Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

So does he, as to the body, continue to consider the body, either internally or externally, or both internally and externally. He keeps on considering how the body is something that comes to be, or again he keeps on considering how the body is something that passes away ; or again he keeps on considering the coming to be with the passing away ; or again, conscious that ' There is the body,' [298] and mindfulness hereof becomes thereby established, far enough for the purposes of knowledge and of self-collectedness. And he abides independent, grasping after nothing in the world whatever. Thus, bhikkhus, does a brother, as to the body, continue to consider the body.

ii. And how, bhikkhus, does a brother, as to the feelings, continue to consider the feelings ?

Herein, O bhikkhus, is a brother when affected by a feeling of pleasure, aware of it, reflecting : ' I feel a pleasurable feeling.' So, too, is he aware when affected by a painful feeling, or by a neutral feeling, or by a pleasant or painful or neutral feeling concerning material things, or by a pleasant or painful or neutral feeling concerning spiritual things.

So does he, as to the feelings, continue to consider feeling, both internally and externally, or internally and externally together. He keeps on considering how the feelings are something that comes to be, or again he keeps on considering how the feelings are something that passes away, or he [299] keeps on considering their coming to be with their passing away. Or again, with the consciousness : ' There is feeling,'

334 xxn- MAHA SATIPA7T27ANA SUTTANTA. D. ii. 299.

mindfulness thereof becomes thereby established far enough for the purposes of knowledge and of self-collectedness. And he abides independent, grasping after nothing in the world whatever. Thus, bhikkhus, does a brother, with respect to the feelings, continue to consider feeling.

1 2. And how, bhikkhus, does a brother, as to thought, continue to consider thought 1 ?

Herein, O bhikkhus, a brother, if his thought be lustful, is aware that it is so, or if his thought be free from lust, is aware that it is so ; or if his thought be full of hate, or free from hate, or dull, or intelligent, or attentive, or distrait, or exalted, or not exalted, or mediocre, or ideal, or composed, or discomposed, or liberated, or bound, he is aware in each case that his thought is so, reflecting : ' My thought is lustful,' and so on.

So does he, as to thought, continue to consider thought, internally or externally, or internally and externally together. He keeps on considering how thought is something that comes to be, or again he keeps on considering how a thought is something that passes away, or again he ever considers its coming to be and passing away together. Or again, with the consciousness : ' There is a thought,' mindfulness thereof becomes thereby established, [300] far enough for the purposes of knowledge and of self-possession. And he abides independent, grasping after nothing in the world whatever. Thus, bhikkhus, does a brother, with respect to thought, continue to consider thought.

13. And how, bhikkhus, does a brother, as to ideas2, continue to consider ideas ?

Herein, O bhikkhus, a brother, as to ideas, continuesp. 335 to consider ideas from the point of view of the Five Hindrances1.

1 Citta. The reader is reminded that 'thought' is used here for citta in the widest sense possible to that term, such as is intended when, in the Christian tradition, it is made to complement the ' word and deed ' of the Epistles. And as such it is ' thinking ' rather than ' what is thought,' that should be understood.

2 Dhamma. See Introduction.

And how, bhikkhus, does a brother, as to ideas,
continue to consider ideas relating to the Five
Hindrances * ?

Herein, O bhikkhus, a brother, when within him is sensuous desire, is aware of it, reflecting : ' I have within me sensuous desire.' Or again, when within him is no sensuous desire, he is aware of this. And he knows of the uprising of such desire unfelt before, knows too of his putting aside that uprisen sensuous desire, knows too of the non-arising in future of that banished sensuous desire.

[The paragraph is repeated [30i] of ill-will, sloth and torpor, flurry and worry, and doubt]