1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

"Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, sn.v.143 I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute."

"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." [n.126] Spk: This bhikkhu, it is said, after asking the Buddha to explain a meditation subject, had just roamed here and there and did not devote himself to solitude. Therefore the Buddha spoke thus to restrain him.

"Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma in brief! Let the Fortunate One teach me the Dhamma in brief! Perhaps I may understand the meaning of the Blessed One's statement; perhaps I may become an heir of the Blessed One's statement."

"Well then, bhikkhu, purify the very starting point of wholesome states. And what is the starting point of wholesome states? Virtue that is well purified and view that is straight. [n.127] Spk: The view is that of one's responsibility for one's own action (kammassakatādiṭṭhi), i.e., belief in kamma and its fruits, which implies as well belief in rebirth.
The Buddha’s statement here establishes that right view (the first factor of the Noble Eightfold Path) and right conduct (factors 3–5) are the basis for the successful practice of mindfulness meditation. Then, bhikkhu, when your virtue is well purified and your view straight, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you should develop the four establishments of mindfulness in a threefold way.

2"What four? Here, bhikkhu, dwell contemplating the body in the body internally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating the body in the body externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating the body in the body internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. [n.128] Spk says nothing, but Sv III 765,15–18 and Ps I 249,24–27 explain in regard to mindfulness of breathing: "At one time in his own and at another in another's respiration-body, he dwells in contemplation of the body. By this there is reference to the time when the yogi's mind moves repeatedly back and forth (internally and externally by way of object) without laying aside the familiar subject of meditation" (The Way of Mindfulness, p. 74). In relation to the other three establishments, the commentaries give basically the same explanation, without addressing the problem of how one without psychic abilities can contemplate another person's feelings and states of mind.

"Dwell contemplating feelings in feelings internally … externally … internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating mind in mind internally … externally … internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. Dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena, internally … externally … internally and externally, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

"When, bhikkhu, based upon virtue, established upon virtue, you develop these four establishments of mindfulness thus in a threefold way, then, whether night or day comes, you may expect only growth in wholesome states, not decline."

3Then that bhikkhu, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One's statement, sn.v.144 rose from his seat and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, he departed keeping him on his right.

Then, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, that bhikkhu, by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life entered and dwelt in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness. He directly knew: "Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being." And that bhikkhu became one of the arahants.

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan"ti.

"Evameva panidhekacce moghapurisā mañceva ajjhesanti, dhamme ca bhāsite mameva anubandhitabbaṁ maññantī"ti.

"Desetu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ, desetu sugato saṅkhittena dhammaṁ. Appeva nāmāhaṁ bhagavato bhāsitassa atthaṁ jāneyyaṁ, appeva nāmāhaṁ bhagavato bhāsitassa dāyādo assan"ti.

"Tasmātiha tvaṁ, bhikkhu, ādimeva visodhehi kusalesu dhammesu. Ko cādi kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ? Sīlañca suvisuddhaṁ, diṭṭhi ca ujukā. Yato kho te, bhikkhu, sīlañca suvisuddhaṁ bhavissati diṭṭhi ca ujukā, tato tvaṁ, bhikkhu, sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya cattāro satipaṭṭhāne tividhena bhāveyyāsi.

2Katame cattāro? Idha tvaṁ, bhikkhu, ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Ajjhattaṁ vā vedanāsu … pe … bahiddhā vā vedanāsu … ajjhattabahiddhā vā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ajjhattaṁ vā citte … bahiddhā vā citte ajjhattabahiddhā vā citte … cittānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ajjhattaṁ vā dhammesu … bahiddhā vā dhammesu … ajjhattabahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāhi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Yato kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya ime cattāro satipaṭṭhāne evaṁ tividhena bhāvessasi, tato tuyhaṁ, bhikkhu, yā ratti vā divaso vā āgamissati vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā kusalesu dhammesu, no parihānī"ti.

3Atha kho so bhikkhu bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Atha kho so bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihāranto nacirasseva – yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ – brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihārati. "Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.

Tatiyaṁ.