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The Four Foundations of Remembering

MN 10, the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta — set 3, Learning to Look at Your Own Mind

Reading time: about 16 min · 2,830 words

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Before you read

The reference text for remembering practice: body, felt experience, the feeling mind, and dhammas, each worked through in turn.

It is long and repetitive on purpose. The same refrain comes back after every section — watching internally, externally, and both; watching things arise and pass; staying independent and holding on to nothing.

Do not try to finish it in one sitting. This is the manual that the shorter practice texts here are drawing on, and it rewards returning far more than it rewards reading straight through.

Translation

The Setting

So I heard.

At one time the Buddha was staying among the Kurus, at their town of Kammāsadhamma.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus."

"Bhante," they replied.

The Buddha said this:

The Direct Path

"Bhikkhus, this is the direct path for the purification of beings, for going beyond sorrow and lamentation, for ending pain and distress, for reaching the right way, for directly realizing nibbāna: the four establishments of sati.

And what four?

A bhikkhu remains observing the body in relation to the body, ardent, with clear knowing, with remembering, and with coveting and distress about the world put aside.

They remain observing felt experience in relation to felt experience, ardent, with clear knowing, with remembering, and with coveting and distress about the world put aside.

They remain observing the heart in relation to the heart, ardent, with clear knowing, with remembering, and with coveting and distress about the world put aside.

They remain observing dhammas among dhammas, ardent, with clear knowing, with remembering, and with coveting and distress about the world put aside."

Contemplation of Body

Breathing

"And how does a bhikkhu remain observing the body in relation to the body?

A bhikkhu goes to the wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut. They sit down, fold their legs crosswise, set their body upright, and set remembering to the fore. They breathe in remembering the Dhamma; they breathe out remembering the Dhamma.

Breathing in long, they know: 'I breathe in long.' Breathing out long, they know: 'I breathe out long.'

Breathing in short, they know: 'I breathe in short.' Breathing out short, they know: 'I breathe out short.'

They train: 'Breathing in, I will experience the whole body.' They train: 'Breathing out, I will experience the whole body.'

They train: 'Breathing in, I will calm the body conditioner.' They train: 'Breathing out, I will calm the body conditioner.'

Just as a skilled turner or a turner's apprentice, when making a long turn, knows 'I am making a long turn,' and when making a short turn, knows 'I am making a short turn,' in the same way:

breathing in long, they know: 'I breathe in long.' Breathing out long, they know: 'I breathe out long.'

Breathing in short, they know: 'I breathe in short.' Breathing out short, they know: 'I breathe out short.'

They train: 'Breathing in, I will experience the whole body.' They train: 'Breathing out, I will experience the whole body.'

They train: 'Breathing in, I will calm the body conditioner.' They train: 'Breathing out, I will calm the body conditioner.'

Then they remain observing the body as internal, observing the body as external, and observing the body as both internal and external. They remain observing arising qualities in the body, vanishing qualities in the body, and both arising and vanishing qualities in the body. Or remembering is simply present: 'There is body,' just enough for knowing and for remembering. They stay without depending on anything and do not take anything in the world personally."

Postures

"Again, a bhikkhu knows 'I am walking' when walking, 'I am standing' when standing, 'I am sitting' when sitting, and 'I am lying down' when lying down. Or however the body is placed, they know it that way.

Then they remain observing the body as internal, observing the body as external, and observing the body as both internal and external. They remain observing arising qualities in the body, vanishing qualities in the body, and both arising and vanishing qualities in the body. Or remembering is simply present: 'There is body,' just enough for knowing and for remembering. They stay without depending on anything and do not take anything in the world personally."

Clear Knowing in Activities

"Again, a bhikkhu acts with clear knowing when going forward and coming back, when looking ahead and looking away, when bending and stretching, when carrying robe and bowl, when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting, when urinating and defecating, when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.

[The same body refrain follows here: internal, external, and both; arising, vanishing, and both; 'There is body,' just enough for knowing and remembering; without depending on anything and without taking anything in the world personally.]"

Reviewing the Body

"Again, a bhikkhu reviews this very body from the soles of the feet up, and from the hair of the head down, enclosed by skin and full of many kinds of unclean things:

'In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach contents, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, mucus, joint-fluid, and urine.'

Suppose there were a bag with openings at both ends, full of different kinds of grain. A person with good sight might open it and review it like this: 'These are hill-rice, these are ordinary rice grains, these are mung beans, these are peas, these are sesame seeds, these are rice grains.' In the same way, a bhikkhu reviews this very body from the soles of the feet up, and from the hair of the head down, enclosed by skin and full of many kinds of unclean things:

'In this body there are head hairs, body hairs ... and urine.'

[The same body refrain follows here.]"

The Elements

"Again, a bhikkhu reviews this very body, however it is placed, however it is set, in terms of elements:

'In this body there are the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element.'

Just as a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice might kill a cow and sit at a crossroads with it cut up into pieces, in the same way a bhikkhu reviews this very body, however it is placed, however it is set, in terms of elements:

'In this body there are the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element.'

[The same body refrain follows here.]"

Charnel Ground Reflections

"Again, suppose a bhikkhu were to see a corpse thrown away in a charnel ground:

  • one day, two days, or three days dead, bloated, livid, and oozing;
  • being eaten by crows, hawks, vultures, dogs, jackals, or different kinds of creatures;
  • reduced to a skeleton with flesh and blood, held together by tendons;
  • reduced to a fleshless skeleton smeared with blood, held together by tendons;
  • reduced to a bloodless skeleton, held together by tendons;
  • with bones disconnected and scattered in all directions;
  • bones white like shells;
  • bones heaped up, more than a year old;
  • bones rotten and crumbling to dust.

They apply it to this very body like this: 'This body too is of the same nature, will become like that, and has not gone beyond it.'

Then they remain observing the body as internal, observing the body as external, and observing the body as both internal and external. They remain observing arising qualities in the body, vanishing qualities in the body, and both arising and vanishing qualities in the body. Or remembering is simply present: 'There is body,' just enough for knowing and for remembering. They stay without depending on anything and do not take anything in the world personally.

That is how a bhikkhu remains observing the body in relation to the body."

Contemplation of Felt Experience

"And how does a bhikkhu remain observing felt experience in relation to felt experience?

When a bhikkhu feels pleasant feeling, they know: 'I feel pleasant feeling.' When they feel painful feeling, they know: 'I feel painful feeling.' When they feel mixed feeling, they know: 'I feel mixed feeling.'

When they feel worldly pleasant feeling, they know: 'I feel worldly pleasant feeling.' When they feel unworldly pleasant feeling, they know: 'I feel unworldly pleasant feeling.'

When they feel worldly painful feeling, they know: 'I feel worldly painful feeling.' When they feel unworldly painful feeling, they know: 'I feel unworldly painful feeling.'

When they feel worldly mixed feeling, they know: 'I feel worldly mixed feeling.' When they feel unworldly mixed feeling, they know: 'I feel unworldly mixed feeling.'

Then they remain observing felt experience as internal, observing felt experience as external, and observing felt experience as both internal and external. They remain observing arising qualities in felt experience, vanishing qualities in felt experience, and both arising and vanishing qualities in felt experience. Or remembering is simply present: 'There is felt experience,' just enough for knowing and for remembering. They stay without depending on anything and do not take anything in the world personally.

That is how a bhikkhu remains observing felt experience in relation to felt experience."

Contemplation of the Heart

"And how does a bhikkhu remain observing the heart in relation to the heart?

A bhikkhu discerns a heart with passion as 'heart with passion.' They discern a heart without passion as 'heart without passion.'

They discern a heart with aversion as 'heart with aversion.' They discern a heart without aversion as 'heart without aversion.'

They discern a heart with confusion as 'heart with confusion.' They discern a heart without confusion as 'heart without confusion.'

They discern a contracted heart as 'contracted heart.' They discern a scattered heart as 'scattered heart.'

They discern an expanded heart as 'expanded heart.' They discern an unexpanded heart as 'unexpanded heart.'

They discern a surpassable heart as 'surpassable heart.' They discern an unsurpassable heart as 'unsurpassable heart.'

They discern a unified heart as 'unified heart.' They discern an ununified heart as 'ununified heart.'

They discern a released heart as 'released heart.' They discern an unreleased heart as 'unreleased heart.'

Then they remain observing the heart as internal, observing the heart as external, and observing the heart as both internal and external. They remain observing arising qualities in the heart, vanishing qualities in the heart, and both arising and vanishing qualities in the heart. Or remembering is simply present: 'There is the heart,' just enough for knowing and for remembering. They stay without depending on anything and do not take anything in the world personally.

That is how a bhikkhu remains observing the heart in relation to the heart."

Contemplation of Dhammas

The Five Hindrances

"And how does a bhikkhu remain observing dhammas among dhammas?

A bhikkhu remains observing dhammas among dhammas in the five hindrances.

And how does a bhikkhu remain observing dhammas among dhammas in the five hindrances?

When sensual desire is present internally, they discern: 'There is sensual desire in me.' When sensual desire is absent internally, they discern: 'There is no sensual desire in me.' They also discern how unarisen sensual desire arises, how arisen sensual desire is given up, and how abandoned sensual desire does not arise again in the future.

When ill will is present internally, they discern: 'There is ill will in me.' When ill will is absent internally, they discern: 'There is no ill will in me.' They also discern how unarisen ill will arises, how arisen ill will is given up, and how abandoned ill will does not arise again in the future.

When sloth and torpor is present internally, they discern: 'There is sloth and torpor in me.' When sloth and torpor is absent internally, they discern: 'There is no sloth and torpor in me.' They also discern how unarisen sloth and torpor arises, how arisen sloth and torpor is given up, and how abandoned sloth and torpor does not arise again in the future.

When restlessness and worry is present internally, they discern: 'There is restlessness and worry in me.' When restlessness and worry is absent internally, they discern: 'There is no restlessness and worry in me.' They also discern how unarisen restlessness and worry arises, how arisen restlessness and worry is given up, and how abandoned restlessness and worry does not arise again in the future.

When doubt is present internally, they discern: 'There is doubt in me.' When doubt is absent internally, they discern: 'There is no doubt in me.' They also discern how unarisen doubt arises, how arisen doubt is given up, and how abandoned doubt does not arise again in the future.

Then they remain observing dhammas as internal, observing dhammas as external, and observing dhammas as both internal and external. They remain observing arising qualities in dhammas, vanishing qualities in dhammas, and both arising and vanishing qualities in dhammas. Or remembering is simply present: 'There are dhammas,' just enough for knowing and for remembering. They stay without depending on anything and do not take anything in the world personally."

The Five Clung-To Heaps

"Again, a bhikkhu remains observing dhammas among dhammas in the five clung-to heaps.

And how does a bhikkhu remain observing dhammas among dhammas in the five clung-to heaps?

A bhikkhu discerns:

  • 'This is form; this is the arising of form; this is the vanishing of form.'
  • 'This is felt experience; this is the arising of felt experience; this is the vanishing of felt experience.'
  • 'This is recognition; this is the arising of recognition; this is the vanishing of recognition.'
  • 'These are putting-together activities; this is the arising of putting-together activities; this is the vanishing of putting-together activities.'
  • 'This is knowing; this is the arising of knowing; this is the vanishing of knowing.'

[The same dhammas refrain follows here: internal, external, and both; arising, vanishing, and both; 'There are dhammas,' just enough for knowing and remembering; without depending on anything and without taking anything in the world personally.]"

The Six Internal and External Sense Fields

"Again, a bhikkhu remains observing dhammas among dhammas in the six internal and external sense fields.

And how does a bhikkhu remain observing dhammas among dhammas in the six internal and external sense fields?

A bhikkhu discerns the eye, visible forms, and the fetter that arises dependent on both. They also discern how an unarisen fetter arises, how an arisen fetter is given up, and how an abandoned fetter does not arise again in the future.

The same pattern applies for ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, and body and tangibles.

They discern the mind, dhammas, and the fetter that arises dependent on both. They also discern how an unarisen fetter arises, how an arisen fetter is given up, and how an abandoned fetter does not arise again in the future.

[The same dhammas refrain follows here.]"

The Seven Awakening Factors

"Again, a bhikkhu remains observing dhammas among dhammas in the seven awakening factors.

And how does a bhikkhu remain observing dhammas among dhammas in the seven awakening factors?

When the remembering awakening factor is present internally, they discern: 'The remembering awakening factor is present in me.' When it is absent internally, they discern: 'The remembering awakening factor is not present in me.' They also discerns how the unarisen remembering awakening factor arises, and how the arisen remembering awakening factor comes to fulfillment through development.

The same pattern applies for the awakening factor of discernment of qualities, the energy awakening factor, the rejoicing awakening factor, the relaxation awakening factor, the unification awakening factor, and the dynamic balance awakening factor.

[The same dhammas refrain follows here.]"

The Four Noble Truths

"Again, a bhikkhu remains observing dhammas among dhammas in the four noble truths.

And how does a bhikkhu remain observing dhammas among dhammas in the four noble truths?

A bhikkhu discerns as they have come to be:

  • 'This is dissatisfaction.'
  • 'This is the arising of dissatisfaction.'
  • 'This is the quenching of dissatisfaction.'
  • 'This is the way leading to the quenching of dissatisfaction.'

Then they remain observing dhammas as internal, observing dhammas as external, and observing dhammas as both internal and external. They remain observing arising qualities in dhammas, vanishing qualities in dhammas, and both arising and vanishing qualities in dhammas. Or remembering is simply present: 'There are dhammas,' just enough for knowing and for remembering. They stay without depending on anything and do not take anything in the world personally.

That is how a bhikkhu remains observing dhammas among dhammas."

The Promised Fruits

"Bhikkhus, whoever develops these four establishments of sati in this way for seven years may expect one of two fruits: final knowledge here and now, or, if there is some support remaining, non-returner status.

Let alone seven years. The same holds for six years, five years, four years, three years, two years, or one year.

Let alone one year. The same holds for seven months, six months, five months, four months, three months, two months, one month, or half a month.

Whoever develops these four establishments of sati in this way for seven days may expect one of two fruits: final knowledge here and now, or, if there is some support remaining, non-returner status.

So when it was said:

'Bhikkhus, this is the direct path for the purification of beings, for going beyond sorrow and lamentation, for ending pain and distress, for reaching the right way, for directly realizing nibbāna: the four establishments of sati,'

it was said on account of this."

That is what the Buddha said. The bhikkhus were glad and welcomed what the Buddha had said.

Words used in this translation (33)
aversion
One of the three "roots" behind unwholesome action, alongside greed and delusion -- the pushback against what's unwanted or unpleasant.
awakening
Coming fully awake to how things are. Sometimes translated "enlightenment," a word this project avoids as needlessly mystical.
awakening factor
One of seven qualities developed and kept in balance on the way to waking up.
Bhante
A respectful way of addressing a senior monastic, roughly "venerable sir." Left untranslated because English has no natural equivalent.
bhikkhu
A Buddhist monk -- someone who has left household life to practise full time. Left untranslated because "monk" carries centuries of unrelated European associations.
bhikkhus
Buddhist monks -- those who have left household life to practise full time. The Buddha's usual way of addressing the assembly, roughly "friends" in force.
body
The physical body, as distinct from speech and the mental side of experience.
clear knowing
Knowing plainly what you are doing while you are doing it.
clung-to heaps
The five categories experience gets sorted into and then grasped as "me" or "mine" -- body, feeling, recognition, mental activity, and awareness. Not clinging to the categories themselves, but to the sense of ownership placed on top of them.
Dhamma
The Buddha's teaching taken as a whole -- both what he taught and the way things actually are, which the teaching describes.
discernment of qualities
This project's rendering of "dhammavicaya" -- sorting out what is actually going on in experience, and which qualities help and which do not. One of the seven awakening factors.
dissatisfaction
This translation's rendering of "dukkha," the Buddhist term for the unsatisfying, unstable quality of ordinary experience. Often translated "suffering," but that can sound more dramatic than the everyday sense of things not quite being right.
doubt
Uncertainty and indecision, especially about the practice and the teaching. As one of the five hindrances, it keeps the mind wavering instead of committing.
dynamic balance
This project's rendering of "upekkhā" (often translated "equanimity") -- a steadiness that stays engaged rather than checking out, distinct from indifference.
felt experience
This project's rendering of "vedanā", often translated "feeling". It is the immediate pleasant, painful, or mixed tone of an experience, before any story we build on top of it.
five hindrances
The five things that reliably hinder the mind and pull it off task: sensual desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and doubt.
form
This project's rendering of "rūpa" -- the physical, material aspect of experience, one of the five heaps.
heart
This project's rendering of "citta": the feeling side of mind. It takes on moods, wants, leans, and reacts. Practice can gladden, steady, train, and release it. Some call it the "heart-mind" or "feeling mind". Here "heart" does not mean only emotion, or the physical organ.
ill will
Hostility toward others or situations: pushing things away and wishing them harm. As one of the five hindrances, it pulls the mind off track.
knowing
This project's rendering of "viññāṇa" (often translated "consciousness") -- bare awareness of an object through one of the senses or the mind.
mixed feeling
A felt experience that is neither clearly pleasant nor clearly unpleasant. Rendered "mixed" rather than "neutral" to keep it an active third register rather than a flat absence of feeling.
nibbāna
The end of greed, hatred, and confusion -- the traditional goal of Buddhist practice. Left untranslated because no single English word covers it; "quenching" is the closest one-word gloss.
putting-together activities
This project's rendering of "saṅkhārā" (often translated "mental formations") -- the mind's constructing and assembling activity, one of the five heaps.
quenching
An extinguishing image for dissatisfaction and its causes going out. Different Pali words use this image on different pages, so the exact scope comes from the sentence.
recognition
This project's rendering of "saññā" (often translated "perception") -- the mind's act of identifying and labeling what it encounters.
rejoicing
This project's rendering of "pīti" (often translated "rapture") -- the bright, uplifted gladness that shows up when practice is going well.
relaxation
This project's rendering of "passaddhi" -- the settling of body and mind that follows gladness and leads into unification of mind.
remembering
This project's rendering of "sati". It means actively keeping what matters in mind and coming back to it when you lose it. It is not bare attention to whatever happens to be present.
restlessness and worry
When agitation and nagging worry or regret pull you off track. One of the five hindrances.
sensual desire
When wanting something pleasant pulls you off track. One of the five hindrances.
sloth and torpor
When sluggishness, heaviness, and sinking energy pull you off track. One of the five hindrances.
unification
Short for unification of mind (samādhi) inside a longer phrase, such as "born of unification" or "the faculty of unification."
world
A word whose scope shifts with the teaching. It can mean the lived world we build through the senses and the mind, or the wider physical cosmos. The surrounding passage shows which sense it has.
Source and corrections