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Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta: The Great Discourse on the Establishing of
Awareness; mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, mental qualities
Buddhist Sutras and Sutta English | Dharma

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Perhaps the greatest teaching on mindfulness, the Maha (translates as:
great) Satipatthana is a Sutta that serious meditators of all traditions
reference in modern teachings. As a Pali sutta, it is an important
teaching for the elder path (Theravada) — and mindfulness is a major
foundational practice. In advanced Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Vajrayana
Buddhist methods, the Maha-Satipatthana is often quoted by teachers. In
the great Zen traditions, the Great Discourse on Establishing of
Awareness is often a core teaching.
In the Maha-Satipatthana, Buddha
elaborates further on previous discourses, such as the Satipatthana
Sutta (full sutra here>>), and gives four great frames or
reference: mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities.

The greatest of teachers, Shakyamuni.

Venerable Thanissaro Bhikku.
Thanissaro Bhikkhu, who translated the sutra below, cautioned in his commentary:

At first glance, the four frames of reference for satipatthana practice
sound like four different meditation exercises, but MN 118 makes clear
that they can all center on a single practice: keeping the breath in
mind. When the mind is with the breath, all four frames of reference are
right there.
He elaborates with an example: “The difference lies
simply in the subtlety of one’s focus. It’s like learning to play the
piano. As you get more proficient at playing, you also become sensitive
in listening to ever more subtle levels in the music. This allows you to
play even more skillfully. In the same way, as a meditator gets more
skilled in staying with the breath, the practice of satipatthana gives
greater sensitivity in peeling away ever more subtle layers of
participation in the present moment until nothing is left standing in
the way of total release.”

The most Venerable Zasep Tulku
Rinpoche is a Tibetan born Guru, spiritual head of many meditation
centres in North America and Australia.

These four
mindfulnesses are an important teaching in Tibetan Mahamudra. Normally,
the teacher begins with instructions in meditation on breath and
“mindfulness.” Then, often the teacher, especially on a retreat, will
separately guide meditations on the four mindfulnesses: body, feelings,
mind, mental qualities. In part 2 of Buddha Weekly’s coverage of a
weekend Mahamudra event, Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche said:

“You should refer to the Mahasatipatthana Sutta, the Great Mindfulness
Sutta, which taught how to establish mindfulness of body (Kaya),
sensations (Vedana), mind (Citta) and mental contents (Dhamma).”
As a
practical teaching, Rinpoche began with Body Mindfulness: “Shakyamuni
Buddha taught the mindfulness of body first,” Rinpoche explained, at the
beginning of session two. “Why body first? Because this is the object
we see. We see body first.”
He brought chuckles from the audience as
he illustrated with is own body: “Oh, I’ve got a goatee. I’ve got grey
hair. I’m getting old. I’ve got some wrinkles. I can feel my knees and
ankles, my stiffness.” He explained that because we see all of this
first, our first perception, we should practice mindfulness of body
first.
“When you practice mindfulness of body, you don’t judge. We
don’t judge your body. You don’t compare your body with somebody else…
The way you practice mindfulness of body is you observe your body just
as it is.” In his teaching, Rinpoche offered guided meditations on each
of the four.
[Full Maha-satipatthana Sutta below]

DN 22 PTS: D ii 290
Maha-satipatthana Sutta: The Great Frames of Reference
translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in the
Kuru country. Now there is a town of the Kurus called Kammasadhamma.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks, “Monks.”

“Lord,” the monks replied.

The Blessed One said this: “This is the direct path for the
purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation,
for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the
right method, & for the realization of Unbinding — in other words,
the four frames of reference. Which four?

“There is the case
where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent,
alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference
to the world. He remains focused on feelings… mind… mental qualities in
& of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside
greed & distress with reference to the world.

A. Body

“And how does a monk remain focused on the body in & of itself?

[1] “There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to
the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his
legs crosswise, holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the
fore [lit: the front of the chest]. Always mindful, he breathes in;
mindful he breathes out.

“Breathing in long, he discerns, ‘I am
breathing in long’; or breathing out long, he discerns, ‘I am breathing
out long.’ Or breathing in short, he discerns, ‘I am breathing in
short’; or breathing out short, he discerns, ‘I am breathing out short.’
He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.’ He
trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.’ He
trains himself, ‘I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.’ He
trains himself, ‘I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.’ Just as
a skilled turner or his apprentice, when making a long turn, discerns,
‘I am making a long turn,’ or when making a short turn discerns, ‘I am
making a short turn’; in the same way the monk, when breathing in long,
discerns, ‘I am breathing in long’; or breathing out long, he discerns,
‘I am breathing out long’ … He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in
calming bodily fabrication.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out
calming bodily fabrication.’

“In this way he remains focused
internally on the body in & of itself, or externally on the body in
& of itself, or both internally & externally on the body in
& of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination
with regard to the body, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard
to the body, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with
regard to the body. Or his mindfulness that ‘There is a body’ is
maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains
independent, unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world.
This is how a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself.

[2] “Furthermore, when walking, the monk discerns, ‘I am walking.’ When
standing, he discerns, ‘I am standing.’ When sitting, he discerns, ‘I
am sitting.’ When lying down, he discerns, ‘I am lying down.’ Or however
his body is disposed, that is how he discerns it.

“In this way
he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or focused
externally… unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk
remains focused on the body in & of itself.

[3] “Furthermore,
when going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert; when
looking toward & looking away… when bending & extending his
limbs… when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl…
when eating, drinking, chewing, & savoring… when urinating &
defecating… when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up,
talking, & remaining silent, he makes himself fully alert.

“In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of
itself, or focused externally… unsustained by anything in the world.
This is how a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself.

[4] “Furthermore… just as if a sack with openings at both ends were
full of various kinds of grain — wheat, rice, mung beans, kidney beans,
sesame seeds, husked rice — and a man with good eyesight, pouring it
out, were to reflect, ‘This is wheat. This is rice. These are mung
beans. These are kidney beans. These are sesame seeds. This is husked
rice,’ in the same way, monks, a monk reflects on this very body from
the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of the head on down,
surrounded by skin and full of various kinds of unclean things: ‘In this
body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh,
tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen,
lungs, large intestines, small intestines, gorge, feces, bile, phlegm,
pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the
joints, urine.’

“In this way he remains focused internally on the
body in & of itself, or focused externally… unsustained by anything
in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in &
of itself.

[5] “Furthermore… just as a skilled butcher or his
apprentice, having killed a cow, would sit at a crossroads cutting it up
into pieces, the monk contemplates this very body — however it stands,
however it is disposed — in terms of properties: ‘In this body there is
the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, & the
wind property.’

“In this way he remains focused internally on the
body in & of itself, or focused externally… unsustained by anything
in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in &
of itself.

[6] “Furthermore, as if he were to see a corpse cast
away in a charnel ground — one day, two days, three days dead — bloated,
livid, & festering, he applies it to this very body, ‘This body,
too: Such is its nature, such is its future, such its unavoidable fate’…

“Or again, as if he were to see a corpse cast away in a charnel ground,
picked at by crows, vultures, & hawks, by dogs, hyenas, &
various other creatures… a skeleton smeared with flesh & blood,
connected with tendons… a fleshless skeleton smeared with blood,
connected with tendons… a skeleton without flesh or blood, connected
with tendons… bones detached from their tendons, scattered in all
directions — here a hand bone, there a foot bone, here a shin bone,
there a thigh bone, here a hip bone, there a back bone, here a rib,
there a breast bone, here a shoulder bone, there a neck bone, here a jaw
bone, there a tooth, here a skull… the bones whitened, somewhat like
the color of shells… piled up, more than a year old… decomposed into a
powder: He applies it to this very body, ‘This body, too: Such is its
nature, such is its future, such its unavoidable fate.’

“In this
way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or
externally on the body in & of itself, or both internally &
externally on the body in & of itself. Or he remains focused on the
phenomenon of origination with regard to the body, on the phenomenon of
passing away with regard to the body, or on the phenomenon of
origination & passing away with regard to the body. Or his
mindfulness that ‘There is a body’ is maintained to the extent of
knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by
(not clinging to) anything in the world. This is how a monk remains
focused on the body in & of itself.

(B. Feelings)

“And
how does a monk remain focused on feelings in & of themselves?
There is the case where a monk, when feeling a painful feeling,
discerns, ‘I am feeling a painful feeling.’ When feeling a pleasant
feeling, he discerns, ‘I am feeling a pleasant feeling.’ When feeling a
neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he discerns, ‘I am feeling a
neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.’

“When feeling a painful
feeling of the flesh, he discerns, ‘I am feeling a painful feeling of
the flesh.’ When feeling a painful feeling not of the flesh, he
discerns, ‘I am feeling a painful feeling not of the flesh.’ When
feeling a pleasant feeling of the flesh, he discerns, ‘I am feeling a
pleasant feeling of the flesh.’ When feeling a pleasant feeling not of
the flesh, he discerns, ‘I am feeling a pleasant feeling not of the
flesh.’ When feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of the
flesh, he discerns, ‘I am feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling
of the flesh.’ When feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling not
of the flesh, he discerns, ‘I am feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant
feeling not of the flesh.’

“In this way he remains focused
internally on feelings in & of themselves, or externally on feelings
in & of themselves, or both internally & externally on feelings
in & of themselves. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of
origination with regard to feelings, on the phenomenon of passing away
with regard to feelings, or on the phenomenon of origination &
passing away with regard to feelings. Or his mindfulness that ‘There are
feelings’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance.
And he remains independent, unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in
the world. This is how a monk remains focused on feelings in & of
themselves.

(C. Mind)

“And how does a monk remain focused
on the mind in & of itself? There is the case where a monk, when the
mind has passion, discerns that the mind has passion. When the mind is
without passion, he discerns that the mind is without passion. When the
mind has aversion, he discerns that the mind has aversion. When the mind
is without aversion, he discerns that the mind is without aversion.
When the mind has delusion, he discerns that the mind has delusion. When
the mind is without delusion, he discerns that the mind is without
delusion.

“When the mind is restricted, he discerns that the mind
is restricted. When the mind is scattered, he discerns that the mind is
scattered. When the mind is enlarged, he discerns that the mind is
enlarged. When the mind is not enlarged, he discerns that the mind is
not enlarged. When the mind is surpassed, he discerns that the mind is
surpassed. When the mind is unsurpassed, he discerns that the mind is
unsurpassed. When the mind is concentrated, he discerns that the mind is
concentrated. When the mind is not concentrated, he discerns that the
mind is not concentrated. When the mind is released, he discerns that
the mind is released. When the mind is not released, he discerns that
the mind is not released.

“In this way he remains focused
internally on the mind in & of itself, or externally on the mind in
& of itself, or both internally & externally on the mind in
& of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination
with regard to the mind, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard
to the mind, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with
regard to the mind. Or his mindfulness that ‘There is a mind’ is
maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains
independent, unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world.
This is how a monk remains focused on the mind in & of itself.

(D. Mental Qualities)

“And how does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves?

[1] “There is the case where a monk remains focused on mental qualities
in & of themselves with reference to the five hindrances. And how
does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves
with reference to the five hindrances? There is the case where, there
being sensual desire present within, a monk discerns that ‘There is
sensual desire present within me.’ Or, there being no sensual desire
present within, he discerns that ‘There is no sensual desire present
within me.’ He discerns how there is the arising of unarisen sensual
desire. And he discerns how there is the abandoning of sensual desire
once it has arisen. And he discerns how there is no future arising of
sensual desire that has been abandoned. (The same formula is repeated
for the remaining hindrances: ill will, sloth & drowsiness,
restlessness & anxiety, and uncertainty.)

“In this way he
remains focused internally on mental qualities in & of themselves,
or externally on mental qualities in & of themselves, or both
internally & externally on mental qualities in & of themselves.
Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to
mental qualities, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to
mental qualities, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away
with regard to mental qualities. Or his mindfulness that ‘There are
mental qualities’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge &
remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by (not clinging
to) anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on mental
qualities in & of themselves with reference to the five hindrances.

[2] “Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in &
of themselves with reference to the five clinging-aggregates. And how
does he remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with
reference to the five clinging-aggregates? There is the case where a
monk [discerns]: ‘Such is form, such its origination, such its
disappearance. Such is feeling… Such is perception… Such are
fabrications… Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its
disappearance.’

“In this way he remains focused internally on the
mental qualities in & of themselves, or focused externally…
unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused
on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the five
clinging-aggregates.

[3] “Furthermore, the monk remains focused
on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the sixfold
internal & external sense media. And how does he remain focused on
mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the sixfold
internal & external sense media? There is the case where he discerns
the eye, he discerns forms, he discerns the fetter that arises
dependent on both. He discerns how there is the arising of an unarisen
fetter. And he discerns how there is the abandoning of a fetter once it
has arisen. And he discerns how there is no future arising of a fetter
that has been abandoned. (The same formula is repeated for the remaining
sense media: ear, nose, tongue, body, & intellect.)

“In this
way he remains focused internally on the mental qualities in & of
themselves, or focused externally… unsustained by anything in the world.
This is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of
themselves with reference to the sixfold internal & external sense
media.

[4] “Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental
qualities in & of themselves with reference to the seven factors for
Awakening. And how does he remain focused on mental qualities in &
of themselves with reference to the seven factors for Awakening? There
is the case where, there being mindfulness as a factor for Awakening
present within, he discerns that ‘Mindfulness as a factor for Awakening
is present within me.’ Or, there being no mindfulness as a factor for
Awakening present within, he discerns that ‘Mindfulness as a factor for
Awakening is not present within me.’ He discerns how there is the
arising of unarisen mindfulness as a factor for Awakening. And he
discerns how there is the culmination of the development of mindfulness
as a factor for Awakening once it has arisen. (The same formula is
repeated for the remaining factors for Awakening: analysis of qualities,
persistence, rapture, serenity, concentration, & equanimity.)

“In this way he remains focused internally on mental qualities in &
of themselves, or externally… unsustained by (not clinging to) anything
in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in
& of themselves with reference to the seven factors for Awakening.

[5] “Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in &
of themselves with reference to the four noble truths. And how does he
remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference
to the four noble truths? There is the case where he discerns, as it
has come to be, that ‘This is stress… This is the origination of stress…
This is the cessation of stress… This is the way leading to the
cessation of stress.’

[a] “Now what is the noble truth of stress?
Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful; association
with the unbeloved is stressful; separation from the loved is stressful;
not getting what one wants is stressful. In short, the five
clinging-aggregates are stressful.

“And what is birth? Whatever
birth, taking birth, descent, coming-to-be, coming-forth, appearance of
aggregates, & acquisition of [sense] spheres of the various beings
in this or that group of beings, that is called birth.

“And what
is aging? Whatever aging, decrepitude, brokenness, graying, wrinkling,
decline of life-force, weakening of the faculties of the various beings
in this or that group of beings, that is called aging.

“And what
is death? Whatever deceasing, passing away, breaking up, disappearance,
dying, death, completion of time, break up of the aggregates, casting
off of the body, interruption in the life faculty of the various beings
in this or that group of beings, that is called death.

“And what
is sorrow? Whatever sorrow, sorrowing, sadness, inward sorrow, inward
sadness of anyone suffering from misfortune, touched by a painful thing,
that is called sorrow.

“And what is lamentation? Whatever
crying, grieving, lamenting, weeping, wailing, lamentation of anyone
suffering from misfortune, touched by a painful thing, that is called
lamentation.

“And what is pain? Whatever is experienced as bodily
pain, bodily discomfort, pain or discomfort born of bodily contact,
that is called pain.

“And what is distress? Whatever is
experienced as mental pain, mental discomfort, pain or discomfort born
of mental contact, that is called distress.

“And what is despair?
Whatever despair, despondency, desperation of anyone suffering from
misfortune, touched by a painful thing, that is called despair.

“And what is the stress of association with the unbeloved? There is the
case where undesirable, unpleasing, unattractive sights, sounds, aromas,
flavors, or tactile sensations occur to one; or one has connection,
contact, relationship, interaction with those who wish one ill, who wish
for one’s harm, who wish for one’s discomfort, who wish one no security
from the yoke. This is called the stress of association with the
unbeloved.

“And what is the stress of separation from the loved?
There is the case where desirable, pleasing, attractive sights, sounds,
aromas, flavors, or tactile sensations do not occur to one; or one has
no connection, no contact, no relationship, no interaction with those
who wish one well, who wish for one’s benefit, who wish for one’s
comfort, who wish one security from the yoke, nor with one’s mother,
father, brother, sister, friends, companions, or relatives. This is
called the stress of separation from the loved.

“And what is the
stress of not getting what one wants? In beings subject to birth, the
wish arises, ‘O, may we not be subject to birth, and may birth not come
to us.’ But this is not to be achieved by wishing. This is the stress of
not getting what one wants. In beings subject to aging… illness… death…
sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, the wish arises,
‘O, may we not be subject to aging… illness… death… sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, & despair, and may aging… illness… death… sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair not come to us.’ But this is
not to be achieved by wishing. This is the stress of not getting what
one wants.

“And what are the five clinging-aggregates that, in
short, are stress? Form as a clinging-aggregate, feeling as a
clinging-aggregate, perception as a clinging-aggregate, fabrications as a
clinging-aggregate, consciousness as a clinging-aggregate: These are
called the five clinging-aggregates that, in short, are stress.

“This is called the noble truth of stress.

[b] “And what is the noble truth of the origination of stress? The
craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &
delight, relishing now here & now there — i.e., craving for
sensuality, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.

“And
where does this craving, when arising, arise? And where, when dwelling,
does it dwell? Whatever seems endearing and agreeable in terms of the
world: that is where this craving, when arising, arises. That is where,
when dwelling, it dwells.

“And what seems endearing and agreeable
in terms of the world? The eye seems endearing and agreeable in terms
of the world. That is where this craving, when arising, arises. That is
where, when dwelling, it dwells.

“The ear… The nose… The tongue… The body… The intellect…

“Forms… Sounds… Smells… Tastes… Tactile sensations… Ideas…

“Eye-consciousness… Ear-consciousness… Nose-consciousness… Tongue-consciousness… Body-consciousness… Intellect-consciousness…

“Eye-contact… Ear-contact… Nose-contact… Tongue-contact… Body-contact… Intellect-contact…

“Feeling born of eye-contact… Feeling born of ear-contact… Feeling born
of nose-contact… Feeling born of tongue-contact… Feeling born of
body-contact… Feeling born of intellect-contact…

“Perception of
forms… Perception of sounds… Perception of smells… Perception of tastes…
Perception of tactile sensations… Perception of ideas…

“Intention for forms… Intention for sounds… Intention for smells…
Intention for tastes… Intention for tactile sensations… Intention for
ideas…

“Craving for forms… Craving for sounds… Craving for
smells… Craving for tastes… Craving for tactile sensations… Craving for
ideas…

“Thought directed at forms… Thought directed at sounds…
Thought directed at smells… Thought directed at tastes… Thought directed
at tactile sensations… Thought directed at ideas…

“Evaluation of
forms… Evaluation of sounds… Evaluation of smells… Evaluation of
tastes… Evaluation of tactile sensations… Evaluation of ideas seems
endearing and agreeable in terms of the world. That is where this
craving, when arising, arises. That is where, when dwelling, it dwells.

“This is called the noble truth of the origination of stress.

[c] “And what is the noble truth of the cessation of stress? The
remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment,
release, & letting go of that very craving.

“And where, when
being abandoned, is this craving abandoned? And where, when ceasing,
does it cease? Whatever seems endearing and agreeable in terms of the
world: that is where, when being abandoned, this craving is abandoned.
That is where, when ceasing, it ceases.

“And what seems endearing
and agreeable in terms of the world? The eye seems endearing and
agreeable in terms of the world. That is where, when being abandoned,
this craving is abandoned. That is where, when ceasing, it ceases.

“The ear… The nose… The tongue… The body… The intellect…

“Forms… Sounds… Smells… Tastes… Tactile sensations… Ideas…

“Eye-consciousness… Ear-consciousness… Nose-consciousness… Tongue-consciousness… Body-consciousness… Intellect-consciousness…

“Eye-contact… Ear-contact… Nose-contact… Tongue-contact… Body-contact… Intellect-contact…

“Feeling born of eye-contact… Feeling born of ear-contact… Feeling born
of nose-contact… Feeling born of tongue-contact… Feeling born of
body-contact… Feeling born of intellect-contact…

“Perception of
forms… Perception of sounds… Perception of smells… Perception of tastes…
Perception of tactile sensations… Perception of ideas…

“Intention for forms… Intention for sounds… Intention for smells…
Intention for tastes… Intention for tactile sensations… Intention for
ideas…

“Craving for forms… Craving for sounds… Craving for
smells… Craving for tastes… Craving for tactile sensations… Craving for
ideas…

“Thought directed at forms… Thought directed at sounds…
Thought directed at smells… Thought directed at tastes… Thought directed
at tactile sensations… Thought directed at ideas…

“Evaluation of
forms… Evaluation of sounds… Evaluation of smells… Evaluation of
tastes… Evaluation of tactile sensations… Evaluation of ideas seems
endearing and agreeable in terms of the world. That is where, when being
abandoned, this craving is abandoned. That is where, when ceasing, it
ceases.

“This is called the noble truth of the cessation of stress.

[d] “And what is the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the
cessation of stress? Just this very noble eightfold path: right view,
right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right
effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

“And what is
right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to
the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the cessation of
stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the
cessation of stress: This is called right view.

“And what is right resolve? Aspiring to renunciation, to freedom from ill will, to harmlessness: This is called right resolve.

“And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech,
from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right
speech.

“And what is right action? Abstaining from taking life, from stealing, & from illicit sex. This is called right action.

“And what is right livelihood? There is the case where a disciple of
the noble ones, having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life
going with right livelihood: This is called right livelihood.

“And what is right effort? There is the case where a monk generates
desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds & exerts his intent
for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have
not yet arisen… for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful
qualities that have arisen… for the sake of the arising of skillful
qualities that have not yet arisen… (and) for the maintenance,
non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of
skillful qualities that have arisen: This is called right effort.

“And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains
focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful —
putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. He
remains focused on feelings in & of themselves… the mind in & of
itself… mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, &
mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world. This is called right mindfulness.

“And what is right
concentration? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from
sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — enters &
remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal,
accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of
directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the
second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of
awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal
assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful,
& alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains
in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, ‘Equanimous &
mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ With the abandoning of pleasure
& pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress
— he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity
& mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called right
concentration.

“This is called the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.

“In this way he remains focused internally on mental qualities in &
of themselves, or externally on mental qualities in & of
themselves, or both internally & externally on mental qualities in
& of themselves. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of
origination with regard to mental qualities, on the phenomenon of
passing away with regard to mental qualities, or on the phenomenon of
origination & passing away with regard to mental qualities. Or his
mindfulness that ‘There are mental qualities’ is maintained to the
extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent,
unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world. This is how a
monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with
reference to the four noble truths…

(E. Conclusion)

“Now,
if anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for
seven years, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis
right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of
clinging-sustenance — non-return.

“Let alone seven years. If
anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for six
years… five… four… three… two years… one year… seven months… six months…
five… four… three… two months… one month… half a month, one of two
fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or —
if there be any remnant of clinging-sustenance — non-return.