Venerable Anuruddha teaches that the four kinds of mindfulness meditation—regarding body, feelings, mind, and principles—are the noble path to the complete ending of suffering when undertaken with keen awareness.

SN 52.9 In Ambapālī’s Mango Grove

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca anuruddho āyasmā ca sāriputto vesāliyaṁ viharanti ambapālivane. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca:

“Vippasannāni kho te, āvuso anuruddha, indriyāni, parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Katamenāyasmā anuruddho vihārena etarahi bahulaṁ viharatī”ti?

“Catūsu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto etarahi bahulaṁ viharāmi. Katamesu catūsu? Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, kāye kāyānupassī viharāmi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāmi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto etarahi bahulaṁ viharāmi. Yo so, āvuso, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, so imesu catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto bahulaṁ viharatī”ti.

“Lābhā vata no, āvuso, suladdhaṁ vata no, āvuso. Ye mayaṁ āyasmato anuruddhassa sammukhāva assumha āsabhiṁ vācaṁ bhāsamānassā”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca anuruddho āyasmā ca sāriputto vesāliyaṁ viharanti ambapālivane.

At one time the venerables Anuruddha and Sāriputta were staying near Vesālī, in Ambapālī’s Mango Grove.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca:

Then in the late afternoon, Sāriputta came out of retreat, went to Anuruddha, and said to him:

“Vippasannāni kho te, āvuso anuruddha, indriyāni, parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto.

“Reverend Anuruddha, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright.

Katamenāyasmā anuruddho vihārena etarahi bahulaṁ viharatī”ti?

What kind of meditation are you usually practicing these days?”

“Catūsu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto etarahi bahulaṁ viharāmi.

“These days, reverend, I usually meditate with my mind firmly established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.

Katamesu catūsu?

What four?

Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, kāye kāyānupassī viharāmi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

I meditate observing an aspect of the body …

vedanāsu …pe…

feelings …

citte …pe…

mind …

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāmi ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ

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

imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto etarahi bahulaṁ viharāmi.

These days I usually meditate with my mind firmly established in these four kinds of mindfulness meditation.

Yo so, āvuso, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, so imesu catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto bahulaṁ viharatī”ti.

A mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—usually meditates with their mind firmly established in these four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”

“Lābhā vata no, āvuso, suladdhaṁ vata no, āvuso.

“We’re so fortunate, reverend, so very fortunate,

Ye mayaṁ āyasmato anuruddhassa sammukhāva assumha āsabhiṁ vācaṁ bhāsamānassā”ti.

to have heard such a dramatic statement in the presence of Venerable Anuruddha.”

Navamaṁ.

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