“Bhikkhus, once in the past an acrobat set up his bamboo pole and addressed his apprentice Medakathālikā thus:167 ‘Come, dear Medakathālikā, climb the bamboo pole and stand on my shoulders.’ Having replied, ‘Yes, teacher,’ the apprentice Medakathālikā climbed up the bamboo pole and stood on the teacher’s shoulders. The acrobat then said to the apprentice Medakathālikā: ‘You protect me, dear Medakathālikā, and I’ll protect you. Thus [169] guarded by one another, protected by one another, we’ll display our skills, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.’ When this was said, the apprentice Medakathālikā replied: ‘That’s not the way to do it, teacher. You protect yourself, teacher, and I’ll protect myself. Thus, each self-guarded and self-protected, we’ll display our skills, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.’168
“That’s the method there,” the Blessed One said. “It’s just as the apprentice Medakathālikā said to the teacher. ‘I will protect myself,’ bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised. ‘I will protect others,’ bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised. Protecting oneself, bhikkhus, one protects others; protecting others, one protects oneself.
“And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation [of the four establishments of mindfulness]. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.169
“And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, lovingkindness, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.170
“‘I will protect myself,’ bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised. ‘I will protect others,’ bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised. Protecting oneself, bhikkhus, one protects others; protecting others, one protects oneself.”
20 (10) The Most Beautiful Girl of the Land
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living among the Sumbhas, where there was a town of the Sumbhas named Sedaka. [170] There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”
“Venerable sir!” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:171
“Bhikkhus, suppose that on hearing, ‘The most beautiful girl of the land! The most beautiful girl of the land!’ a great crowd of people would assemble. Now that most beautiful girl of the land would dance exquisitely and sing exquisitely. On hearing, ‘The most beautiful girl of the land is dancing! The most beautiful girl of the land is singing!’ an even larger crowd of people would assemble.172 Then a man would come along, wishing to live, not wishing to die, wishing for happiness, averse to suffering. Someone would say to him: ‘Good man, you must carry around this bowl of oil filled to the brim between the crowd and the most beautiful girl of the land. A man with a drawn sword will be following right behind you, and wherever you spill even a little of it, right there he will fell your head.’
“What do you think, bhikkhus, would that man stop attending to that bowl of oil and out of negligence turn his attention outwards?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“I have made up this simile, bhikkhus, in order to convey a meaning. This here is the meaning: ‘The bowl of oil filled to the brim’: this is a designation for mindfulness directed to the body. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will develop and cultivate mindfulness directed to the body, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.’ Thus, bhikkhus, should you train yourselves.”
[171] III. VIRTUE AND DURATION
21 (1) Virtue
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda and the Venerable Bhadda were dwelling at Pāṭaliputta in the Cock’s Park. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Bhadda emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Venerable Ānanda:173
“Friend Ānanda, as to the wholesome virtues spoken of by the Blessed One, what is the purpose for which they were spoken of by him?”
“Good, good, friend Bhadda! Your intelligence is excellent, your ingenuity is excellent, your inquiry is a good one. For you have asked me: ‘Friend Ānanda, as to the wholesome virtues spoken of by the Blessed One, what is the purpose for which they were spoken of by him?’”
“Yes, friend.”
“Those wholesome virtues spoken of by the Blessed One were spoken of by him for the purpose of developing the four establishments of mindfulness. What four? Here, friend, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. [172]
“Those virtues spoken of by the Blessed One were spoken of by him for the sake of developing these four establishments of mindfulness.”
22 (2) Duration
The same setting. Sitting to one side the Venerable Bhadda said to the Venerable Ānanda:
“Friend Ānanda, what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna? And what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna?”
“Good, good, friend Bhadda! Your intelligence is excellent, your acumen is excellent, your inquiry is a good one. For you have asked me: ‘Friend Ānanda, what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna? And what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna?’”
“Yes, friend.”
“It is, friend, because the four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. And it is because the four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. What four? Here, friend, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.
“It is because these four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. And it is because these four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna.” [173]
23 (3) Decline
(As above down to:)
“Friend Ānanda, what is the cause and reason for the decline of the true Dhamma? And what is the cause and reason for the nondecline of the true Dhamma?”…
“It is, friend, when these four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma declines. And it is when these four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not decline.”
24 (4) Simple Version
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, there are these four establishments of mindfulness. What four? 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. [174] 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. These are the four establishments of mindfulness.”
25 (5) A Certain Brahmin
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then a certain brahmin approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to
the Blessed One:
“Master Gotama, what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna? And what is the cause and reason why the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna?”
“It is, brahmin, because the four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma does not endure long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. And it is because the four establishments of mindfulness are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna. What four? … (as in §22) … It is because these four establishments of mindfulness are not developed and cultivated … are developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma endures long after a Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna.”
When this was said, that brahmin said to the Blessed One: ‘Magnificent, Master Gotama!… From today let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”
26 (6) Partly
On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and the Venerable Anuruddha were dwelling at Sāketa in the Thornbush Grove. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Anuruddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, [175] they sat down to one side, and the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Anuruddha:
“Friend Anuruddha, it is said, ‘A trainee, a trainee.’ In what way, friend, is one a trainee?”
“It is, friend, because one has partly developed the four establishments of mindfulness that one is a trainee. What four? Here, friends, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is because one has partly developed these four establishments of mindfulness that one is a trainee.”
27 (7) Completely
The same setting. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Anuruddha:
“Friend Anuruddha, it is said, ‘One beyond training, one beyond training.’ In what way, friend, is one beyond training?”
“It is, friend, because one has completely developed the four establishments of mindfulness that one is beyond training. What four?… (as above) … It is because one has completely developed these four establishments of mindfulness that one is beyond training.”
28 (8) The World
The same setting. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Anuruddha:
“By having developed and cultivated what things has the Venerable Anuruddha attained to greatness of direct knowledge?” [176]
“It is, friend, because I have developed and cultivated the four establishments of mindfulness that I have attained to greatness of direct knowledge. What four? Here, friend, I dwell contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. It is, friend, because I have developed and cultivated these four establishments of mindfulness that I directly know this thousandfold world.”174
29 (9) Sirivaḍḍha
On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Now on that occasion the householder Sirivaḍḍha was sick, afflicted, gravely ill. Then the householder Sirivaḍḍha addressed a man thus:
“Come, good man, approach the Venerable Ānanda, pay homage to him in my name with your head at his feet, and say: ‘Venerable sir, the householder Sirivaḍḍha is sick, afflicted, gravely ill; he pays homage to the Venerable Ānanda with his head at his feet.’ Then say: ‘It would be good, venerable sir, if the Venerable Ānanda would come to the residence of the householder Sirivaḍḍha out of compassion.’”
“Yes, master,” that man replied, and he approached the Venerable Ānanda, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and delivered his message. [177] The Venerable Ānanda consented by silence.
Then, in the morning, the Venerable Ānanda dressed and, taking bowl and robe, went to the residence of the householder Sirivaḍḍha. He then sat down in the appointed seat and said to the householder Sirivaḍḍha: “I hope you are bearing up, householder, I hope you are getting better. I hope your painful feelings are subsiding and not increasing, and that their subsiding, not their increase, is to be discerned.”
“I am not bearing up, venerable sir, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be discerned.”
“Well then, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. I will dwell contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.’ It is in such a way that you should train.”
“Venerable sir, as to these four establishments of mindfulness taught by the Blessed One—these things exist in me, and I live in conformity with those things. I dwell, venerable sir, contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. And as to these five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One, I do not see any of these unabandoned in myself.”
“It is a gain for you, householder! It is well gained by you, householder! You have declared, householder, the fruit of nonreturning.” [178]
30 (10) Mānadinna
The same setting. Now on that occasion the householder Mānadinna was sick, afflicted, gravely ill. Then the householder Mānadinna addressed a man thus:
“Come, good man” … (as above) …
“I am not bearing up, venerable sir, I am not getting better. Strong painful feelings are increasing in me, not subsiding, and their increase, not their subsiding, is to be discerned. But, venerable sir, when I am being touched by such painful feeling, I dwell contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. And as to these five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One, I do not see any of these unabandoned in myself.”
“It is a gain for you, householder! It is well gained by you, householder! You have declared, householder, the fruit of nonreturning.”
IV. UNHEARD BEFORE
31 (1) Unheard Before
At Sāvatthī. “‘This is the contemplation of the body in the body’—thus, bhikkhus, [179] in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.175
“‘That contemplation of the body in the body is to be developed’ … ‘That contemplation of the body in the body has been developed’—thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.
“‘This is the contemplation of feelings in feelings’ …
“‘This is the contemplation of mind in mind’ …
“‘This is the contemplation of phenomena in phenomena’—thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.
“‘That contemplation of phenomena in phenomena is to be developed’ … ‘That contemplation of phenomena in phenomena has been developed’—thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.”
32 (2) Dispassion
“Bhikkhus, these four establishments of mindfulness, when developed and cultivated, lead to utter revulsion, to dispassion, to cessati
on, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
“What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body … feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.
“These four establishments of mindfulness, bhikkhus, when developed and cultivated, lead to utter revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.”
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Page 180