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sn.47.40 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Analysis

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the establishment of mindfulness, and the development of the establishment of mindfulness, and the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness. Listen to that….

“And what, bhikkhus, is the establishment of mindfulness? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is called the establishment of mindfulness.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the development of the establishment of mindfulness? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the body; he dwells contemplating the nature of vanishing in the body; he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and vanishing in the body—ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in feelings … He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in mind … He dwells contemplating the nature of origination in phenomena; he dwells contemplating the nature of vanishing in phenomena; he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and vanishing in phenomena—ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is called the development of the establishment of mindfulness.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness? It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view … right concentration. This is called the way leading to the development of the establishment of mindfulness.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh


Analysis

“Mendicants, I will teach you mindfulness meditation, the development of mindfulness meditation, and the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation.
Listen …
And what is mindfulness meditation?
It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …
mind …
principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
This is called mindfulness meditation.
And what is the development of mindfulness meditation?
It’s when a mendicant meditates observing the body as liable to originate, as liable to vanish, and as liable to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
They observe feelings …
mind …
principles as liable to originate, as liable to vanish, and as liable to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
This is called the development of mindfulness meditation.
And what is the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation?
It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
This is called the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation.”