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 47.5 A Heap of the Unskillful

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Tatra kho bhagavā etadavoca:

“‘akusalarāsī’ti, bhikkhave, vadamāno pañca nīvaraṇe sammā vadamāno vadeyya. Kevalo hāyaṁ, bhikkhave, akusalarāsi, yadidaṁpañca nīvaraṇā. Katame pañca? Kāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ, byāpādanīvaraṇaṁ, thinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁ, uddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁ, vicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ. ‘Akusalarāsī’ti, bhikkhave, vadamāno ime pañca nīvaraṇe sammā vadamāno vadeyya. Kevalo hāyaṁ, bhikkhave, akusalarāsi, yadidaṁpañca nīvaraṇā.

‘Kusalarāsī’ti, bhikkhave, vadamāno cattāro satipaṭṭhāne sammā vadamāno vadeyya. Kevalo hāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kusalarāsi, yadidaṁcattāro satipaṭṭhānā. Katame cattāro? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. ‘Kusalarāsī’ti, bhikkhave, vadamāno ime cattāro satipaṭṭhāne sammā vadamāno vadeyya. Kevalo hāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kusalarāsi, yadidaṁcattāro satipaṭṭhānā”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Tatra kho bhagavā etadavoca:

There the Buddha said:

“‘akusalarāsī’ti, bhikkhave, vadamāno pañca nīvaraṇe sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

“Rightly speaking, mendicants, you’d call these five hindrances a ‘heap of the unskillful’.

Kevalo hāyaṁ, bhikkhave, akusalarāsi, yadidaṁpañca nīvaraṇā.

For these five hindrances are entirely a heap of the unskillful.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Kāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ, byāpādanīvaraṇaṁ, thinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁ, uddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁ, vicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ.

The hindrances of sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.

‘Akusalarāsī’ti, bhikkhave, vadamāno ime pañca nīvaraṇe sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

Rightly speaking, you’d call these five hindrances a ‘heap of the unskillful’.

Kevalo hāyaṁ, bhikkhave, akusalarāsi, yadidaṁpañca nīvaraṇā.

For these five hindrances are entirely a heap of the unskillful.

‘Kusalarāsī’ti, bhikkhave, vadamāno cattāro satipaṭṭhāne sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

Rightly speaking, you’d call these four kinds of mindfulness meditation a ‘heap of the skillful’.

Kevalo hāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kusalarāsi, yadidaṁcattāro satipaṭṭhānā.

For these four kinds of mindfulness meditation are entirely a heap of the skillful.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, 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…

They meditate observing an aspect of the mind …

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

‘Kusalarāsī’ti, bhikkhave, vadamāno ime cattāro satipaṭṭhāne sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

Rightly speaking, you’d call these four kinds of mindfulness meditation a ‘heap of the skillful’.

Kevalo hāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kusalarāsi, yadidaṁcattāro satipaṭṭhānā”ti.

For these four kinds of mindfulness meditation are entirely a heap of the skillful.”

Pañcamaṁ.

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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Unwholesome

Unwholesome

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

Also known as: blameworthy, unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, karmically unprofitable
Pāli: akusala
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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