Venerable Anuruddha reflects that whoever misses out on the four kinds of mindfulness meditation misses the noble path to the ending of suffering; Venerable Mahāmoggallāna asks how they are undertaken, and Anuruddha defines internal, external, and both, observing origination and vanishing.

SN 52.1 In Private (1st)

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā anuruddho sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmato anuruddhassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

“yesaṁ kesañci cattāro satipaṭṭhānā viraddhā, viraddho tesaṁ ariyo maggo sammā dukkhakkhayagāmī. Yesaṁ kesañci cattāro satipaṭṭhānā āraddhā, āraddho tesaṁ ariyo maggo sammā dukkhakkhayagāmī”ti.

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno āyasmato anuruddhassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāyaseyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaāyasmato anuruddhassa sammukhe pāturahosi. Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca:

“kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso anuruddha, bhikkhuno cattāro satipaṭṭhānā āraddhā hontī”ti?

“Idhāvuso, bhikkhu ajjhattaṁ kāye samudayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattaṁ kāye vayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattaṁ kāye samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Bahiddhā kāye samudayadhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā kāye vayadhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā kāye samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ajjhattabahiddhā kāye samudayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā kāye vayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā kāye samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

Ajjhattaṁ vedanāsu samudayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattaṁ vedanāsu vayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattaṁ vedanāsu samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Bahiddhā vedanāsu samudayadhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vedanāsu vayadhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vedanāsu samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ajjhattabahiddhā vedanāsu samudayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vedanāsu vayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vedanāsu samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

Ajjhattaṁ citte …pe… bahiddhā citte …pe… ajjhattabahiddhā citte samudayadhammānupassī viharatiajjhattabahiddhā citte vayadhammānupassī viharatiajjhattabahiddhā citte samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī …pe… abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati …pe… upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

Ajjhattaṁ dhammesu …pe… bahiddhā dhammesu …pe… ajjhattabahiddhā dhammesu samudayadhammānupassī viharatiajjhattabahiddhā dhammesu vayadhammānupassī viharatiajjhattabahiddhā dhammesu samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati …pe… upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

Ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cattāro satipaṭṭhānā āraddhā hontī”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā anuruddho sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time Venerable Anuruddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho āyasmato anuruddhassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

Then as Anuruddha was in private retreat this thought came to his mind:

“yesaṁ kesañci cattāro satipaṭṭhānā viraddhā, viraddho tesaṁ ariyo maggo sammā dukkhakkhayagāmī.

“Whoever has missed out on these four kinds of mindfulness meditation has missed out on the noble path to the complete ending of suffering.

Yesaṁ kesañci cattāro satipaṭṭhānā āraddhā, āraddho tesaṁ ariyo maggo sammā dukkhakkhayagāmī”ti.

Whoever has undertaken these four kinds of mindfulness meditation has undertaken the noble path to the complete ending of suffering.”

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno āyasmato anuruddhassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāyaseyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaāyasmato anuruddhassa sammukhe pāturahosi.

Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna knew what Venerable Anuruddha was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he reappeared in front of Anuruddha,

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca:

and said to him:

“kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso anuruddha, bhikkhuno cattāro satipaṭṭhānā āraddhā hontī”ti?

“Reverend Anuruddha, how do you define the undertaking of the four kinds of mindfulness meditation by a mendicant?”

“Idhāvuso, bhikkhu ajjhattaṁ kāye samudayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattaṁ kāye vayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattaṁ kāye samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

“Reverend, it’s when a mendicant, with respect to the body internally, meditates observing the liability to originate, to vanish, and to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Bahiddhā kāye samudayadhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā kāye vayadhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā kāye samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

With respect to the body externally, they meditate observing the liability to originate, to vanish, and to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Ajjhattabahiddhā kāye samudayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā kāye vayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā kāye samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

With respect to the body internally and externally, they meditate observing the liability to originate, to vanish, and to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;

If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;

If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.

sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;

If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.

sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;

If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, shunning both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Ajjhattaṁ vedanāsu samudayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattaṁ vedanāsu vayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattaṁ vedanāsu samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

With respect to feelings internally …

Bahiddhā vedanāsu samudayadhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vedanāsu vayadhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vedanāsu samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

externally …

Ajjhattabahiddhā vedanāsu samudayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vedanāsu vayadhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vedanāsu samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

internally and externally, they meditate observing the liability to originate, to vanish, and to originate and vanish …

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;

sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;

sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;

sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;

sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

Ajjhattaṁ citte …pe…

With respect to the mind internally …

bahiddhā citte …pe…

externally …

ajjhattabahiddhā citte samudayadhammānupassī viharatiajjhattabahiddhā citte vayadhammānupassī viharatiajjhattabahiddhā citte samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī …pe… abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

internally and externally, they meditate observing the liability to originate, to vanish, and to originate and vanish …

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati …pe…

upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

Ajjhattaṁ dhammesu …pe…

With respect to principles internally …

bahiddhā dhammesu …pe…

externally …

ajjhattabahiddhā dhammesu samudayadhammānupassī viharatiajjhattabahiddhā dhammesu vayadhammānupassī viharatiajjhattabahiddhā dhammesu samudayavayadhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

internally and externally, they meditate observing the liability to originate, to vanish, and to originate and vanish …

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati …pe…

If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. …

upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, ignoring both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cattāro satipaṭṭhānā āraddhā hontī”ti.

That’s how to define the undertaking of the four kinds of mindfulness meditation by a mendicant.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

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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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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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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Respect

Respect

A mental attitude of reverent attentiveness that values goodness and wisdom in oneself and others. It steadies conduct and opens the mind to learning and humility.

Also known as: reverence, veneration, regard, admiration, appreciation, deference, honour, attentiveness
Pāli: gārava, pūjā, sakkāra
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Last updated on July 27, 2026