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 52.2 In Private (2nd)

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

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 kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Bahiddhā kāye kāyānupassī viharati …pe… ajjhattabahiddhā kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Ajjhattaṁ vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Bahiddhā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ajjhattabahiddhā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Ajjhattaṁ citte …pe… bahiddhā citte …pe… ajjhattabahiddhā citte cittānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

Ajjhattaṁ dhammesu …pe… bahiddhā dhammesu …pe… ajjhattabahiddhā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cattāro satipaṭṭhānā āraddhā hontī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

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. Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca:

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 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 kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

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

Bahiddhā kāye kāyānupassī viharati …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of the body externally …

ajjhattabahiddhā kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

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

Ajjhattaṁ vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings internally …

Bahiddhā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

externally …

Ajjhattabahiddhā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

internally and externally …

Ajjhattaṁ citte …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of the mind internally …

bahiddhā citte …pe…

externally …

ajjhattabahiddhā citte cittānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

internally and externally …

Ajjhattaṁ dhammesu …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of principles internally …

bahiddhā dhammesu …pe…

externally …

ajjhattabahiddhā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

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

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.”

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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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