Maggasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.43

Linked Discourses 47.43

5. Amatavagga

5. Freedom From Death

Maggasutta

The Path

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“ekamidāhaṁ, bhikkhave, samayaṁ uruvelāyaṁ viharāmi najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho.

“Mendicants, this one time, when I was first awakened, I was staying in Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

As I was in private retreat this thought came to mind:

‘ekāyanvāyaṁ maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā.

‘The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Kāye vā bhikkhu kāyānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

A mendicant would meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

vedanāsu vā bhikkhu vedanānupassī vihareyya …pe…

Or they’d meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

citte vā bhikkhu cittānupassī vihareyya …pe…

or mind …

dhammesu vā bhikkhu dhammānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

or principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Ekāyanvāyaṁ maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’ti.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati mama cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—brahmaloke antarahito mama purato pāturahosi.

And then the divinity Sahampati, knowing my train of thought, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of me.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yenāhaṁ tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā maṁ etadavoca:

He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward me, and said:

‘evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata.

‘That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!

Ekāyanvāyaṁ, bhante, maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā.

Sir, the four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Kāye vā, bhante, bhikkhu kāyānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

A mendicant would meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

vedanāsu vā …pe…

Or they’d meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

citte vā …pe…

or mind …

dhammesu vā, bhante, bhikkhu dhammānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

or principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Ekāyanvāyaṁ, bhante, maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’ti.

The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.’

Idamavoca, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati.

That is what the divinity Sahampati said.

Idaṁ vatvā athāparaṁ etadavoca:

Then he went on to say:

‘Ekāyanaṁ jātikhayantadassī,

‘The compassionate one,
who sees the ending of rebirth,

Maggaṁ pajānāti hitānukampī;

understands the path to convergence.

Etena maggena tariṁsu pubbe,

By this path people crossed over before,

Tarissanti ye ca taranti oghan’”ti.

will cross over, and are crossing over.’”

Tatiyaṁ.