Samyutta Nikaya: Mahavagga Satipatthanasamyutta (V-47)

 

Note: the longer version sof the Satipatthanasutta can be consulted. Also Nyanponika “Heart of Buddhist Meditation” is a good resource.

 

Soma Thera: The Way of Mindfulness: The Satipatthana Sutta and its Commentary (BPS 1975)

 

Gethin, R.M.L.: The Buddhist Path to Awakening: A Study of the Bodh-Pakkhiya Dhamma (Leiden: Brill 1992)

 

I already have the Thera (on Access to Insight) and the Gethin is on order.

 

 

1: “one-way Path” is Bhikkhu Bodhi’s rendering of a phrase that is sometimes rendered as “only”—which doesn’t make much sense. (This is not the only way, but a single way, a one-way Path that leads towards, and not away from.)

 

The stock formula is interesting, in its coverage:

 

• purification of beings: “purification” approach to practice
• overcoming of sorrow and lamentation: something the individual does in response to stimuli—i.e., acts of volition.
• passing away of pain and displeasure: that which arises resultatnt of karma; here I take “displeasure” to mean “unpleasure” and not in the sense of an attitude or opinion.
• achievement of the method: the “raft”—how we go about it, what we do. How to get there.
• realization of Nibbana: now into awakening.

 

Are these five phrases a mini-look at the stages of practice? We begin with purification and end with Nibbana. It does not make sense as a description of procedure, although I’m not certain it was meant that way.

 

The four foundations of mindfulness: body, feelings, mind, phenomena.

 

Each is contemplated each in itself, to be seen as constant arising, persisting, decay, dissolution.

 

2: “mindful and clearly comprehending”

 

• Clearly comprehending: the foundations expressed as being fully mindful of all activities, thoughts, etc. Mindfulness as taught in Zen and Vipassana.
• Mindful: satipatthana; the four foundations.

 

3: Great moment: the bhikkhu asks the Buddha for advice. He says: “It is in just such a way that some foolish persons here make requests of me, but when the Dhamma has been spoken to them, they think only of following me around.”

 

The Dhamma is practice and not words alone.

 

Unambiguously the Buddha gives the first instruction: virtue that is well-purified and view that is straight. See to sila first, before samadhi and before pañña.

 

The instructions are to be internal first, then external, then both internal and external.

 

4: Adds fuel to a recent discussion about continuing the practice even after arahantship. The upward spiral continues, no matter what. Even arahants continue to practice—you don’t stop.

 

5: Here the Satipatthana is the antidote to the hindrances, the “heap of the wholesome” that cures the wholesome.

 

6: In metaphorical terms—a little fable about a hawk and a quail—the Satipatthana is the antidote to the five cords of sensual pleasure.

 

7: This metaphor of the monkey appears in some of Thich Nhat Hanh’s writings. Five points (feet, hands, and muzzle) are what it takes to catch a monkey. Those five points are the five cords of sensual pleasure.

 

9: The Buddha’s illness in this sutta is during the last year of his life.

 

The body is subject to old age and decay—even the Buddha’s.

 

This contains the critical exhortation: “…dweel with yourselves as your own island, with yourselves as your own refuge, with no other refuge; dwell with the Dhamma s your island, with the Dhamma as your refuge, with no other refuge.” The technique? Satipatthana.

 

More on the great exhortation:

 

“Those who dwell with themselves as their own refuge…will be for me the topmost of those keen on the training.”

 

When we strive on with diligence, following our hearts and our consciences, not relying in the outside teacher, it is then that we truly go for refuge in the Buddha.

 

“Kill the Buddha” in the Zen tradition: looking to the outside, seeking a guidance from that which is without, seeking to “merge” ourselves with something—whether that be Christ or God or just some all-pervasive Everywherewhen. All of this is seeking the Buddha. If we seek, we will not find.

 

It is only when we can abandon the search in our hearts, truly let go—then we go for refuge.

 

10: If we become torpid or distracted in meditation, we are instructed to direct the mind towards some inspiring sign—such as an image of the Buddha. Reminds me of stages in metta practice, turning back to dear friend or benefactor if we grow dull with other targets.

 

If I understand an aspect of this instructions, this is a style of Vipassana which uses a secondary object of concentration—something inspiring—to use if we are unable to stay with the original object for some reason.

 

“These are the feet of trees, these are empty huts. Meditate, do not be negligent, lest you regret it later. This is our instruction to you.”

 

Memorize this: repeat it. Believe it. Trust it. Follow it.

 

12: Here Sariputta claims knowledge he didn’t have (not intentionally) and is corrected. How can he know how knowledgeable the Buddha is or others—he cannot know that the Buddha is the most knowledgeable.

 

Sariputta fields it pretty well, though. He explains how this can be known through inference—and the Buddha accepts his explanation.

 

13: Sariputta attains final Nibbana. Although Ananda is saddened by the news, it is true that we must all be separated.

 

14: Mogallana died not too long after Sariputta.

 

The Buddhas who arise have a supreme pair of disciples—see the Buddhavamsa for names.

 

15: Bahiya follows the instructions for Satipatthana and becomes one of the arahants.

 

16: Uttiya does the same.

 

18: The Satipatthana is presented as occurring to the Buddha shortly after the Enlightenment, and begin confirmed by the Brahma Sahampati.

 

19: This situta provides an interesting reply to Mahayana criticisms of the arahant path as being too singular. In our practice for ourselves, we provide protection for others.

 

Metta practice is very much other-directed but it is also a practice for the self: we must do it for and by ourselves. The same is true of the remaining brahma-viharas.

 

21: Virtue (sila) is necessary for the development of Satipatthana.

 

22 – 25: The Dharma does not last if not practiced!

 

29 – 30: The non-returner has broken the five lower fetters.

 

33: This would appear to make the Satipatthana yet another factoring of the Path.

 

34: Also like #33.

 

36: Perhaps a slight qualification to 33 – 34: we will either become arahants or nonreturners.

 

40: Gives the Eightfold Path as the way leading to Satipatthana.

 

44: This is a “flood-crossing” sutra. The Buddha re-discovered the crossing. Brahma Sahampati tells us:

 

The seer of the destruction of birth,

Compassionate, knows the one-way path

By which in the past they crossed the flood,

By which they will cross and cross over now.

 

47 – 48: Strengthens the need of sila as preparation for Satipatthana.

 

48: This comes as close as I’ve heard the Buddha advocate any kind of prosletyzing. “Those for whom you have compassion and who think you should be heeded—whether friends or colleagues, relatives or kinsmen…”

 

But at least they aren’t utter strangers. Furthermore, the Buddha did send out the first sixty disciples to teach—but is this any kind of prosletyzing?