1The same setting.

“What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final extinguishment of the Realized One? What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final extinguishment of the Realized One?”

2“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda! Your approach and articulation are excellent, and it’s a good question. For you asked: ‘What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final extinguishment of the Realized One? What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final extinguishment of the Realized One?’”

“Yes, reverend.”

“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 extinguishment of the Realized One. It’s because of developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final extinguishment of the Realized One.

3What four? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body — keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles — keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

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 extinguishment of the Realized One. It’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final extinguishment of the Realized One.”

1Taṁyeva nidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ etadavoca:

"Ko nu kho, āvuso Ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? Ko panāvuso Ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī"ti?

2"Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda. Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā. Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi: ‘ko nu kho, āvuso Ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? Ko panāvuso Ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī’"ti?

"Evamāvuso"ti.

"Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. Catunnañca kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.

3Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī vihārati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu … pe … citte … pe … dhammesu dhammānupassī vihārati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. Imesañca kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.