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 47.26 Partly

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno āyasmā ca anuruddho sākete viharanti kaṇḍakīvane. Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhitā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā anuruddhena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca:

“‘sekho, sekho’ti, āvuso anuruddha, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, sekho hotī”ti?

“Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ padesaṁ bhāvitattā sekho 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 padesaṁ bhāvitattā sekho hotī”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno āyasmā ca anuruddho sākete viharanti kaṇḍakīvane.

At one time the venerables Sāriputta, Mahāmoggallāna, and Anuruddha were staying near Sāketa, in the Thorny Wood.

Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhitā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā anuruddhena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu.

Then in the late afternoon, Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna came out of retreat, went to Anuruddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. Sāriputta said to Anuruddha:

“‘sekho, sekho’ti, āvuso anuruddha, vuccati.

“Reverend, they speak of the one called ‘a trainee’.

Kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, sekho hotī”ti?

How is a trainee defined?”

“Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ padesaṁ bhāvitattā sekho hoti.

“Reverends, a trainee is someone who has partly developed the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.

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 padesaṁ bhāvitattā sekho hotī”ti.

A trainee is someone who has partly developed the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

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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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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Jealousy

Jealousy

A painful mental state that arises when seeing the good fortune or qualities of others. It begrudges what others have and resents their happiness, closing the heart to appreciative joy.

Also known as: covetousness, envy, possessiveness, protective of, unwilling to part with
Pāli: issā
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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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Last updated on July 27, 2026