At Sala
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans at the brahmin village of Sala. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:
“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are newly ordained, not long gone forth, recently come to this Dhamma and Discipline, should be exhorted, settled, and established by you in the development of the four establishments of mindfulness. What four?
“‘Come, friends, dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, unified, with limpid mind, concentrated, with one-pointed mind, in order to know the body as it really is. Dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … in order to know feelings as they really are. Dwell contemplating mind in mind … in order to know mind as it really is. Dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena … in order to know phenomena as they really are.’
“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are trainees, who have not attained their mind’s ideal, who dwell aspiring for the unsurpassed security from bondage: they too dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, unified, with limpid mind, concentrated, with one-pointed mind, in order to fully understand the body as it really is. They too dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … in order to fully understand feelings as they really are. They too dwell contemplating mind in mind … in order to fully understand mind as it really is. They too dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena … in order to fully understand phenomena as they really are.
“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and are completely liberated through final knowledge: they too dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, unified, with limpid mind, concentrated, with one-pointed mind, detached from the body. They too dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … detached from feelings. They too dwell contemplating mind in mind … detached from mind. They too dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena … detached from phenomena.
“Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are newly ordained, not long gone forth, recently come to this Dhamma and Discipline, should be exhorted, settled, and established by you in the development of these four establishments of mindfulness.”
- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Editor: Blake Walsh
At Sālā
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans near the brahmin village of Sālā.
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:
“Mendicants, those mendicants who are junior—recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training—should be encouraged, supported, and established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.
What four?
Please, reverends, meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know the body.
Meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know feelings.
Meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know the mind.
Meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know principles.
Those mendicants who are trainees—who haven’t achieved their heart’s desire, but live aspiring to the supreme sanctuary—also meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand the body.
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand feelings.
They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand the mind.
They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand principles.
Those mendicants who are perfected—who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—also meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from the body.
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from feelings.
They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from the mind.
They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from principles.
Those mendicants who are junior—recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training—should be encouraged, supported, and established in these four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”
