Skip to content
True DhammaLibrary · Community
SN 47.22PTS SN 5.1721 min read

Long Lasting

Ciraṭṭhitisutta

Venerable Bhadda asks Ānanda about the conditions under which the true teaching lasts long or does not last long after the Buddha’s passing. Ānanda says it depends on whether the four kinds of mindfulness meditation are practiced.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.22Linked Discourses 47.22
  • 0.23. Sīlaṭṭhitivagga3. Ethics and Duration

0.3CiraṭṭhitisuttaLong Lasting

1.1Taṁyeva nidānaṁ.The same setting.1.2Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:Venerable Bhadda said to Venerable Ānanda:

1.3“ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti?“What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?11.4Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti?What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?”

2.1“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda.“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda!2.2Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā.Your approach and eloquence are excellent, and it’s a good question.2.3Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi:For you asked:2.4‘ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti?‘What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?2.5Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī’”ti?What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?’”

2.6“Evamāvuso”ti.“Yes, reverend.”

2.7“Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.“It’s because of not developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.2.8Catunnañca kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.It’s because of developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.

3.1Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?What four?3.2Idhāvuso, 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.3.3vedanāsu …pe…They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …3.4citte …pe…mind …3.5dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.3.6Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.It’s because of not developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.3.7Imesañca kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti.It’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.”

3.8Dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The Buddha is asked this question at SN 47.25. Other answers are given at AN 5.201, AN 6.40, and AN 7.59. The opposite situation is discussed in the next discourse.

    ↩ sn47.22:1.3