1At one time the venerables Ānanda and Bhadda were staying at Pāṭaliputta, in the Chicken Monastery. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Bhadda came out of retreat, went to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda:

“What’s the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what’s the reason why the true teaching declines? And what’s the cause, what’s the reason why the true teaching doesn’t decline?”

2“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda! Your approach and articulation are excellent, and it’s a good question. For you asked: ‘What’s the cause, what’s the reason why the true teaching declines? And what’s the cause, what’s the reason why the true teaching doesn’t decline?’”

“Yes, reverend.”

“It’s because of not developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching declines. It’s because of developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t decline.

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 declines. And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t decline.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca ānando āyasmā ca bhaddo pāṭaliputte vihāranti kukkuṭārāme. Atha kho āyasmā bhaddo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

"ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena saddhammaparihānaṁ hoti? Ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena saddhammaaparihānaṁ 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 saddhammaparihānaṁ hoti? Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena saddhammaaparihānaṁ hotī’"ti?

"Evamāvuso"ti.

"Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā saddhammaparihānaṁ hoti. Catunnañca kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā saddhammaaparihānaṁ 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 saddhammaparihānaṁ hoti. Imesañca kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā saddhammaaparihānaṁ hotī"ti.

Tatiyaṁ.