an10.60 · Girimānandasutta

The Numerical Discourses 10.60

6. The One’s Own Citta Chapter

Girimānanda

At one time, the Bhagavā was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.

Now at that time Venerable Girimānanda was afflicted, suffering, gravely ill.

Then Venerable Ānanda approached the Bhagavā; having approached, he paid homage to the Bhagavā and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Ānanda said this to the Bhagavā:

“Venerable Girimānanda, bhante, is afflicted, suffering, gravely ill.

It would be sādhu, bhante, if the Bhagavā would approach Venerable Girimānanda, out of compassion.”

“If, Ānanda, you were to speak ten saññās to the bhikkhu Girimānanda, it is possible that, having heard those ten saññās, the affliction of the bhikkhu Girimānanda would immediately subside.

Which ten?

The saññā of impermanence, the saññā of not-self, the saññā of unattractiveness, the saññā of danger, the saññā of abandoning, the saññā of fading away, the saññā of cessation, the saññā of non-delight in the whole world, the saññā of undesirability in all saṅkhāras, and sati of breathing.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of impermanence?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the wilderness or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty dwelling, reflects thus:

‘form [rūpaṁ] is impermanent [aniccaṁ], vedanā is impermanent [aniccā], saññā is impermanent [aniccā], saṅkhāras are impermanent [aniccā], viññāṇa is impermanent [aniccaṁ].’

Thus he dwells contemplating impermanence in these five aggregates of upādāna.

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of impermanence.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of not-self?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the wilderness or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty dwelling, reflects thus:

‘the eye is not-self [anattā], forms [rūpā] are not-self [anattā], the ear is not-self [anattā], sounds are not-self [anattā], the nose is not-self [anattā], odors are not-self [anattā], the tongue is not-self [anattā], tastes are not-self [anattā], the body is not-self [anattā], tangibles are not-self [anattā], the mind is not-self [anattā], dhammas are not-self [anattā].’

Thus he dwells contemplating not-self in these six internal and external dimensions [āyatanesu].

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of not-self.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of unattractiveness?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu reviews this very body, up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hair, bounded by skin and full of many kinds of impurity:

‘There are in this body head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin; flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys; heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs; intestines, mesentery, stomach contents, feces; bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat; tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.’

Thus he dwells contemplating unattractiveness in this body.

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of unattractiveness.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of danger?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the wilderness or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty dwelling, reflects thus:

‘This body is full of dukkha, full of danger. Thus in this body various afflictions arise, such as:

eye disease, ear disease, nose disease, tongue disease, body disease, head disease, outer-ear disease, mouth disease, tooth disease, lip disease, coughing, asthma, catarrh, fever, aging, stomach disease, fainting, dysentery, colic, cholera, leprosy, boils, eczema, consumption, epilepsy, ringworm, itch, scab, nail disease, scabies, hemorrhage, bile disorder, diabetes, hemorrhoids, pimples, fistulas, afflictions originating from bile, afflictions originating from phlegm, afflictions originating from wind, afflictions due to a combination of humors, afflictions born from seasonal change, afflictions born from irregular care, afflictions caused by assault, afflictions born from the result of kamma, cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, and urination.’

Thus he dwells contemplating danger in this body.

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of danger.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of abandoning?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu does not tolerate a thought of sensuality that has arisen; he abandons it, dispels it, makes an end of it, and brings it to nonexistence. He does not tolerate a thought of ill will that has arisen; he abandons it, dispels it, makes an end of it, and brings it to nonexistence. He does not tolerate a thought of harming that has arisen; he abandons it, dispels it, makes an end of it, and brings it to nonexistence. He does not tolerate bad, unwholesome dhammas whenever they arise; he abandons them, dispels them, makes an end of them, and brings them to nonexistence.

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of abandoning.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of fading away?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the wilderness or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty dwelling, reflects thus:

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely: the settling of all saṅkhāras, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of taṇhā, fading away, nibbāna.’

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of fading away.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of cessation?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the wilderness or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty dwelling, reflects thus:

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely: the settling of all saṅkhāras, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of taṇhā, cessation, nibbāna.’

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of cessation.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of non-delight in the whole world?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu dwells abandoning, not taking up, those upādānas in the world, those determinations, adherences, and underlying tendencies of the mind.

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of non-delight in the whole world.

And what, Ānanda, is the saññā of undesirability in all saṅkhāras?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is distressed by all saṅkhāras, ashamed of them, and disgusted with them.

This, Ānanda, is called the saññā of undesirability in all saṅkhāras.

And what, Ānanda, is sati of breathing?

Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the wilderness or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty dwelling, sits down, having folded his legs crosswise, set his body upright, and established sati in front of him.

With sati, he breathes in; with sati, he breathes out.

Breathing in long, he knows: ‘I breathe in long.’ Breathing out long, he knows: ‘I breathe out long.’

Breathing in short, he knows: ‘I breathe in short.’ Breathing out short, he knows: ‘I breathe out short.’

He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe in.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe out.’

He trains thus: ‘Calming the bodily saṅkhāra, I will breathe in.’ He trains thus: ‘Calming the bodily saṅkhāra, I will breathe out.’

He trains thus: ‘Experiencing pīti, I will breathe in.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing pīti, I will breathe out.’

He trains thus: ‘Experiencing sukha, I will breathe in.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing sukha, I will breathe out.’

He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the citta-saṅkhāra, I will breathe in.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the citta-saṅkhāra, I will breathe out.’

He trains thus: ‘Calming the citta-saṅkhāra, I will breathe in.’ He trains thus: ‘Calming the citta-saṅkhāra, I will breathe out.’

He trains thus: ‘Experiencing citta, I will breathe in.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing citta, I will breathe out.’

Gladdening citta …

bringing citta to samādhi …

liberating citta …

contemplating impermanence …

contemplating fading away …

contemplating cessation …

He trains thus: ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in.’ He trains thus: ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out.’

This, Ānanda, is called sati of breathing.

If, Ānanda, you were to speak these ten saññās to the bhikkhu Girimānanda, it is possible that, having heard these ten saññās, the affliction of the bhikkhu Girimānanda would immediately subside.”

Then Venerable Ānanda, having learned these ten saññās in the presence of the Bhagavā, approached Venerable Girimānanda; having approached, he spoke these ten saññās to Venerable Girimānanda.

Then, when Venerable Girimānanda had heard the ten saññās, that affliction immediately subsided.

And Venerable Girimānanda rose up from that affliction. And that affliction of Venerable Girimānanda was thus abandoned.

The tenth.

The One’s Own Citta Chapter is first.

The summary of it:

One’s own citta and Sāriputta,

stability and with settling [samathena];

Decline and two on saññā,

roots, gone forth, and Giri.