1At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans near the brahmin village of Sālā. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

2“Mendicants, those mendicants who are junior — recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training — should be encouraged, supported, and established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. What four?

Please, reverends, meditate observing an aspect of the body — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know the body. Meditate observing an aspect of feelings — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know feelings. Meditate observing an aspect of the mind — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know the mind. Meditate observing an aspect of principles — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know principles.

3Those mendicants who are trainees — who haven’t achieved their heart’s desire, but live aspiring to the supreme sanctuary — also meditate observing an aspect of the body — keen, aware, at one, minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand the body. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand feelings. They meditate observing an aspect of the mind — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand the mind. They meditate observing an aspect of principles — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand principles.

4Those mendicants who are perfected — who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and are rightly freed through enlightenment — also meditate observing an aspect of the body — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from the body. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from feelings. They meditate observing an aspect of the mind — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from the mind. They meditate observing an aspect of principles — keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from principles.

5Those mendicants who are junior — recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training — should be encouraged, supported, and established in these four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu vihārati sālāya brāhmaṇagāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi … pe … etadavoca: 

2"Ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, te vo, bhikkhave, bhikkhū catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

Etha tumhe, āvuso, kāye kāyānupassino vihāratha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; vedanāsu vedanānupassino vihāratha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; citte cittānupassino vihāratha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; dhammesu dhammānupassino vihāratha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya.

3Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā vihāranti, tepi kāye kāyānupassino vihāranti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa pariññāya; vedanāsu vedanānupassino vihāranti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanānaṁ pariññāya; citte cittānupassino vihāranti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittassa pariññāya; dhammesu dhammānupassino vihāranti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammānaṁ pariññāya.

4Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tepi kāye kāyānupassino vihāranti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyena visaṁyuttā; vedanāsu vedanānupassino vihāranti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanāhi visaṁyuttā; citte cittānupassino vihāranti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittena visaṁyuttā; dhammesu dhammānupassino vihāranti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammehi visaṁyuttā.

5Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, te vo, bhikkhave, bhikkhū imesaṁ catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā"ti.

Catutthaṁ.