Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.60

Numbered Discourses 10.60

6. Sacittavagga

6. Your Own Mind

Girimānandasutta

With Girimānanda

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā girimānando ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Girimānanda was sick, suffering, gravely ill. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Āyasmā, bhante, girimānando ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Sādhu, bhante, bhagavā yenāyasmā girimānando tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

“Sir, Venerable Girimānanda is sick, suffering, gravely ill. Sir, please go to Venerable Girimānanda out of compassion.”

“Sace kho tvaṁ, ānanda, girimānandassa bhikkhuno dasa saññā bhāseyyāsi, ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati yaṁ girimānandassa bhikkhuno dasa saññā sutvā so ābādho ṭhānaso paṭippassambheyya.

“Ānanda, if you were to recite to the bhikkhu Girimānanda these ten perceptions, it’s possible that after hearing them his illness will die down on the spot.

Katamā dasa? Aniccasaññā, anattasaññā, asubhasaññā, ādīnavasaññā, pahānasaññā, virāgasaññā, nirodhasaññā, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā, sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā, ānāpānassati.

What ten? The perceptions of impermanence, not-self, ugliness, drawbacks, giving up, fading away, cessation, dissatisfaction with the whole world, impermanence of all conditions, and mindfulness of breathing.

Katamā cānanda, aniccasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘rūpaṁ aniccaṁ, vedanā aniccā, saññā aniccā, saṅkhārā aniccā, viññāṇaṁ aniccan’ti. Iti imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu aniccānupassī viharati. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, aniccasaññā.

And what is the perception of impermanence? It’s when a bhikkhu has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘Form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness are impermanent.’ And so they meditate observing impermanence in the five grasping aggregates. This is called the perception of impermanence.

Katamā cānanda, anattasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘cakkhu anattā, rūpā anattā, sotaṁ anattā, saddā anattā, ghānaṁ anattā, gandhā anattā, jivhā anattā, rasā anattā, kāyā anattā, phoṭṭhabbā anattā, mano anattā, dhammā anattā’ti. Iti imesu chasu ajjhattikabāhiresu āyatanesu anattānupassī viharati. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, anattasaññā.

And what is the perception of not-self? It’s when a bhikkhu has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘The eye and sights, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and touches, and mind and thoughts are not-self.’ And so they meditate observing not-self in the six interior and exterior sense fields. This is called the perception of not-self.

Katamā cānanda, asubhasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu imameva kāyaṁ uddhaṁ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā tacapariyantaṁ pūraṁ nānāppakārassa asucino paccavekkhati: ‘atthi imasmiṁ kāye kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco, maṁsaṁ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṁ vakkaṁ, hadayaṁ yakanaṁ kilomakaṁ pihakaṁ papphāsaṁ, antaṁ antaguṇaṁ udariyaṁ karīsaṁ, pittaṁ semhaṁ pubbo lohitaṁ sedo medo, assu vasā kheḷo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttan’ti. Iti imasmiṁ kāye asubhānupassī viharati. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, asubhasaññā.

And what is the perception of ugliness? It’s when a bhikkhu examines their own body up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hairs, wrapped in skin and full of many kinds of filth. ‘In this body there is head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.’ And so they meditate observing ugliness in this body. This is called the perception of ugliness.

Katamā cānanda, ādīnavasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘bahudukkho kho ayaṁ kāyo bahuādīnavo. Iti imasmiṁ kāye vividhā ābādhā uppajjanti, seyyathidaṁ—cakkhurogo sotarogo ghānarogo jivhārogo kāyarogo sīsarogo kaṇṇarogo mukharogo dantarogo oṭṭharogo kāso sāso pināso ḍāho jaro kucchirogo mucchā pakkhandikā sūlā visūcikā kuṭṭhaṁ gaṇḍo kilāso soso apamāro daddu kaṇḍu kacchu nakhasā¹ vitacchikā lohitaṁ pittaṁ madhumeho aṁsā piḷakā bhagandalā pittasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā semhasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā vātasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā sannipātikā ābādhā utupariṇāmajā ābādhā visamaparihārajā ābādhā opakkamikā ābādhā kammavipākajā ābādhā sītaṁ uṇhaṁ jighacchā pipāsā uccāro passāvo’ti. Iti imasmiṁ kāye ādīnavānupassī viharati. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ādīnavasaññā.

And what is the perception of drawbacks? It’s when a bhikkhu has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘This body has much suffering and many drawbacks. For this body is beset with many kinds of affliction, such as the following. Diseases of the eye, inner ear, nose, tongue, body, head, outer ear, mouth, teeth, and lips. Cough, asthma, catarrh, inflammation, fever, stomach ache, fainting, dysentery, gastric pain, cholera, leprosy, boils, eczema, tuberculosis, epilepsy, herpes, itch, scabs, smallpox, scabies, hemorrhage, diabetes, piles, pimples, and ulcers. Afflictions stemming from disorders of bile, phlegm, wind, or their conjunction. Afflictions caused by change in weather, by not taking care of yourself, by overexertion, or as the result of past deeds. Cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, and urination.’ And so they meditate observing drawbacks in this body. This is called the perception of drawbacks.

Katamā cānanda, pahānasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu uppannaṁ kāmavitakkaṁ nādhivāseti, pajahati, vinodeti, byantīkaroti, anabhāvaṁ gameti. Uppannaṁ byāpādavitakkaṁ nādhivāseti, pajahati, vinodeti, byantīkaroti, anabhāvaṁ gameti. Uppannaṁ vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ nādhivāseti, pajahati, vinodeti, byantīkaroti, anabhāvaṁ gameti. Uppannuppanne pāpake akusale dhamme nādhivāseti, pajahati, vinodeti, byantīkaroti, anabhāvaṁ gameti. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, pahānasaññā.

And what is the perception of giving up? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t tolerate a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought that has arisen, and they don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. This is called the perception of giving up.

Katamā cānanda, virāgasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhippaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nibbānan’ti. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, virāgasaññā.

And what is the perception of fading away? It’s when a bhikkhu has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, Nibbana.’ This is called the perception of fading away.

Katamā cānanda, nirodhasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhippaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo nirodho nibbānan’ti. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, nirodhasaññā.

And what is the perception of cessation? It’s when a bhikkhu has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, cessation, Nibbana.’ This is called the perception of cessation.

Katamā cānanda, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu ye loke upādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā, te pajahanto viharati anupādiyanto. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā.

And what is the perception of dissatisfaction with the whole world? It’s when a bhikkhu lives giving up and not grasping on to the attraction and grasping to the world, the mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendencies. This is called the perception of dissatisfaction with the whole world.

Katamā cānanda, sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu sabbasaṅkhāresu aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā.

And what is the perception of the impermanence of all conditions? It’s when a bhikkhu is horrified, repelled, and disgusted with all conditions. This is called the perception of the impermanence of all conditions.

Katamā cānanda, ānāpānassati? Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā nisīdati pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā. So satova assasati satova passasati. Dīghaṁ vā assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti. Dīghaṁ vā passasanto ‘dīghaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti. Rassaṁ vā assasanto ‘rassaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti. Rassaṁ vā passasanto ‘rassaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti. ‘Sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Pītipaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Pītipaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Sukhapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Sukhapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Cittapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Cittapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. Abhippamodayaṁ cittaṁ …pe… samādahaṁ cittaṁ …pe… vimocayaṁ cittaṁ …pe… aniccānupassī …pe… virāgānupassī …pe… nirodhānupassī …pe… ‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ānāpānassati.

And what is mindfulness of breathing? It’s when a bhikkhu has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and establishes mindfulness in front of them. Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. Breathing in heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing in heavily.’ Breathing out heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing out heavily.’ When breathing in lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing in lightly.’ Breathing out lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing out lightly.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the whole body.’They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing rapture.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing rapture.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing bliss.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing bliss.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing mental processes.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing mental processes.’They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling mental processes.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling mental processes.’They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in gladdening the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out gladdening the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in immersing the mind in samādhi.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out immersing the mind in samādhi.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in freeing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out freeing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing impermanence.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing impermanence.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing fading away.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing fading away.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing cessation.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing cessation.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’ This is called mindfulness of breathing.

Sace kho tvaṁ, ānanda, girimānandassa bhikkhuno imā dasa saññā bhāseyyāsi, ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati yaṁ girimānandassa bhikkhuno imā dasa saññā sutvā so ābādho ṭhānaso paṭippassambheyyā”ti.

If you were to recite to the bhikkhu Girimānanda these ten perceptions, it’s possible that after hearing them his illness will die down on the spot.”

Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato santike imā dasa saññā uggahetvā yenāyasmā girimānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmato girimānandassa imā dasa saññā abhāsi. Atha kho āyasmato girimānandassa dasa saññā sutvā so ābādho ṭhānaso paṭippassambhi. Vuṭṭhahi cāyasmā girimānando tamhā ābādhā. Tathā pahīno ca panāyasmato girimānandassa so ābādho ahosīti.

Then Ānanda, having learned these ten perceptions from the Buddha himself, went to Girimānanda and recited them. Then after Girimānanda heard these ten perceptions his illness died down on the spot. And that’s how he recovered from that illness.

Dasamaṁ.

Sacittavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sacittañca sāriputta, ṭhiti ca samathena ca; Parihāno ca dve saññā, mūlā pabbajitaṁ girīti.