Sālasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati sālāya brāhmaṇagāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi …pe… etadavoca:

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:

“Ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, te vo, bhikkhave, bhikkhū catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Etha tumhe, āvuso, kāye kāyānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; citte cittānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; dhammesu dhammānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya.

“Mendicants, those mendicants who are junior—recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training—should be encouraged, supported, and established by you 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 and unified in samādhi, so as to truly know the body. Meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, so as to truly know feelings. Meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, so as to truly know the mind. Meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, so as to truly know principles.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, tepi kāye kāyānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa pariññāya; vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanānaṁ pariññāya; citte cittānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittassa pariññāya; dhammesu dhammānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammānaṁ pariññāya.

Those mendicants who are trainees—who haven’t achieved their heart’s desire, but live aspiring to the supreme sanctuary from the yoke—also meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, so as to fully understand the body. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, so as to fully understand feelings. They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, so as to fully understand the mind. They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, so as to fully understand principles.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tepi kāye kāyānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyena visaṁyuttā; vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanāhi visaṁyuttā; citte cittānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittena visaṁyuttā; dhammesu dhammānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammehi visaṁyuttā.

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 fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—also meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, detached from the body. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, detached from feelings. They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, detached from the mind. They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed and unified in samādhi, detached from principles.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, te vo, bhikkhave, bhikkhū imesaṁ catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā”ti. Catutthaṁ.

Those mendicants who are junior—recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training—should be encouraged, supported, and established by you in these four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”