spill?”

“Yes, revered sir.”

“Even so, monks,
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of,
turns his mind
to this or that realisation
through super-knowledge
of a thing that may be realized
through super-knowledge
and achieves ability as a witness
now here,
now there,
whatever may be the plane.

Monks, it is as though^[18]
there were a tank
on a level stretch of ground,
its four sides strengthened with dykes,
full and brimming with water
so that a crow could drink from it,
and a strong man
were to loosen a dyke
at this side or that –
would the water spill?”

“Yes, revered sir.”

“Even so, monks,
anyone in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of,
turns his mind to this or that realisation
through super-knowledge
of a thing that may be realized
through super-knowledge
and achieves ability as a witness
now here,
now there,
whatever may be the plane.

Monks, it is as though^[19]
[137] at a cross-roads on level ground
a chariot were standing
harnessed with thoroughbreds,
the goad hanging ready;
and a skilled groom,
a charioteer of horses to be tamed,
having mounted it,
having taken the reins in his left hand,
the goad in his right,
were to drive up and down as he liked;
even so, monks,
anyone whomsoever
in whom mindfulness of body
has been developed
and made much of,
turns his mind to this and that realisation
through super-knowledge
of a thing that may be realized through super-knowledge
and achieves ability as a witness
now here,
now there,
whatever may be the plane.

Monks, these ten advantages
are to be expected
from pursuing mindfulness of body,
developing it,
making much of it,
making it a vehicle,
making it a foundation,
practising it,
increasing it,
and fully undertaking it.^[20]

What ten?

He is one who overcomes
dislike and liking,^[21]
and dislike (and liking)
do not overcome him;
he fares along
constantly conquering any dislike (and liking)
that have arisen.

He is one who overcomes
fear and dread,^[22]
and fear and dread
do not overcome him;
and he fares along
constantly conquering any fear and dread
that have arisen.

He is one who bears^[23]
cold,
heat,
hunger,
thirst,
the touch of gadfly,
mosquito,
wind and sun,
creeping things,
ways of speech that are irksome,
unwelcome;
he is of a character
to bear bodily feelings
which, arising,
are painful,
acute,
sharp,
shooting,
disagreeable,
miserable,
deadly.

He is one who at will,^[24]
without trouble,
without difficulty,
acquires the four meditations
that are of the purest mentality,
abidings in ease here and now.

He experiences the various forms of psychic power:
having been one
he is manifold;
having been manifold
he is one;
manifest or invisible
he goes unhindered
through a wall,
a rampart,
a mountain
as if through air;
he plunges into the ground
and shoots up again
as if in water;
he walks upon the water
without parting it
as if on the ground;
sitting cross-legged
he travels through the air
like a bird on the wing;
with his hand
he rubs and strokes
this moon and sun
[138] although they are of such mighty power and majesty;
and even as far as the Brahma-world
he has power in respect of his person.

By the purified deva-like hearing
which surpasses that of men
he hears both (kinds of) sounds –
deva-like ones
and human ones,
whether they be far or near.

He comprehends by mind
the minds of other beings,
of other individuals,

so that he comprehends a mind
that is full of attachment,
that it is full of attachment;

he comprehends a mind
that is without attachment,
that it is without attachment;

he comprehends a mind
that is full of aversion,
that it is full of aversion;

he comprehends a mind
that is without aversion,
that it is without aversion;

he comprehends a mind
that is full of confusion,
that it is full of confusion;

he comprehends a mind that is without confusion,
that it is without confusion;

or he comprehends a mind
that is contracted,
that it is contracted;

or a mind
that is distracted,
that it is distracted;

or of a mind
that has become great,
that it has become great

or of a mind
that has not become great,
that it has not become great;

or of a mind
with (some other mental state) superior to it,
that it has (some other mental state) superior to it;

or of a mind
that has no (other mental state) superior to it,
that it has no (other mental state) superior to it;

or of a mind
that is composed,
that it is composed;

or of a mind
that is not composed,
that it is not composed;

or of a mind
that is freed,
that it is freed;

or of a mind
that is not freed,
that it is not freed.

He recollects manifold former habitations,
that is to say:

One birth,
two births,
three births,
four births,
five births,
ten births,
twenty births,
thirty births,
forty births,
fifty births,
a hundred births,
a thousand births,
a hundred thousand births,
and many an eon of integration
and many an eon of disintegration
and many an eon of integration-disintegration:

‘Such a one was I by name,
having such and such a clan,
such and such a colour,
so I was nourished,
such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end.

Passing from this,
I came to be in another state
where I was such a one by name,
having such and such a clan,
such and such a colour,
so I was nourished,
such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end.

Passing from this,
I arose here.’

Thus he recollects divers former habitations
in all their modes and detail.

With the purified deva-vision
surpassing that of men,
he sees beings as they pass hence
or come to be;
he comprehends that beings are mean,
excellent,
comely,
ugly,
well-going,
ill-going,
according to the consequences of deeds,
and thinks:

‘Indeed these worthy beings
who were possessed of wrong conduct in body,
speech
and thought,
scoffers at the ariyans,
holding a wrong view,
incurring deeds consequent on a wrong view –
these, at the breaking up of the body after dying,
have arisen in a sorrowful state,
a bad bourn,
the abyss,
Niraya Hell.

But these worthy beings
who were possessed of good conduct in body,
speech
and thought,
who did not scoff at the ariyans,
holding a right view,
incurring deeds consequent on a right view –
these at the breaking up of the body after dying,
have arisen in a good bourn,
a heaven world.’

Thus with the purified deva-vision
surpassing that of men
does he see beings as they pass hence,
as they arise;
he comprehends that beings are mean,
excellent,
comely,
ugly,
well-going,
ill-going
according to the consequences of deeds.

By the destruction of the cankers,
having realized here and now
by his own super-knowledge
the freedom of mind
and the freedom through intuitive wisdom
that are cankerless,
entering thereon,
he abides therein.

Monks, these ten advantages
are to be expected
from pursuing mindfulness of body,
developing it,
making much of it,
making it a vehicle,
making it a foundation,
practising it,
increasing it
and fully undertaking it.”

Thus spoke the Lord.

Delighted,
these monks rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

Discourse on Mindfulness of Body

 

---

^[1] Like Discourse No. 118, No. 119 is again only a sectional presentation of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (M. Sta. 10). See also A. i. 43 and Vbh. 226.

^[2] This includes both samatha and vipassana, MA. iv. 144

^[3] Cf. the following with M. i. 50 ff.

^[4] sarasaɱkappā, as at M. i. 453, iii. 132, S. iv. 76, 190.

^[5] gehasitā, belonging to a householder, thus thoughts, etc., belonging to the five kinds of sensual pleasures.

^[6] Cf. M. i. 56.

^[7] As at M. i. 276-278.

^[8] paripphosakaɱ paripphosakaɱ, as at M. i. 276, ii. 15, iii. 140, D. i. 74 See P.E.D.

^[9] The parallel passage at M. i. 276-278 ends here.

^[10] For this passage cf. A. i. 43. The “skilled states that are connected with knowledge,” dhammā vijjābhāgiyā, are given as six at A. iii. 334: perception of impermanence, perception of the anguish in impermanence, perception of non-self in anguish, perception of getting rid of, perception of detachment, perception of stopping. But MA. iv. 145 says that here the knowledge of insight, psychic power made by mind, the six super-knowledges are connected with knowledge.

^[11] By deva-vision, MA. iv. 145.

^[12] Although the English may suffer from the use of this strange expression, and although some such phrase as “makes an impression on” would sound more natural here, it yet seems that by translating labhati otāraɱ all through this passage by “gains access to” (and this is precisely what is meant in the case of Māra), the Pali sequence of thought and argument is better preserved and conveyed.

^[13] Cf. M. i. 242.

^[14] aggaḷaphalaka, the board and bolt. MA. iv. 145 says kavāṭa, the panel of a door.

^[15] Cf. M. i. 240.

^[16] Cf. A. iii. 27.

^[17] tatra tatr’eva sakkhibhavyataɱ pāpuṇāti sati sati āyatane. Cf. M. i. 494, A. i. 256-258, iii. 17-19, 27; quoted at Asl. 141. At MA. iv. 146 āyatana is explained by kāraṇa, in its turn explained by abhiññā. Therefore now one, now another of the high meditative planes, āyatana, is suggested.

^[18] As at A. iii. 28.

^[19] As at M. i. 124, A. iii. 28, S. iv. 176.

^[20] Cf. S. iv. 200; also D. ii. 103, A. iv. 290, Ud. 62.

^[21] As at M. i. 33, A. v. 132. Aratiratisaho: Neumann, vol. iii, p. 214 proposes to read here arati-r-atisaho, because M. text proceeds: na ca taɱ aratiɱ sahati, uppannaɱ aratim abhibhuyya. But it would seem better to follow A. v. 132 which reads: aratiratisaho assaɱ na ca mam aratirati saheyya uppannam aratiratim abhibhuyya. Here “dislike and liking” are kept throughout, and moreover this pair balances the next: “fear and dread.”

^[22] As at M. i. 33, A. v. 132.

^[23] Cf. M. i. 10 where these are cankers to be got rid of by endurance; cf. also A. iii. 389, v. 132.

^[24] As at M. i. 33, which see also for the remainder of the above passage.