THE MAHĀSATIPAṬṬHĀNA SUTTAṂ

Introduction

The reader is cautioned not to allow themselves to become overawed with the technical details. This chapter is aimed at those who would learn the Buddha’s wisdom directly from the most reliable source, which is the Pali Canon. Let’s again look at what the Buddha said regarding this point.

1st Satipaṭṭhānaṃ: Body Contemplations (Kāyānupassanā)

The Kāyānupassanā are the contemplations of the body, and the first of the Four Foundations Of Awareness. Kāyānupassanām (sing.) is a compound word of kāyo meaning body, and passanā from the verb pa, meaning to see and understand.

There are six body contemplations:

Let’s now look at each of these six body contemplations in turn.

1. Mindfulness Of Breathing (Ānāpānasatipabbaṃ) With Wisdom Refrain

The following citation is from the Mahāsatipaṭṭhānaṃ discourse and describes mindfulness of breathing. It is probably the most vaunted and practised of Buddhist meditations.

We have already studied mindfulness of breathing in Chapter 4, so let’s move straight to the wisdom refrain, which is repeated throughout each of the four satipaṭṭhāna. Below, I have enumerated the five sentences of the wisdom refrain to identify them for study.

The Wisdom Refrain (Insight)

Now let’s look at each of the five phrases individually and how they are applied to meditation and mindfulness generally.

Phrase [1*]

What is meant by “contemplating body as body internally”, “externally”, and “internally and externally”? We need to do some disambiguation here, as the terms internal and external mean different things in different contexts. I have identified three uses of these words: an ordinary use, a technical use, and one that I think of as an idiomatic use.

Please note: the information in the following disambiguation is by no means incidental. It is indispensable for the understanding of Buddhism.

1 Ordinary Use of Internal and External

The Dhātuvibhanga Suttaṃ teaches kasina meditation and gives examples of ear holes, and the digestive system as internal space element (MN140:18). The Mahāhattipadopama Suttaṃ describes external space element as “just as when a space is enclosed by timber and creepers, grass, and clay, it comes to be termed a house” (MN28:26).

This is an ordinary, non-technical, use of internal and external.

2 Technical Use of Internal and External

The Buddha himself explains to Ānanda a use for the terms internal and external:

If we analyse the list of internal bases, using the ejusdem generis rule of logic, it suggests that as the internal bases eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body are all flesh and blood, then mind means brain. But this is not the case. Internal mind here means frame of mind, the mood we are in. An external base is that which triggered our mind, our mood. More details on this shortly.

3 Idiomatic Use of Internal and External

Now let’s look at what I call an idiomatic use of internal and external. The Mahāsuññatta Suttaṃ teaches “giving attention to voidness internally … externally … internally and externally”¹³⁵.

What do these phrases mean? At least we can ascertain that signless meditation isn’t going well for the meditator, as he does not enter into, or become steady.

By way of redundancy, the above points are repeated in the positive. This helps preserve meaning if one line becomes corrupt. Engineers call this strategy redundancy. I’m simply applying this engineer’s term to the Pali Canon.

So, we now understand that internal and external can take a figure of speech for not acquiring steadfastness, concentration, focus, or singleness in one’s practice.

Phrase [2*]

Phrase two of the wisdom refrain describes what we will find in our efforts to apply the apperceptive gaze to our awareness. We become aware that all kinds of wholesome and unwholesome phenomena arise then vanish, again and again. These phenomena are what the mindful person and meditator stays alert to. They may be as brief as a fleeting thought, or a much slower waxing and waning of a mental condition.

Phrase 3

Because we are studying a body contemplation, in this case mindfulness of breathing, the phrase “There is body” is present, is another way of saying the meditator has successfully cognised the body is breathing.

Phrases one, two and three provide the substance in the wisdom refrain. The mindful person and meditator abide without clinging, simply seeing “body as body”, or whatever the contemplation happens to be. This plants consciousness squarely in the here and now.

Phrases 4 and 5

So, if you lose focus on your contemplative sign, your nimittaṃ, that is, you get snagged on the discursive mind, bring it back “to singleness … on that same sign of concentration as before”. In my language this means the apperceptive gaze is used to attenuate the imagination and preclude daydreaming. When focus is lost, make a simple return.

This concludes our analysis of the Wisdom Refrain.

2. The Four Postures (Iriyāpatha)

The second of the Kāyānupassanā consists of four postures or actions — not to be confused with the four satipaṭṭhāna.

The wisdom refrain is restated at this point in the discourse, and is identical to the previous section, except instead of referring to the body during mindfulness of breathing, he now abides contemplating the disposition of his body, internally and externally, as he performs his daily activities.

Although walking, standing, sitting, and lying are taught as four discrete postures, the bhikkhu’s mindfulness remains unbroken while moving between them. Constant mindfulness of posture helps steady the discursive mind and guard against distractions.

3. Clear Awareness (Sampajāna)

In this, the third body contemplation, there are seven activities listed. As above, their function is to assist in awareness of mind(s) and mind-objects. Contiguous mindfulness is fundamental training for meditation. Whilst going about daily life, a bhikkhu is mindful that he is either:

Note, the idea here is not to mentally name which of the above seven activities he is engaged in. The bhikkhu’s endeavour is to maintain a seamless apperceptive gaze in all he does, for the purpose of attenuating any mind or mind-object that could defile his purpose or awareness. The above list could be summarised as all that he does.

Discussion

Before we move onto the fourth body contemplation, here are some revisions of points covered to help consolidate perspective.

Let’s recall: the mindful person is not seeking the once-and-for-all cessation of mind(s) and mind-objects. That will never happen. But skilful living trains one in readiness to access refined states of being and even succumb to Voidness.

It is important to be aware that the Buddha did not teach higher training to laity. There are no examples of laymen being taught mindfulness of the four postures. The Buddha commended lay people lead an ethical life. This attenuates gross mentality and readies one for meditation, although traditionally Buddhist laity don’t meditate.

There might yet be another explanation for the term “both internally and externally”. Could it mean that rather than being redundancy, it means the mind is flip-flopping back and forth, in and out of focus? The fact is, it doesn’t matter whether this is so or not, as long as the meditator appreciates the wisdom of the wisdom refrain, which is to make a clean return as soon as the mind is found to be external, off focus, or scattered.

The Mahāsuññatta Suttaṃ is a discourse on Voidness. It teaches us what to do when one’s focus on voidness is external: “Then that bhikkhu should steady his mind internally, quiet it, bring it to singleness, and concentrate it on that same sign of concentration as before” (MN122:10).

4. Reflection On Repulsiveness Parts Of The Body (Paṭikūlamanasikāra)

Again a monk reviews this very body from the soles of the feet upwards and from the scalp downwards, enclosed by skin and full of manifold impurities.

This section of the discourse lists the contents of the human body as head-hairs, body-hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, mesentery, bowels, stomach, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, tallow, saliva, snot, synovial fluid and urine.

The Buddha uses a simile to convey the type of attention to detail required for this contemplation. Just as a man with a discerning eye would sift through a bag of grains and pulses, open at both ends, and recognise its contents, so too a monk analyses his own body.

This and the following two Kāyānupassanā are referred to as the Unlovelies. It must be understood, the purpose of the Unlovelies is not to develop hatred for the body, or self-loathing. Their purpose is to put perspective on life as it really is.

5. The Four Elements (Dhātumanasikāra)

Again a monk reviews this body, however it may be placed or disposed, in terms of the elements.

In this practice, the bhikkhu contemplates human anatomy in terms of the elements. Today we think of the elements as atomic mono-substances, such as helium, hydrogen, lithium, etc. To the ancient Buddhist, the elements were earth, water, fire, air, space and consciousness, although the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna discourse does not explicitly mention space and consciousness.

The earth element symbolises that which is hard in the body, such as bones, teeth and nails. Water symbolises that which is fluid in the body. Fire symbolises warmth and cold in the body. Air symbolises that which is gaseous in the body. Pain is sometimes referred to as wind moving through the body.

The contemplation here is for the bhikkhu to differentiate the body into elements. The simile in this section is that of a skilled butcher or his assistant who, “having slaughtered a cow, were to sit at a cross-road with the carcass divided into portions”.

6. The Nine Charnel Ground Contemplations (Navasivathikapabbaṃ)

Anciently in India, one common way of disposing of the dead was simply to leave the cadaver in a charnel area to be eaten by wild animals. Monks would get their knowledge of anatomy by visiting charnel grounds and contemplating corpses in various stages of decay. Before Siddhatta became liberated, he said he used to visit such places, and use the bones of the dead for a pillow.

There are nine charnel ground contemplations, each one depicting a stage in the progressive decay of an abandoned corpse. In each case the bhikkhu compares the corpse with his own body: “This body is of the same nature, it will become like that, it is not exempt from that fate.”

The nine contemplations move from fresh decay, to dismemberment, to skeleton, to scattered bones, to whitened bones, to aged bones, and finally to bones reduced to powder.

Whatever strategy one uses in one’s spiritual life, the wisdom refrain exhorts us to default to the still voidness that is the eye of wisdom and not be swayed by mind(s), while adhering to a good set of ethics.

Discussion

Before we move onto the second of the Four Foundations Of Awareness, here is a recap of some significant points.

Theoretically, one starts a meditation that is commensurate with one’s current frame of mind, one’s mood. That is, a gross mind state would start a meditation with a gross nimittaṃ or contemplation before then moving on to subtler nimittaṃ. Mindfulness of breathing is always a good choice.

Certainly, not all the meditations found in the Canon need be practised. The beginner should start with the nimittaṃ that lights up his interest the most. It won’t take many sits before a beginner meditator has got the gist of returning the awareness to the same object. I take the view that the meditator should move on to signless meditation as soon as one feels ready. Signlessness is unsurpassable.

The meditator should never forget: you will always lose your singularity of attention in the early stages of meditation, during the tranquilisation stage, even when you are an arahant. You are not failing; tranquilise the body and the mind will follow.

2nd Satipaṭṭhānaṃ: Contemplation Of Feelings (Vedānanupassanā)

Vedānanupassanā, the second of the Four Foundations of awareness, covers the contemplation of feelings. The Buddha taught there are three fundamental types of sensation: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral.

As is the case after each section there is the wisdom refrain. This time, instead of reading “body as body” it now reads as “feeling as feeling”.

This ends the Vedānanupassanā, the second of the four Satipaṭṭhāna.

Discussion: Feelings

So, we have a technical use of internal and external, as is usual for this discourse. The monk “knows” the nature of the feeling — pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant. This is possible via the action of apperception.

The Buddha did not enumerate feelings as being of three kinds only, but many. This caused at least one fierce disagreement between layman Pañcakanga and the venerable Udāyin. In the Bahuvedanīya Suttaṃ, the Buddha tells Ānanda that there were times when he taught there are two, three, five, six, eighteen, thirty-six, even one hundred and eight kinds of feelings.

There is something else we need to consider regarding feelings. The Buddha described meditation as pleasant. Yet, as we have seen, meditation is about transcending the pleasures based on the five cords. The Buddha was well aware that calling meditational states pleasure would attract questions.

This is telling us the Buddha considered “the gratification in the case of feelings” to be the transcending of feelings, not feeling the feelings. Transcending means freedom from them, as the meditator goes through subtler levels of meditation.

Ānanda gave layman Mahānama a lesson on feelings

Terminating old feelings does not mean the Buddhist goal is to live a life without any feelings. That is not possible. You can’t stop feelings arising. You’d be catatonic if you did.

Significantly, the Buddha was not numb to his feelings and responded to his bodily needs. He ate, slept and took siestas during the day. He had a bad back and due to this condition, sometimes delegated a competent bhikkhu to teach while he rested. So, even a renunciant’s life must be sustainable for it to serve its purpose.

3rd Satipaṭṭhānaṃ: Contemplation Of Mind (Cittanupassanā)

Table 9 below lists the remaining contents of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness in the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta. It summarises what constitutes mind(s) and mind-objects. I have added the (s) because there is a Pali protocol of citing plural things in the singular, and the s in brackets is to prompt the reader to read something as plural when it feels right to do so in English.

Looking at Table 9, we see there are eight qualities of mind(s). Each quality has a counterpart, making sixteen in total, listed from gross to subtle. It should not be thought that each mind is experienced as sixteen discreet conditions but as a continuum of experience that waxes and wanes.

Citta is a Pāli word for mind and consciousness. Combined with the verb to see, it forms cittanupassanā, contemplation of mind, which can be understood as seeing and recognising one’s condition of mind. Knowing one’s frame of mind or mood is the first step in self-transcendence.

Table 9 Mind(s) and Mind-Objects

The discourse continues its usual formatting. Each mind and the five types of mind-objects is followed by the wisdom refrain. And just to remind ourselves: the wisdom refrain is an admonition to make a simple return to the locus of contemplation, in the same iota one realises one has lost it, and return to the same sign of concentration as before.

Over decades of teaching, the Buddha developed many perspectives to help novices focus inwardly, and consequently there are as many ways to discuss and teach a mind condition as there are contexts to discuss them in.

Table 10 Mind(s)

Let’s elucidate some of these pairings.

Lustful: Free From Lust

Lusting is a deep-seated feeling, usually referring specifically to sexual feelings. However, the canonical interpretations give it a broader interpretation to include greed. Other words that are close to lusting include craving, wanting, hankering, desiring, and pining.

At the practical level, this means the moment you recognise them, you’ve seen them for what they are and detached from them and are signless. Don’t add to them. Make a simple return to your nimittaṃ, or signlessness, or carrying water and chopping wood, whatever is the case.

Aversion/Hating: Free from Aversion/Hating

Hate and aversion are the opposite to lusting. One is attractive and the other is repulsive. Other words that might be used are repulsion, dislike, disappointment, and fear.

Delusion: Free From Delusion

In Buddhism, there are two areas in which delusion can occur. As is now well discussed, the imagination often drives the individual, instead of the individual consciously evaluating imagination. Without the skill of the wisdom refrain to evaluate and attenuate the hindrances, we become overly dependent on the mundane.

The other area of delusion involves perspective and volition. The Buddha taught volition is kamma and kamma is volition. One performs kamma by deed, word, or thought. Kamma has consequences.

Contracted/Cramped/Collected/Attentive: Distracted/Scattered

A distracted or scattered mind is one that is not focused. A contracted, cramped, collected, or attentive mind is one that is focused. This teaching applies not only to the eyes and forms, but also to sounds and the ears, odours and the nose, tastes and the tongue, tangibles and the body, and mind-objects and the mind.

Developed/Exalted: Undeveloped/Unexalted

To be undeveloped in body and mind means that feelings, whether pleasant, painful, or neutral, are able to drive mind and determine consciousness. By contrast, a developed mind is a mind that is pure and resilient to intrusions of imagination, stemming from the external bases.

Surpassed/Ideal: Unsurpassed/Mediocre

Surpassed is often a translation of the word uttari¹³⁹, meaning beyond, further, more, to cross over, to escape from. The bhikkhu cognises and appreciates the frame of mind he is in, and thereby surpasses it, goes beyond it, rises above it.

Only Voidness is unsurpassable.

Concentrated/Composed: Unconcentrated/Discomposed

This mind is very similar to the earlier contracted or attentive mind, in that a concentrated mind is also a contracted mind. The difference is one of intensity. A concentrated or composed mind is beyond contracted. It has surpassed tranquillity and brings about second jhānaṃ.

Liberated/Freed: Unliberated/Not Freed

There are three contexts in which the word liberation may be used.

1) Liberated

Liberated is often used simply to mean freedom from unwholesome states. A mind that is being developed is also being liberated, as it goes towards, and through, the increasingly finer qualities of meditation.

2) Liberated

This next explanation of the word liberation is found in the Eight Liberations. The term liberation is used to describe all eight levels of the four jhāna and all four immaterial absorptions¹⁴⁰¹⁴¹.

These are relative levels of liberation, also sometimes referred to as the Eight Directions, or Eight Quarters. The meditator is liberated from the level below until he succumbs to the ultimate liberation, Full and Temporary Liberation, which is Suññata.

End of Chapter 5 Final Part 1.
Part 2 begins immediately with the continuation of Liberated/Freed: Unliberated/Not Freed, then the discussion on Liberation and Nibbāna, followed by the 4th Satipaṭṭhānaṃ and the rest of the chapter.

Table 11 The Eight Liberations

3) Liberated

The Liberation of all liberations is Nibbāna. However, there are many other contexts which use the term Liberation and there are also several expressions for Nibbāna. This can make things confusing, so let’s look at some of these terms.

There’s a ‘Full Liberation’ and a ‘Temporary Liberation’. This is not to be confused with ‘final Nibbāna (SN III 23,3) (DN16:3.48)’ and a ‘final release’ (DN16:43). I take the view that Nibbana is full/temporary Liberation. Nibbāna is temporary. This is contrary to what many Buddhists believe.¹⁴² There follows a discussion of this.

As per the formatting, the third satipaṭṭhānaṃ ends with the wisdom refrain.

Discussion – Liberation, Nibbāna,

‘Full’ and ‘temporary Liberation’ is Nibbāna. This is not to be confused with ‘final Nibbāna’ and ‘final release’. We know ‘Full and temporary Liberation’ is Nibbāna because the Buddha reveals this to Ananda. He said, only when he “enters into the signless concentration of mind, that his body knows comfort” (DN16 2.25). That is to say, his comfort (Nibbana or the absorptions) was temporary.

While the succumbing to Nibbāna is temporary, Nibbāna/Sunyata/The Ineffable, is not. Suññatta is an eternal option, whether or not one finds it immediately accessible. It’s the body and mind(s) that wax and wane, while pure-mindedness/I-Consciousness, is always so. Pure-mindedness, I-Consciousness is the apperceptive gaze.

So why doesn’t ‘final’ Nibbāna mean ‘permanent’ Nibbāna? Because there is no term Permanent Liberation or concept in the Pali Canon. I say, final Nibbāna/final release (4.3) the ‘last watch’ (5.23), references the very last time one succumbs to Nibbāna before death of the physical body. It means no more succumbing to voidness - ever! When an arahant passes away it’s called Parinibbāna¹⁴³ and the arahant is never reborn in any shape or form.

This is something one takes on faith, as by definition, no one has undergone Parinibbāna and returned.

Now you might think that think these terms would be perfectly clear and indisputable but, for whatever reason they are not. After all, Sunyata/Nibbāna isn’t a something, it’s a no-thing. We are addressing The Ineffable, and timelessness.

Misunderstandings about Nibbāna even existed amongst ancient Arahants. Yes! Even arahants. Let’s look at the evidential experience of Venerable Godhika.

How can Godhika be an Arahant and still want to kill himself? Really?! Unless that is, he failed to understand that temporary liberation is just that; temporary? We know Godhika had ‘attained Nibbāna ’, to use that misleading Buddhist term, because we are told, he reached temporary liberation and fell away.

The situation is this: Godhika was an arahant, but he was not enlightened. Yes! I’m saying there is such a thing as an unenlightened arahant. This flies in the face of fundamental Buddhist beliefs, but I explain this in the relevant parts of Chapters 1 and 4. They explain why Nibbana and Enlightenment are not the same thing. Further, the discourses actually tell us, the Buddha was no higher than second jhana when he became enlightened (DN2:95, MN4:29, MN36:40, MN39:20 .). Enlightenment is a something Nibbāna is a no-thing.

Before leaving this discussion, let’s recall the Buddha’s admonition:

4TH SATIPAṬṬHĀNAṂ CONTEMPLATION OF MIND-OBJECTS (DHAMMANUPASSANĀ)

Dhammanupassanā is the fourth and last of the satipaṭṭhāna, and by far the largest in the discourse. The word Dhamma means teaching and is combined with the verb to see. Dhammanupassanā means seeing/understanding the Buddha’s teaching. The type of insight needed here is largely intellectual and contemplative.

There are five sections (pabba¹⁴⁶) to the Dhammanupassanā.

We will look at each of these five sections, and investigate them with discussions and references to other discourses, when required.

The Five Hindrances (Nīrvaraṇa)

The five hindrances are negative qualities of the mind, characteristic of ordinary consciousness and which preclude jhāna. They are managed with mindfulness/apperceptive gaze, although stubborn one’s will sometimes require additional strategies. Each hindrance should be understood in a broad sense.

This section of the discourse repeats the wisdom refrain six times, one for each of the five hindrances and once using the general term of mind-objects.

The section then goes on to expand on the wisdom refrain:

This expanded version is more than being aware of minds and mind-objects coming in and out of awareness. It includes knowing what caused the hindrance(s), how they are abandoned, and how they are avoided in the future. We will look at two discourses that give some strategies and techniques for attenuating, avoiding and abandoning. First. let’s discuss some common experience, and investigate what ordinarily happens to the mind whilst living with one of the hindrances. Let’s take the feeling of hunger.

Discussion: Hunger

There is nothing unskilful per se about being hungry, though how this determines consciousness is of concern to the mindful. Because hunger triggers mental and physical responses, such as irritability, restlessness, even anxiety, a good deal of mindfulness is required at the onset of hunger, as well was, during the preparation of a meal, while eating, and sometimes for a good while after having eaten, until the meal has been digested, and the hunger abated.

Going through hunger several times every day is not a trivial affair. An untrained person on the other hand can become craven due to hunger. His imagination can overpower his self-determination so much, he may become short tempered with other people, and even blame them for his own mood. His imagination may make him eat so quickly he misses the flavours he seeks, and to eat too much.

The person in training will endeavour not to imagine food, however hungry he may be. He chooses to do the driving rather than be driven. Regardless of how delightful flavours may be, he does not grab at them, or delight in them. He subjects his imagination to the apperceptive gaze. He does not eat for entertainment but just enough for good health and meditation (MN91:13-14).

Buddhist renunciation eschews dangerous extremes of any bodily denial. The Buddha experienced hunger and sometimes ate more than one bowl of food (MN77:9). He did this for the same reason we might; to avoid extreme hunger and the facilitation of equanimity, not for entertainment.

Techniques For Self-Transcendence

The best technique of self-transcendence is the apperceptive gaze (mindfulness) which is done using the least amount of effort needed. This is the supreme bringer of equanimity, however, there are a couple of discourses offering a few alternative helpful strategies.

Dealing With Drowsiness

The Capala (Nodding Off) Suttaṃ (AN 7.58) gives us strategies to deal with tiredness. They may also sometimes be useful against slothfulness and torpor.

The discourse tells us there was an occasion when the venerable Moggallāna was nodding off. The Buddha, being psychically aware of this, and by virtue of his capacity for out-of-body travel, approached Moggallāna. He asked Moggallāna if he was nodding off. Moggallāna admitted he was. Here are the eight strategies the Buddha gave Moggallāna.

Why Moggallāna should be required not to sleep at night is interesting. After all, there is nothing wrong with a bhikkhu taking a siesta. It was likely that Moggallāna was pushing the boundaries of his practice.

Meditating throughout the night has become an occasional practice in some monasteries.

The Lion’s posture is the standard sleeping position for bhikkhus. It involves laying on one’s right side, with one foot on top of the other, and one’s robe tucked in between one’s legs¹⁴⁷.

The Buddha’s out-of-body experience focuses one’s curiosity. We will look at miracles, and the miraculous, and what the Buddha says of them, in later chapters.

Other General Strategies

Table 12 is compiled from the Vitakkasaṅṭhāna Suttaṃ MN20 (Removal Of Distracting Thoughts). It contains strategies and similes the Buddha gave a group of bhikkhus to help overcome the hindrances. The right-hand column includes how these strategies might be applied in the context of hunger. These strategies are higher Dhamma practices and are intended for bhikkhus, not laity. Whilst the layman gains insight from them, he is better advised to lead a life of moderation, with intermittent periods of intense practice saved for a dedicated environment.

Table 12 Techniques For Self-Transcendence (over coming)

Discussion

The five techniques in table 12, multiplied by the six bases, multiplied by the five hindrances, make a theoretical 150 identifiable scenarios (see appendices 2). But do not think every hindrance experienced has to be labelled. The above teaching is to put mindfulness practice into a context.

Hunger compares very closely with sexual desire. Both can affect consciousness very powerfully, and both involve three stages: anticipation, sating, and resultant consciousness. Put simply, that’s a beginning, middle and end. Each stage is to be squared up to and dealt with by minding mind-objects with the purpose of keeping the consciousness pure of gross mind(s).

Hunger for food and sexual experience, are both hard-wired functions. But unlike hunger, it is possible to completely abstain from sex, and be celibate in mind and body, without the threat of death. However, few have the strength of self-transcendence reached by the venerable Bakkula. Having been ordained for eighty years, he was approached by someone he had known in his lay life. Bakkula was asked how many times he had thought about sexual intercourse during his eighty years. “Never”, was Bakkula’s reply (MN124:3-5).

Celibacy, at the mental level, is an extreme practice. The effort and effect it has on the mind should not be underestimated. Sexual feelings are also a key parameter in all urban relationships; even if the understanding is not to mention it. Celibacy of mind puts the practitioner outside of most ordinary rapport. For single people, this can lead to serious alienation from one’s peer group. An urban dweller practicing celibacy at the scrupulous mental level of Bakkula is likely best do so for limited, and well-defined durations.

Anciently, celibate laity dressed in white to make their status known.

The Five Aggregates (Pañcakhandha)

Second in the list of mind-objects are the Five Aggregates (Pañca + Khandha = five + Bundle). The bracketed words are terms of equivalence, collected from other translations.

It is worth distinguishing how the term form is used in the Five Aggregates and the Five Chords. When used in the context of the five cords (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body), it refers specifically to visual objects (MN115), but in the context of the Five Aggregates, ‘form’ refers to any mind or mind object. Don’t forget, this isn’t an exam, it’s a teaching so you can help get a perspective on mindfulness practice. The discourse explains where the Five Aggregates sit in our thinking.

The phrase, ‘such is/such the’, refers to the cognition, and recognition and fading away of mind-objects and mental formations. Of course, we don’t always catch all of the beginning, middle and end of a mental episodes, as awareness waxes and wanes.

While the Five Aggregates are five discrete mind(s) or mind-objects, Sāriputta tells us the Five Aggregates are dependently arisen (MN28:28), which explains why they are not individually treated to the wisdom refrain, unlike the Five Hindrances. In the Mahāvedalla Suttaṃ (MN43:4), Sāriputta teaches the venerable Kohitta a redacted three-fold version of the Five Aggregates:

What he is saying here is that feelings, perceptions and consciousness are a continuum of experience they are indivisible. But the other two aggregates, form and mental formations, are of the external world (idiomatic use) because they impinge upon consciousness and have the potential to scatter focus/steadfastness/concentration/singleness.

The Five Aggregates are themselves a redaction of a longer aggregation called Dependent Origination (Paṭicca Samuppāda), which when listed in full has 12-steps (MN115:11). We will look at this version later.

This section of the Dhammanupassanā finishes with the wisdom refrain.

The Six Internal And External Sense-Bases

We have already looked at The Six Senses Spheres (Saḷāyatana) (see Table 7 The Six Bases). And as per the formatting, the six internal and external bases, are presented in the context of the wisdom refrain.

The idea is not to label and correlate an internal base with its external base, but to be cognisant of the nature of mind(s) arising for the purpose of preserving the apperceptive gaze.

The section ends with the wisdom refrain.

Buddhist psychology has a system of nomenclature according to class of consciousness. The Mahāhatthipadopama Suttaṃ (MN28) explains, if the eyes see material form, then there is eye-consciousness. If the ears hear sound, there is ear-consciousness, and so on.

The wisdom refrain is repeated.

This teaching is not asking bhikkhus to label every perception. The nomenclature exists to help develop perspective and apperceptive vision. Table 13 is compiled from the Saḷāyatanavibhanga Suttaṃ (MN137).

Table 13 The Saḷāyatana. The Bases

The Saḷāyatanavibhanga discourse subdivides consciousness into six kinds of equanimity, six kinds of joy, and six kinds of grief, based on the household life. These are collectively known as the 18 Positions Of Being based on the household life.

The discourse then differentiates between equanimity, joy and grief of the householder and the renunciant’s equanimity, joy and grief. It does this on the basis of how equanimity, joy and grief are managed. For example, a householder may be hungry, have lost his equanimity and feel grief. He can dispel his grief and restore joy or equanimity simply by eating. This is the mundane way of doing things. But, “Such equanimity as this does not transcend the form … sound … smell … flavour … tangible … mind-object; which is why it is called equanimity based on the household life (14).” In other words, the householder has restored his balance of mind in an ordinary, mundane way.

But the renunciant’s way is to transcend joy and grief by purifying the mind, as distinct from sating the senses. “When, by knowing the impermanence, change, fading away, and cessation of sounds … of odours … of flavours … of tangibles … of mind-objects both formally and now are all impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, equanimity arises (15).” In other words, the renunciant has restored his balance of mind the noble way; through self-transcendence.

So, the householder’s equanimity, joy and grief is dependent upon capitulating to the bases, and the renunciant’s equanimity, joy and grief is dealt with by transcending the bases.

This, of course, does not mean that a householder can’t equalise his mind by self-transcendence, or that the bhikkhu does not equalise his mind by meeting his bodily needs. The teaching is simply distinguishing two fundamental ways to equalise the mind; one being expected of the householder and the other being expected of the Bhikkhu.

On the point of Equanimity, there are two types, referred to as diversified or unified. If equanimity is diversified, then the awareness is percipient of the external bases¹⁴⁸. Equanimity is unified when there are no perceptions of diversity (awareness of body or mind), that is, the meditator has attained fourth jhānaṃ or the absorptions (17-19).

Fourth jhānaṃ and the absorptions are described as imperturbable (MN66:25, MN106:3-9), and beyond percipience of body and discursive mind.

The Seven Factors Of Enlightenment (Bojjhaṅga)

Whereas the Five Hindrances are negative qualities to be overcome, the Seven Factors Of Enlightenment are the positive qualities to nurture. We may think of the Five Hindrances as a checklist of ignoble qualities, and the Seven Factors of Enlightenment as a checklist of noble qualities.

The brackets in the following list contain synonyms from other translations.

These could be thought of as being generally ordered as they arise in meditation; the first three being needed to achieve the last four, which are all jhanic qualities. They are all factors in successful meditation. They appear in the wisdom refrain.

Like the Five Hindrances, each of the Seven Factors Of Enlightenment are also individually presented in the context of the wisdom refrain. The section then ends with the wisdom refrain.

The Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble truths address the origin of suffering, what suffering is, its cessation, and the practice that bring about the cessation of suffering.

The First Noble Truth is often translated as ‘Life is suffering’. This is in fact not entirely true. The Buddha explains, ‘If, Mahāli, this feeling were exclusively suffering ... If this perception ... these volitional feelings... this consciousness were exclusively suffering ... beings would not become enamoured … (SN III: 60)’.

The Buddha taught there are three fundamental types of feelings: pleasant, unpleasant and neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant. So, to say ‘life is suffering’ is an overly simplistic interpretation. A more accurate way of stating the first noble truth is that life is inseparable from suffering. But it is also accurate to say life is inseparable from pleasure.

The reader should consult his own experience. I suspect few of us, if any, have not stopped at some point to wonder whether life is worth it. The Buddha’s view was that on balance, life is not worth the sorrow. Perhaps, this is why scholars have chosen such a simplistic interpretation for the First Noble Truth.

The Buddha is specific about what constitutes suffering.

The First Noble Truth: The truth of suffering

Specific scenarios but not limited to, suffering is: birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness and distress. Being attached to the unloved, separated from the loved, not getting what one wants is suffering. These examples are then elucidated.

Birth is described as coming to be, coming forth, the appearance of the aggregates, the acquisition of the sense bases.

Old age is described as decrepitude, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkled skin, shrinking with age, decay of the sense faculties.

Death is described as passing away, a removal, a cutting off, a disappearance, a death, a dying, an ending, a cutting off from the aggregates, discarding of the body.

Sorrow is described as mourning, distress, inward grief, inward woe.

Lamentation is described as there is crying out, lamenting, much noise due to grief, making great lamentation.

Pain is described as any painful bodily feeling, painful or unpleasant feeling, resulting from bodily contact.

Sadness is described as any unpleasant or painful feeling, resulting from mental contact.

Distress is described as any misfortune of a painful nature.

That is how the Buddha itemises what constitutes suffering in the first of the Noble truths.

The Second Noble Truth: the truth of the origin of suffering

The Buddha is saying we are attached to existence, because we are bound up by pleasure. We crave pleasure. This craving is attachment and that perpetuates rebirth. Not understanding this and the inability to face ourselves, has accompanied us throughout all our previous lives.

Attachment is a simple and insidious mechanism. It is a calculus. It accrues imperceptibly and binds us.

The Third Noble Truth: the truth of cessation of suffering

The Mahāsaḷāyatanika Suttaṃ gives the answer to this question.

Direct knowledge is personal experience of addressing mind(s) and mind-objects. Understanding by direct knowledge requires keeping an apperceptive eye on the imaginative faculties and what is stimulating it. The inability to keep consciousness pure is ignorance, and out of ignorance craving arises. Direct knowledge through implementing the apperceptive gaze brings about serenity and insight. I say, being able to maintain I-consciousness is true knowledge and that brings deliverance, which we have learned is temporary.

This statement is not meant to be a religious dogma, applicable only to Buddhists. It is meant as a statement of empirical fact. It is there to be investigated and discovered for one self.

The Fourth Noble Truth: The Practice Leading Away From Suffering

The Eightfold Path is itself a three-fold aggregate, comprised of the Aggregate Of Wisdom, the Aggregate of Ethical Conduct, and the Aggregate of Mental Development (MN44:1) (see Table 13). In fact, we have already studied the aggregate of Mental Development in depth, when we studied meditation and mindfulness.

Now we look at the path leading away from suffering.

The Eight Fold Path (Ariya-aṭṭhaṅgikamagga)

The Fourth Noble Truth is the Noble Eight Fold Path. It consists of the practices that lead away from suffering. The terms in brackets are alternatives taken from various publications.

Table 14 Eight-Fold Path

The Aggregate Of Wisdom

There are two facets to this aggregate, Right View and Right Thought.

Right View (Sammā diṭṭhi )

In other words, right view is the Four Noble truths.

Realising right view is indivisible from abandoning wrong view while also realising right effort and right mindfulness. The diagram below (Fig. 9) is there simply to underline the co-dependency of these teachings. Do one; you do the others.

Figure 9 Right View

Right view is described as being twofold, that is, it can be tainted or untainted. It is tainted if the renunciant’s actions are specifically for the purpose of incurring good kamma. The idea (the logic at least) is to deplete one’s kammic store and so rebirth is no longer possible.

However, this does not preclude a monk performing a goodly deed. The Buddha taught: ‘Monks, do not be afraid of deeds of merit! They are equivalent to happiness, these deeds of merit (AN VII 58b).’ So, the bhikkhu can perform an action that is first and foremost for someone else’s benefit, even if good merit accrues to himself. Why wouldn’t it, such a deed is an effort of self-(ishness)-transcendence, and that is what mindfulness and meditation is all about? In Chapters 8 and 15, we look more specifically at how what we do can affect our kammic outcome, according to the Canon.

The fruit and benefit of right view is called deliverance by wisdom. It is aided by five factors: virtue, learning, discussion, serenity and insight (MN43:14). Deliverance by wisdom is the main vehicle for the lay person. Bare in mind, the lay person can also incur tainted kamma. I’m not suggesting not making altruistic efforts, but I do suggest one does not behave like a fool for others – including one’s partners. Charity has to start at home for it to be sustainable. Giving away all your worldly possessions, clothes and all, will not work.

As we read through the remaining two aggregates, we will again see that the practice of all three are indivisible and that they too can be tainted or untainted.

Pernicious Views

There are some views that are so wrong the Buddha described them as pernicious (Micchāditthi)¹⁴⁹. Nihilism is a pernicious view because it denies there is consequence to our behaviours (MN71:11-14).

Pernicious views can lead to great harm, and rebirth in worlds of woe. There are, however, some inconsistencies in the Pāli Canon regarding the pernicious view. For example, bhikkhu Sati had an eternalistic view (MN38), and bhikkhu Ariṭṭha failed to grasp the danger of sensuous indulgence, and even taught it was inconsequential (MN22:6-11). The Buddha told both men they were misguided, and that they had stored up much demerit, which would lead to their personal harm and suffering for a long time. Brahmin Lohicca was warned that a heart full of hatred is a view that leads straight to the animal sub-plane, or Hell(s) (DN12:10). The Buddha taught that anyone who denied the Buddha had any superhuman states, or knowledge and vision worthy of noble ones, or that he hammered out his teaching using only reasoning, will ‘as if carried off and put there he will wind up in hell (MN12:21)’. But we must contrast the above with Angulimala’s experience. He was a mass murderer, and had even tried to kill the Buddha. And yet, Angulimala not only did not go to hell, but succeeded in becoming an Arahant. This is despite once having a heart full of hatred.

We will study Angulimala’s case in greater detail later, as it tells us that at the volitional level, there is no such thing as a guarantee of hell for those skilful enough in the Dhamma discipline. There is also a teaching in the Angutarra Nikāya (3.99) that tells us dark kamma can be diluted by training, as effectively as a salt crystal is diluted in the Ganges River. After all, how good is the Buddha’s Dhamma be if it didn’t?

Right Thought/Intention/mindedness (Sammā Sankappa)

Right thought requires knowing what constitutes wrong thought. Wrong thoughts are ill-will, pandering to sensual desire, cruelty and taking the not given (MN117:5).

The Buddha warned that learning the Dhamma for the purpose of winning debates, and criticising others, as some clans-people did, was also wrong mindedness and dangerous. To underline this, he gave a simile of a man and a snake. If the man grabs the snake in a wrong manner, it could bite him (MN22:10). Conversely, when the Dhamma is grasped correctly, it will conduce to one’s welfare for a long time (11).

Right intention is the intention to make the renunciant’s effort (MN177:10-15).

As above, right thought is twofold, in that it may be tainted, or pure of selfish intention.

Right thought is supported by the three states of right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

Figure 10 Right Intention

The reader may have the feeling that this theory is somewhat pedantic. Just know that in bringing about the practice at the centre of the illustration, one also realises the other two.

But is this theory really necessary? Only in as much as it helps attenuate the teaching becoming corrupt. Once you have the gist of it, it isn’t necessary. As the Venerable Sāriputta said: “And it seems to me, Lord, that the drift of the Dhamma is the same. (DN16:1.17)

The Aggregate Of Ethical Conduct

Right Speech (Sammā Vācā)

To understand right speech, we must understand wrong speech. On no account should the bhikkhu utter sharp speech that is untrue, incorrect and unbeneficial (MN139:10). Right speech reunites those who are divided, and affirms concord (MN51:14). Right speech calls for not taking sides in a debate, but seeking the truth of a situation (MN95 MN99). Should someone speak offensively about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Saṅgha, a bhikkhu should not get angry, or resentful, but should look to see how accurate the comments, are and agree or disagree accordingly (DN1:1.5).

The phrase, ‘he employs the speech currently used in the world without adhering to it’, means he can discuss the world and its affairs in non-exclusive language, without getting embroiled, or taking a partisan view¹⁵¹.

Right speech is twofold in that it may be tainted or pure of selfish intention. Right speech is supported by the three states of right view, right effort and right mindfulness.

Figure 9 Right Speech

There is a notable exception to the Buddha’s teaching on right speech, that was not lost on the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, the founder of the Jain religion. There was an occasion when prince Abhaya was sent at the request of the Nigaṇṭha, to question the Buddha over samma vaca. It involved something the Buddha had said about his older cousin Devadatta, who had ordained into the discipline. In an attempt to usurp supremacy within the Saṅgha, Devadatta made several attempts on the Buddha’s life. In consequence, the Buddha had said that Devadatta was destined for states of deprivation, which had angered Devadatta. Speaking as a proxy for the Nigaṇṭha, Prince Abhaya questioned the Buddha, claiming the Buddha had contradicted his own precepts on samma vaca. But the Buddha’s response was straight to the point. ‘The Tathagata knows the time to use such speech. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has compassion for beings (MN58:8).’

It sounds like Devadatta was in such a place, and it was better for him to admit his wrong behaviour. Devadatta did become contrite but it was not until he was dying. He attempted to meet up with the Buddha to express his regret. Sadly, Devadatta died in transit. Buddhist thinkers are divided on the rebirth destination of Devadatta. Did he go to a world of woe or did his contrition save him from this fate? After all, expressing regret over a wrongdoing is considered to be a sign of progress (AN IX:11. Culavagga II and III).

There were other occasions when the Buddha gave unwelcomed responses. He would occasionally advise some questioners to desist from asking their questions. But there were times when they ignored his warnings. In these instances, the Buddha followed a protocol whereby if a questioner asked the same question a third time he would answer, even if the questioner found the response difficult. We will look at how Punna and Seniya took this response in Chapter 8.

There was an occasion when a young mother, inconsolable at the loss of her baby, went to see the Buddha. She asked him to bring her baby back to life. He said he would, but only on condition that she brought him one mustard seed, from a household that had not had a death in the family. She set about the task, knocking on door after door but to no avail. Eventually she realised no such house existed (SN 5.3).

Right Action (Sammā Kammanta)

As above, right action is twofold in that it may be altruistic or tainted by selfish intent. Right action is supported by the three states of right view, right effort, right mindfulness.

Figure 11 Right Action

Right Livelihood (Sammā Ājīva)

Wrong livelihood includes dealing in weapons, dealing in human beings, in meat, intoxicants and poison (AN 5.177). Dealing with humans also includes ‘scheming, talking, hinting, belittling, pursing gain for gain [usury*]: this is wrong livelihood (MN117:29).’ Monks should not become involved in geomancy, astrology, running errands, palmistry (SN III 28:10).

Right livelihood is twofold, in that it may be tainted or pure of selfish intention. It is supported by the three states of right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

Figure 12 Right Livelihood

Curiously, right livelihood seems to be directed at lay people, as a bhikkhu does not work for a living but begs for subsistence. Yet, while a layperson should not trade in meat products, the Bhikkhu, who begged for a living, can eat meat. But then, being a beggar meant a Bhikkhu couldn’t realistically be a chooser either.

This is an example of the Buddha teaching a lower level of Dhamma to the laity. He did teach ethics to laity as part of a gradual path. But why has it been included with higher dhammic teachings, such as right view, right effort, and right mindfulness? We should remember that the Buddha’s teachings were not collated for several hundred years after his passing, and this is not his doing.

The Aggregate Of Mental Development

We have already studied Mental Development in depth, when we looked at meditation. This, of course, is also right effort. Here is what the Mahāsattipaṭṭhāna discourse says of Mental Development.

Right Effort (Sammā Vāyāma)

Right Mindfulness/Awareness/ Meditation (Samma Sāti)

Right Concentration (Sammā Samādhi)

All the jhāna are within the reach of anyone with the ability to sit still and concentrate. For whatever reason, the Buddha doesn’t mention the absorptions.

The Eight Fold Noble Path ends with the wisdom refrain.

6 The Results

In this last section of the Mahāsattipaṭṭhāna discourse, the Buddha taught that if a monk could practice the Four Foundations Of Mindfulness for seven years, one of two results could be expected. He will attain the Highest Wisdom, meaning he would become fully enlightened (Arahantship), or if any clinging remains, he will attain the condition of Non-Returner (Anāgāmi), meaning Nibbāna is guaranteed in his next life. The Buddha then, somewhat theatrically, changes his mind.

With this the Mahāsattipaṭṭhāna Suttaṃ ends.

Discussion

Why did the Buddha change his mind so many times? It underlines the point: The dawning of the imperturbable is indeterminate. In the Bodhirājakumāra Suttaṃ, the Buddha informed Prince Bodhi that the Supreme Goal can take even less than seven days: ‘Being instructed in the evening he might arrive at destination in the morning; being instructed in the morning he might arrive at destination in the evening (MN85:55-59).’ It is heartening to know, we are only days away from one of the two highest states, given right perspective, and right effort. Table 15 summaries the Mahā-Satipaṭṭhānana Suttaṃ.

Table 15 Summary: Mahā-Satipaṭṭhānana Suttaṃ