The Buddha teaches the four establishments of mindfulness—body, feelings, mind, and principles—as the direct path for the purification of beings, the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, and the realization of extinguishment.

SN 47.22 Long Lasting

Taṁyeva nidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

“ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti?

“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda. Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā. Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi: ‘ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī’”ti?

“Evamāvuso”ti.

“Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. Catunnañca kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. Imesañca kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Taṁyeva nidānaṁ.

The same setting.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

Venerable Bhadda said to Venerable Ānanda:

“ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti?

“What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?

Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti?

What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?”

“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda.

“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda!

Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā.

Your approach and eloquence are excellent, and it’s a good question.

Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi:

For you asked:

‘ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti?

‘What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?

Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī’”ti?

What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?’”

“Evamāvuso”ti.

“Yes, reverend.”

“Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.

“It’s because of not developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.

Catunnañca kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.

It’s because of developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

What four?

Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

vedanāsu …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

citte …pe…

mind …

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.

It’s because of not developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.

Imesañca kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti.

It’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
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Displeasure

Displeasure

A feeling of mental pain or a disagreeable feeling or unease born of mental contact.

Also known as: mental pain, mental distress, melancholy, sadness
Pāli: domanassa
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Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Quenching

Quenching

An experiential state of being “cooled,” where the burning fever of craving has subsided and the mind dwells in a peace free from the anxiety of needing to become something else.

Also known as: being cooled, desirelessness, free from hope, fulfilled, fully satiated, having attained emancipation
Pāli: nibbuta, nirāsa, parinibbāyati
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026