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Majjhima Nikāya 119

Kāyagatāsatisutta

Mindfulness of the Body · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa monasteryārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

thenAtha indeedkho of manysambahulānaṁ of mendicantsbhikkhūnaṁ after the mealpacchābhattaṁ returned from almsroundpiṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ in the assembly hallupaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ seated togethersannisinnānaṁ assembledsannipatitānaṁ this discussionayamantarākathā arose:udapādi:
“incredible,“acchariyaṁ, reverends,āvuso, amazing,abbhutaṁ, reverends.āvuso.
howYāvañcidaṁ by thattena blessed onebhagavatā who knowsjānatā who seespassatā perfected onearahatā fully awakened buddhasammāsambuddhena mindfulness of the bodykāyagatāsati developedbhāvitā cultivatedbahulīkatā very fruitfulmahapphalā declaredvuttā very beneficial”mahānisaṁsā”ti.
and thisAyañca herehidaṁ of thosetesaṁ of mendicantsbhikkhūnaṁ discussionantarākathā left unfinishedvippakatā washoti, thenatha indeedkho blessed onebhagavā in the eveningsāyanhasamayaṁ from retreatpaṭisallānā emergedvuṭṭhito whereyena assembly hallupaṭṭhānasālā to that he approached;tenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā on the preparedpaññatte seatāsane sat down.nisīdi.
having sat downNisajja indeedkho blessed onebhagavā mendicantsbhikkhū addressed:āmantesi:
“with what“kāya now herenuttha, mendicants,bhikkhave, nowetarahi by way of talkkathāya sitting together,sannisinnā, whatkā andca thenpana of youvo discussionantarākathā left unfinished”?”vippakatā”ti?
“here,“Idha, venerable sir,bhante, of usamhākaṁ after the mealpacchābhattaṁ returned from almsroundpiṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ in the assembly hallupaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ seated togethersannisinnānaṁ assembledsannipatitānaṁ this discussionayamantarākathā arose:udapādi:
‘incredible,‘acchariyaṁ, reverends,āvuso, amazing,abbhutaṁ, reverends.āvuso.
howYāvañcidaṁ by thattena blessed onebhagavatā who knowsjānatā who seespassatā perfected onearahatā fully awakened buddhasammāsambuddhena mindfulness of the bodykāyagatāsati developedbhāvitā cultivatedbahulīkatā very fruitfulmahapphalā declaredvuttā very beneficial’”mahānisaṁsā’ti.

Then after the meal, on return from almsround, several mendicants sat together in the assembly hall and this discussion came up among them. “It’s incredible, reverends, it’s amazing, how the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha has said that mindfulness of the body, when developed and cultivated, is very fruitful and beneficial.” But their conversation was left unfinished. Then the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the assembly hall. He sat down on the seat spread out and addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?” So the mendicants told him what they had been talking about. The Buddha said:

thisAyaṁ indeedkho ourno, venerable sirbhante, interim talkantarākathā left unfinishedvippakatā, thenatha the Blessed Onebhagavā arrivedanuppatto”ti.

This, venerable sir, was our interim talk left unfinished when the Blessed One arrived.

how“Kathaṁ developedbhāvitā andca, mendicantsbhikkhave, mindfulness of the bodykāyagatāsati howkathaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā very fruitfulmahapphalā ishoti very beneficialmahānisaṁsā?

“And how, mendicants, is mindfulness of the body developed and cultivated to be very fruitful and beneficial?

hereIdha, o mendicantsbhikkhave, a mendicantbhikkhu gone to the wildernessaraññagato orvā gone to a tree rootrukkhamūlagato orvā gone to an empty hutsuññāgāragato orvā sits downnisīdati cross-leggedpallaṅkaṁ having foldedābhujitvā straightujuṁ bodykāyaṁ having setpaṇidhāya to the presentparimukhaṁ mindfulnesssatiṁ having broughtupaṭṭhapetvā.
theySo just mindfulsatova breathe inassasati just mindfulsatova breathe outpassasati;
heavilydīghaṁ orvā breathing inassasanto heavily‘dīghaṁ I breathe inassasāmī’ti they knowpajānāti, heavilydīghaṁ orvā breathing outpassasanto heavily‘dīghaṁ I breathe outpassasāmī’ti they knowpajānāti;
lightlyrassaṁ orvā breathing inassasanto lightly‘rassaṁ I breathe inassasāmī’ti they knowpajānāti, lightlyrassaṁ orvā breathing outpassasanto lightly‘rassaṁ I breathe outpassasāmī’ti they knowpajānāti;
experiencing the whole body‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī I will breathe inassasissāmī’ti they practicesikkhati, experiencing the whole body‘sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī I will breathe outpassasissāmī’ti they practicesikkhati;
stilling‘passambhayaṁ the physical processkāyasaṅkhāraṁ I will breathe inassasissāmī’ti they practicesikkhati, stilling‘passambhayaṁ the physical processkāyasaṅkhāraṁ I will breathe outpassasissāmī’ti they practicesikkhati.
of themTassa thusevaṁ diligentappamattassa keenātāpino resolutepahitattassa meditatingviharato whichye tied to domestic lifegehasitā memories and thoughtssarasaṅkappā thosete are given uppahīyanti.
of themTesaṁ by giving uppahānā internallyajjhattameva mindcittaṁ becomes stilledsantiṭṭhati settlessannisīdati becomes unifiedekodi becomeshoti becomes immersed in samādhisamādhiyati.
thusEvaṁ, o mendicantsbhikkhave, a mendicantbhikkhu mindfulness of the bodykāyagatāsatiṁ developsbhāveti.

It’s when a mendicant—gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut—sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and brings mindfulness to the present. Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. Breathing in heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing in heavily.’ Breathing out heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing out heavily.’ Breathing in lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing in lightly.’ Breathing out lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing out lightly.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the physical process.’ As they meditate like this—diligent, keen, and resolute—memories and thoughts tied to domestic life are given up. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. That’s how a mendicant develops mindfulness of the body.

furthermorePuna and alsocaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu goinggacchanto orvā 'I am going', he knows‘gacchāmī’ti he knowspajānāti, standingṭhito orvā 'I am standing', he knows‘ṭhitomhī’ti he knowspajānāti, sittingnisinno orvā 'I am sitting', he knows‘nisinnomhī’ti he knowspajānāti, lying downsayāno orvā 'I am lying down', he knows‘sayānomhī’ti he knowspajānāti.
in whatever wayYathā whateveryathā orvā then for himpanassa bodykāyo placedpaṇihito ishoti sotathā sotathā itnaṁ he knowspajānāti.
of himTassa thusevaṁ diligentappamattassa ardentātāpino resolutepahitattassa dwellingviharato those whichye connected with home lifegehasitā memories and thoughtssarasaṅkappā thosete are given uppahīyanti.
of thoseTesaṁ from abandoningpahānā internally itselfajjhattameva mindcittaṁ becomes stilledsantiṭṭhati settlessannisīdati one-pointedekodi ishoti becomes immersed in samadhisamādhiyati.
thus tooEvampi, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu mindfulness of the bodykāyagatāsatiṁ developsbhāveti.

Furthermore, when a mendicant is walking they know: ‘I am walking.’ When standing they know: ‘I am standing.’ When sitting they know: ‘I am sitting.’ And when lying down they know: ‘I am lying down.’ Whatever posture their body is in, they know it. As they meditate like this—diligent, keen, and resolute—memories and thoughts tied to domestic life are given up. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. That too is how a mendicant develops mindfulness of the body.

againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu going forwardabhikkante returningpaṭikkante acting with awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, looking aheadālokite looking asidevilokite acting with awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, bendingsamiñjite extendingpasārite acting with awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, bearing the outer robe, bowl, and robessaṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe acting with awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, eatingasite drinkingpīte chewingkhāyite tastingsāyite acting with awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, urinating and defecatinguccārapassāvakamme acting with awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, walkinggate standingṭhite sittingnisinne sleepingsutte wakingjāgarite speakingbhāsite keeping silenttuṇhībhāve acting with awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti.
of that oneTassa thusevaṁ diligentappamattassa keenātāpino resolutepahitattassa dwellingviharato thoseye tied to domestic lifegehasitā memories and thoughtssarasaṅkappā thosete are given uppahīyanti.
of thoseTesaṁ from the giving uppahānā internally onlyajjhattameva mindcittaṁ becomes stilledsantiṭṭhati settlessannisīdati unifiedekodi ishoti becomes immersed in samadhisamādhiyati.
and thusEvampi, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu mindfulness of the bodykāyagatāsatiṁ developsbhāveti.

Furthermore, a mendicant acts with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent. As they meditate like this—diligent, keen, and resolute—memories and thoughts tied to domestic life are given up. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. That too is how a mendicant develops mindfulness of the body.

againPuna furthermorecaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu this veryimameva bodykāyaṁ upwarduddhaṁ from the soles of the feetpādatalā downwardadho from the tips of the hairskesamatthakā wrapped in skintacapariyantaṁ fullpūraṁ of many kindsnānappakārassa of filthasucino examinespaccavekkhati:
there is‘atthi in thisimasmiṁ in the bodykāye head hairkesā body hairlomā nailsnakhā teethdantā skintaco fleshmaṁsaṁ sinewsnhāru bonesaṭṭhi bone marrowaṭṭhimiñjaṁ kidneysvakkaṁ hearthadayaṁ liveryakanaṁ diaphragmkilomakaṁ spleenpihakaṁ lungspapphāsaṁ intestinesantaṁ mesenteryantaguṇaṁ undigested foodudariyaṁ feceskarīsaṁ bilepittaṁ phlegmsemhaṁ puspubbo bloodlohitaṁ sweatsedo fatmedo tearsassu greasevasā salivakheḷo snotsiṅghāṇikā synovial fluidlasikā urinemuttan’ti.
just asSeyyathāpi, monksbhikkhave, with openings at both endsubhatomukhā a bagputoḷi filledpūrā with various kindsnānāvihitassa of grainsdhaññassa, that isseyyathidaṁ—
fine ricesālīnaṁ wheatvīhīnaṁ mung beansmuggānaṁ peasmāsānaṁ sesametilānaṁ ordinary ricetaṇḍulānaṁ,
that sametamenaṁ with clear eyescakkhumā a personpuriso having openedmuñcitvā would examinepaccavekkheyya:
these‘ime fine ricesālī theseime wheatvīhī theseime mung beansmuggā theseime peasmāsā theseime sesametilā theseime ordinary ricetaṇḍulā’ti;
just soevameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu this veryimameva bodykāyaṁ upwarduddhaṁ from the soles of the feetpādatalā downwardadho from the tips of the hairskesamatthakā wrapped in skintacapariyantaṁ fullpūraṁ of many kindsnānappakārassa of filthasucino examinespaccavekkhati:

Furthermore, a mendicant examines their own body, up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hairs, wrapped in skin and full of many kinds of filth. ‘In this body there is head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.’ It’s as if there were a bag with openings at both ends, filled with various kinds of grains, such as fine rice, wheat, mung beans, peas, sesame, and ordinary rice. And a person with clear eyes were to open it and examine the contents: ‘These grains are fine rice, these are wheat, these are mung beans, these are peas, these are sesame, and these are ordinary rice.’ In the same way, a mendicant examines their own body, up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hairs, wrapped in skin and full of many kinds of filth. …

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