8. Brehma Sutta
Discourse concerning a Brahma
384. At one time. the Bhagava was residing at
the foot of the goat-head banyan tree, in the Uruvela forest, on the banks of
river Neranjara, just after he had become fully Enlightened. At that time,
while living alone in solitude, this thought occurred to the Bhagava: This is
the one and only way for the purification (of the minds) of beings, for
overcoming sorrow and lamentation, for the complete destruction of (physical)
pain and (mental) distress, for the attainment of the ariyamagga, and for the
realization of Nibbana. That (only way) is the practice of the Four Methods of
Steadfast Mindfulness, Satipatthana.
'What are the four? The bhikkhu should keep
his mind steadfastly on the body, with diligence, comprehension and
mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness · and distress in the five
khandhas ;p... on sensation ;p... on mind ...p... the bhikkhu should keep his
mind on mind objects with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, thus
keeping away covetousness and distress in the five khandhas. This is the one
and only way for the purification (of the minds) of beings, for overcoming
sorrow and lamentation, for the complete destruction of (physical) pain and
(mental) distress, for the attainment of the ariya magga, and for the
realization of Nibbana. That (only way) is the practice of the Four Methods of
Steadfast Mindfulness, Satipatthana.
At that time, Brahma Sahampati becoming aware
in his mind of what had passed in the mind of the bhagava vanished from the
Brahma realm and manifested himself in front of the bhagava in the instant, it
takes a strong man to stretch out his flexed arm or to bend his out arm. Brahma
Sahamipati putting (his) upper robe on his left shoulder, paid homage to the
Bhagava by raising clasped hands to his forehead and said: "It is right
Bhagava; it is right. Sugata. This is the one and only way, Venerable Sir, for
the purification (of the minds) of beings, for overcoming sorrow and
lamentation for the complete destruction of (physical) pain and (mental)
distress, for the attainment of (the ariya magga, and for the realization of
Nibbana. That (only way) is the practice of the Four Methods of Steadfast
Mindfulness, Satipatthana.
"What are the four? Venerable Sir, the
bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body (kaya) with diligence,
comprehension and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and distress in
the five khandhas ...p... on sensation ...p... on mind ...p... the bhikkhu
keeps his mind on mind-objects with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness,
thus keeping away covetousness and distress in the five khandhas. Venerable
Sir, this is the one and only way for the purification (of the minds) of
beings, for overcoming sorrow and lamentation, for the complete destruction of
(physical) pain and (mental) distress, for the attainment of the ariya magga,
and for the realization of Nibbana. That (only way) is the practice of the Four
Methods of Steadfast Mindfulness, Satipatthana."
Having thus addressed the Bhagava, the Brahma
Sahampati said again in verse: "The Bhagava who perceives the end of
re-birth, who, out of compassion, works for the welfare and happiness of many,
knows the one and only way of the Four Methods of Steadfast Mindfulness. By
means of this way, the ariyas of the past had crossed over the flood of the
cycle of existence; they will also do so in the future, as they do it at the
present time."
End of the Brehma Sutta,
the eighth in this Vagga.
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