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SN 36.7PTS SN 4.2104 min read

The Infirmary (1st)

Paṭhamagelaññasutta

A mendicant should await their death mindful and aware. They should bear the feelings of approaching death with wisdom and equanimity.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 36.7Linked Discourses 36.7
  • 0.21. Sagāthāvagga1. With Verses

0.3PaṭhamagelaññasuttaThe Infirmary (1st)

1.1PTS 4.211Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.1

1.2Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena gilānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the infirmary, where he sat down on the seat spread out,21.3Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:and addressed the mendicants:

2.1“Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṁ āgameyya.“Mendicants, a mendicant should await their time mindful and aware.32.2Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī.This is my instruction to you.

3.1Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti?And how is a mendicant mindful?43.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.53.3vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati …pe…They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …3.4citte cittānupassī viharati …pe…They meditate observing an aspect of the mind …3.5dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.3.6Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti.That’s how a mendicant is mindful.

4.1Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno hoti?And how is a mendicant aware?4.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī hoti, ālokite vilokite sampajānakārī hoti, samiñjite pasārite sampajānakārī hoti, saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe sampajānakārī hoti, asite pīte khāyite sāyite sampajānakārī hoti, uccārapassāvakamme sampajānakārī hoti, gate ṭhite nisinne sutte jāgarite bhāsite tuṇhībhāve sampajānakārī hoti.It’s when 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.4.3Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajānakārī hoti.That’s how a mendicant acts with situational awareness.4.4Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṁ āgameyya.A mendicant should await their time mindful and aware.4.5Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī.This is my instruction to you.

5.1PTS 4.212Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati sukhā vedanā, so evaṁ pajānāti:While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if pleasant feelings arise, they understand:5.2‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ sukhā vedanā.‘A pleasant feeling has arisen in me.5.3Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca.That’s dependent, not independent.5.4Kiṁ paṭicca?Dependent on what?5.5Imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca.Dependent on my own body.5.6Ayaṁ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno.But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated.5.7Aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kāyaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti.So how could a pleasant feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?’5.8So kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and pleasant feeling.5.9Tassa kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato, vayānupassino viharato, virāgānupassino viharato, nirodhānupassino viharato, paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya rāgānusayo, so pahīyati.As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency to greed for the body and pleasant feeling.

6.1Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati dukkhā vedanā.While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if painful feelings arise, they understand:6.2So evaṁ pajānāti:6.3‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ dukkhā vedanā.‘A painful feeling has arisen in me.6.4Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca.That’s dependent, not independent.6.5Kiṁ paṭicca?Dependent on what?6.6Imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca.Dependent on my own body.6.7Ayaṁ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno.But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated.6.8Aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kāyaṁ paṭicca uppannā dukkhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti.So how could a painful feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?’6.9So kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and painful feeling.6.10Tassa kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato …pe… paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya paṭighānusayo, so pahīyati.As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency to aversion toward the body and painful feeling.

7.1Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā, so evaṁ pajānāti:While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if neutral feelings arise, they understand:7.2‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ adukkhamasukhā vedanā.‘A neutral feeling has arisen in me.7.3Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca.That’s dependent, not independent.7.4Kiṁ paṭicca?Dependent on what?7.5Imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca.Dependent on my own body.7.6Ayaṁ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno.But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated.7.7Aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kāyaṁ paṭicca uppannā adukkhamasukhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti.So how could a neutral feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?’7.8So kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and neutral feeling.7.9Tassa kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato …pe… paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya avijjānusayo, so pahīyati.As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency to ignorance toward the body and neutral feeling.

8.1PTS 4.213So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti;If they feel a pleasant feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it.8.2dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati …pe…If they feel a painful feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it.8.3adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti.If they feel a neutral feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it.

8.4So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati;If they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it detached.8.5dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati;If they feel a painful feeling, they feel it detached.8.6adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedayati, visaññutto naṁ vedayati.If they feel a neutral feeling, they feel it detached.

8.7So kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti, jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti.Feeling the end of the body draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’8.8‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānāti.They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life has come to an end, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’

9.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, telañca paṭicca vaṭṭiñca paṭicca telappadīpo jhāyeyya,Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn.9.2tasseva telassa ca vaṭṭiyā ca pariyādānā anāhāro nibbāyeyya;As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to not being fed.

9.3evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti.In the same way, feeling the end of the body draw close, a mendicant understands: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, a mendicant understands: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’9.4‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānātī”ti.They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’”

9.5Sattamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. This discourse shows how a practitioner first develops the four kinds of mindfulness meditation for gaining immersion, along with practicing “situational awareness” (sometimes called “mindfulness in daily life”), before developing insight into the nature of feelings.

    ↩ sn36.7:1.1
  2. The “infirmary” (gilānasālā) is mentioned only in this discourse and the next, and in AN 5.121. The practice of visiting people when sick to give encouragement and support is still an important part of Buddhist culture.

    ↩ sn36.7:1.2
  3. The same treatment of being “mindful and aware” is at DN 16:2.12.2 and SN 47.2, and slightly differently at SN 47.35.

    ↩ sn36.7:2.1
  4. In the Gradual Training, the mendicant “establishes mindfulness” to begin meditation. Here this practice is expanded, and it is expanded even further in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10 = DN 22) and the Satipaṭṭhāna Saṁyutta beginning with SN 47.1.

    ↩ sn36.7:3.1
  5. This marks the first appearance of the satipaṭṭhāna formula in the Saṁyutta. Despite the modern perception that satipaṭṭhāna is essentially the practice of insight, it appears nowhere in the great wisdom Saṁyuttas on dependent origination, the aggregates, the senses, or the elements. In the Suttas, satipaṭṭhāna is the support for immersion, with insight emerging from immersion.

    ↩ sn36.7:3.2