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Saį¹yutta NikÄya 47.18 Linked Discourses 47.18
2. NÄlandavagga 2. At NÄįø·andÄ
Brahmasutta Divinity
Ekaį¹ samayaį¹ bhagavÄ uruvelÄyaį¹ viharati najjÄ neraƱjarÄya tÄ«re ajapÄlanigrodhe paį¹hamÄbhisambuddho. At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in UruvelÄ at the goatherdās banyan tree on the bank of the NeraƱjarÄ River. This discourse is a good example of how the Satipaį¹į¹hÄnasutta (MN 10, DN 22) was constructed. The famous opening phrase is found here, where it is associated with BrahmÄ. It turns out that ekÄyana is in fact a term found prominently in Brahmanical texts, used in the context of renunciation and contemplation to mean āconvergenceā, just as in Pali. In the Satipaį¹į¹hÄnasutta this connection is lost, as there is no Brahmanical context. Commentators subsequently struggled to explain the word, offering a range of possibilities, to which ancient Chinese translators and modern authors added more. The current sutta allows us to restore the Brahmanical context and determine the correct meaning. This further suggests that this is the original context, where the word had a contextual meaning, and it was later excerpted for the opening of the Satipaį¹į¹hÄnasutta. | This same discourse is presented as a first-person recollection of the Buddha at SN 47.43.
Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paį¹isallÄ«nassa evaį¹ cetaso parivitakko udapÄdi: Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,
āekÄyanvÄyaį¹ maggo sattÄnaį¹ visuddhiyÄ sokaparidevÄnaį¹ samatikkamÄya dukkhadomanassÄnaį¹ atthaį¹
gamÄya ƱÄyassa adhigamÄya nibbÄnassa sacchikiriyÄya, yadidaį¹ācattÄro satipaį¹į¹hÄnÄ. āThe four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment. The phrase ekÄyano maggo (āpath to convergenceā) is used in only one other context in Pali, where it means to ācome together withā (MN 12:37.5). Here the Buddhaās phrase is echoed by BrahmÄ, which suggests it was a Brahmanical term. YajƱavalkyaāin a core passage full of details shared with the suttasāuses it for a place where things unite or converge (Bį¹hadÄraį¹yaka Upaniį¹£ad 2.4.11; in the same sense also at ChÄndogya Upaniį¹£ad 7.5.2; MahÄbhÄrata 14.19.1ā2). Thus satipaį¹į¹hÄna leads to everything ācoming together as oneā. In other words, as seventh factor of the noble eightfold path, it leads to samÄdhi, the eighth factor (SN 45.1:3.9; see also MN 44:12.3). EkÄyana is also a name for a certain Sanskrit scripture (in a list of texts at ChÄndogya Upaniį¹£ad 7.1.2, 7.1.4, 7.2.1, 7.7.1; Puruį¹£ottamasaį¹hitÄ 1.10; PraÅnasaį¹hitÄ 2.38). Now, the latter text discusses the ekÄyana as nivį¹tti, ārenunciationā, which is, in fact, introduced to the Vedic system by YajƱavalkya in the above-cited passage. Thus as a scripture it probably originally referred to that very passage exemplifying the Upaniį¹£adic teachings, which are otherwise omitted from the ChÄndogya list.
Katame cattÄro? What four?
KÄye vÄ bhikkhu kÄyÄnupassÄ« vihareyya ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, vineyya loke abhijjhÄdomanassaį¹; A mendicant would meditate observing an aspect of the bodyākeen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. This is phrased in optative because the Buddha is contemplating what would happen were he to teach and start his dispensation. Similarly, idha (āhereā) is absent since it is not a present situation.
vedanÄsu vÄ bhikkhu ā¦peā¦ Or theyād meditate observing an aspect of feelings ā¦
citte vÄ bhikkhu ā¦peā¦ or mind ā¦
dhammesu vÄ bhikkhu dhammÄnupassÄ« vihareyya ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, vineyya loke abhijjhÄdomanassaį¹. or principlesākeen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
EkÄyanvÄyaį¹ maggo sattÄnaį¹ visuddhiyÄ sokaparidevÄnaį¹ samatikkamÄya dukkhadomanassÄnaį¹ atthaį¹
gamÄya ƱÄyassa adhigamÄya nibbÄnassa sacchikiriyÄya, yadidaį¹ācattÄro satipaį¹į¹hÄnÄāti. The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.ā
Atha kho brahmÄ sahampati bhagavato cetasÄ cetoparivitakkamaƱƱÄyaāseyyathÄpi nÄma balavÄ puriso samiƱjitaį¹ vÄ bÄhaį¹ pasÄreyya, pasÄritaį¹ vÄ bÄhaį¹ samiƱjeyya; evameva kho brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pÄturahosi. Then the divinity Sahampati knew the Buddhaās train of thought. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of the Buddha. Sahampatiās appearance here underscores the centrality of mindfulness and serves as divine endorsement (see SN 6.1:5.1 and note).
Atha kho brahmÄ sahampati ekaį¹saį¹ uttarÄsaį¹
gaį¹ karitvÄ yena bhagavÄ tenaƱjaliį¹ paį¹ÄmetvÄ bhagavantaį¹ etadavoca: He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said:
āevametaį¹, bhagavÄ, evametaį¹, sugata. āThatās so true, Blessed One! Thatās so true, Holy One!
EkÄyanvÄyaį¹, bhante, maggo sattÄnaį¹ visuddhiyÄ sokaparidevÄnaį¹ samatikkamÄya dukkhadomanassÄnaį¹ atthaį¹
gamÄya ƱÄyassa adhigamÄya nibbÄnassa sacchikiriyÄya, yadidaį¹ācattÄro satipaį¹į¹hÄnÄ. Sir, the four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.
Katame cattÄro? What four?
KÄye vÄ, bhante, bhikkhu kÄyÄnupassÄ« vihareyya ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, vineyya loke abhijjhÄdomanassaį¹; A mendicant would meditate observing an aspect of the bodyākeen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
vedanÄsu vÄ, bhante, bhikkhu ā¦peā¦ Or theyād meditate observing an aspect of feelings ā¦
citte vÄ, bhante, bhikkhu ā¦peā¦ or mind ā¦
dhammesu vÄ, bhante, bhikkhu dhammÄnupassÄ« vihareyya ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, vineyya loke abhijjhÄdomanassaį¹. or principlesākeen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
EkÄyanvÄyaį¹, bhante, maggo sattÄnaį¹ visuddhiyÄ sokaparidevÄnaį¹ samatikkamÄya dukkhadomanassÄnaį¹ atthaį¹
gamÄya ƱÄyassa adhigamÄya nibbÄnassa sacchikiriyÄya, yadidaį¹ācattÄro satipaį¹į¹hÄnÄāti. The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.ā
Idamavoca brahmÄ sahampati. That is what the divinity Sahampati said.
Idaį¹ vatvÄ athÄparaį¹ etadavoca: Then he went on to say:
āEkÄyanaį¹ jÄtikhayantadassÄ«, āThe compassionate one, who sees the ending of rebirth,
Maggaį¹ pajÄnÄti hitÄnukampÄ«; understands the path to convergence.
Etena maggena tariį¹su pubbe, By this path people crossed over before,
Tarissanti ye ca taranti oghanāti. will cross, and are crossing.ā
Aį¹į¹hamaį¹.