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SN 52.4PTS SN 5.2981 min read

At Thorny Wood (1st)

Paṭhamakaṇḍakīsutta

Sāriputta and Moggallāna ask Anuruddha what a trainee mendicant should practice. He replies that it is the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 52.4Linked Discourses 52.4
  • 0.21. Rahogatavagga1. In Private

0.3PaṭhamakaṇḍakīsuttaAt Thorny Wood (1st)

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca anuruddho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno sākete viharanti kaṇḍakīvane.At one time the venerables Anuruddha, Sāriputta, and Mahāmoggallāna were staying near Sāketa in the Thorny Wood.11.2Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhitā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā anuruddhena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu.Then in the late afternoon, Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna came out of retreat, went to Anuruddha, and exchanged greetings with him.1.3Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca:When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. Sāriputta said to Anuruddha:

1.4“sekhenāvuso anuruddha, bhikkhunā katame dhammā upasampajja vihātabbā”ti?“Reverend Anuruddha, what things should a trainee mendicant enter and remain in?”

2.1PTS 5.299“Sekhenāvuso sāriputta, bhikkhunā cattāro satipaṭṭhānā upasampajja vihātabbā.“Reverend Sāriputta, a trainee mendicant should enter and remain in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.2.2Katame cattāro?What four?2.3Idhāvuso, 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.2.4vedanāsu …pe…They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …2.5citte …pe…mind …2.6dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ—principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.2.7sekhenāvuso sāriputta, bhikkhunā ime cattāro satipaṭṭhānā upasampajja vihātabbā”ti.A trainee mendicant should enter and remain in these four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”

2.8Catutthaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The Thorny Wood is only mentioned this series of three Suttas and SN 47.26. All feature the same people and are probably on the same occasion.

    ↩ sn52.4:1.1