Mindfulness of the Body

TEXT of Anguttara Nikaya 1.575-627

MINDFULNESS DIRECTED TO THE BODY

“Bhikkhus, even as one who encompasses with his mind the great ocean includes thereby all the streams that run into the ocean, just so, whoever develops and cultivates mindfulness directed to the body includes all wholesome qualities that pertain to true knowledge.

Bhikkhus, one thing, when developed and cultivated, leads to a strong sense of urgency …  leads to great good … leads to great security from bondage … leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension … leads to the attainment of knowledge and vision … leads to a pleasant dwelling in this very life … leads to realization of the fruit of knowledge and liberation. What is that one thing? Mindfulness directed to the body. This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads to realization of the fruit of knowledge and liberation.

 “Bhikkhus, when one thing is developed and cultivated, the body becomes tranquil, the mind becomes tranquil, thought and examination subside, and all wholesome qualities that pertain to true knowledge reach fulfillment by development. What is that one thing? Mindfulness directed to the body. When this one thing is developed and cultivated, the body becomes tranquil … and all wholesome qualities that pertain to true knowledge reach fulfillment by development.

“Bhikkhus, when one thing is developed and cultivated, unarisen unwholesome qualities do not arise and arisen unwholesome qualities are abandoned. What is that one thing? Mindfulness directed to the body. When this one thing is developed and cultivated, unarisen unwholesome qualities do not arise and arisen unwholesome qualities are abandoned.

 “Bhikkhus, when one thing is developed and cultivated, unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen wholesome qualities increase and expand. What is that one thing? Mindfulness directed to the body. When this one thing is developed and cultivated, unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen wholesome qualities increase and expand.

 “Bhikkhus, when one thing is developed and cultivated,  ignorance is abandoned …  true knowledge arises …  the conceit ‘I am’ is abandoned …  the underlying tendencies are uprooted …  the fetters are abandoned. What is that one thing? Mindfulness directed to the body. When this one thing is developed and cultivated, ignorance is abandoned … true knowledge arises … the conceit ‘I am’ is abandoned … the underlying tendencies are uprooted … the fetters are abandoned.

 “Bhikkhus, one thing, when developed and cultivated, leads to differentiation by wisdom … leads to nibbāna through non-clinging. What is that one thing? Mindfulness directed to the body. This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads to differentiation by wisdom … leads to nibbāna through non-clinging.

 “Bhikkhus, when one thing is developed and cultivated, penetration of numerous elements occurs … penetration of the diversity of elements occurs … analytical knowledge of numerous elements occurs. What is that one thing? It is mindfulness directed to the body. When this one thing is developed and cultivated, penetration of the various elements occurs … penetration of the diversity of elements occurs … analytical knowledge of the various elements occurs.

 “Bhikkhus, one thing, when developed and cultivated, leads  to realization of the fruit of stream-entry … to realization of the fruit of once-returning … to realization of the fruit of non-returning … to realization of the fruit of arahantship. What is that one thing? It is mindfulness directed to the body. This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads to realization of the fruit of stream-entry … to realization of the fruit of once-returning … to realization of the fruit of non-returning … to realization of the fruit of arahantship.

“Bhikkhus, one thing, when developed and cultivated, leads  to the obtaining of wisdom …  to the growth of wisdom …  to the expansion of wisdom …  to greatness of wisdom …  to diversity of wisdom …  to vastness of wisdom …  to depth of wisdom …  to a state of unsurpassed wisdom …  to breadth of wisdom …  to abundance of wisdom …  to rapidity of wisdom …  to buoyancy of wisdom …  to joyousness of wisdom …  to swiftness of wisdom … to keenness of wisdom … to penetrativeness of wisdom. What is that one thing? Mindfulness directed to the body. This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads to penetrativeness of wisdom.”

THE DEATHLESS

 “Bhikkhus, they do not partake of the deathless who do not partake of mindfulness directed to the body. They partake of the deathless who partake of mindfulness directed to the body.”

 “Bhikkhus, the deathless has not been partaken of by those who have not partaken of mindfulness directed to the body. The deathless has been partaken of by those who have partaken of mindfulness directed to the body.

 “Bhikkhus, they have fallen away from the deathless who have fallen away from mindfulness directed to the body. They have not fallen away from the deathless who have not fallen away from mindfulness directed to the body.

 “Bhikkhus, they have neglected the deathless who have neglected mindfulness directed to the body. They have undertaken the deathless who have undertaken mindfulness directed to the body.”

 “Bhikkhus, they are heedless about the deathless who are heedless about mindfulness directed to the body. They are not heedless about the deathless who are not heedless about mindfulness directed to the body.

 “Bhikkhus, they have forgotten the deathless who have forgotten mindfulness directed to the body. They have not forgotten the deathless who have not forgotten mindfulness directed to the body.

 “Bhikkhus, they have not pursued the deathless who have not pursued mindfulness directed to the body. They have pursued the deathless who have pursued mindfulness directed to the body.

 “Bhikkhus, they have not developed the deathless who have not developed mindfulness directed to the body. They have developed the deathless who have developed mindfulness directed to the body.”

 “Bhikkhus, they have not cultivated the deathless who have not cultivated mindfulness directed to the body. They have cultivated the deathless who have cultivated mindfulness directed to the body.

 “Bhikkhus, they have not directly known the deathless who have not directly known mindfulness directed to the body. They have directly known the deathless who have directly known mindfulness directed to the body.

 “Bhikkhus, they have not fully understood the deathless who have not fully understood mindfulness directed to the body. They have fully understood the deathless who have fully understood mindfulness directed to the body.

“Bhikkhus, they have not realized the deathless who have not realized mindfulness directed to the body. They have realized the deathless who have realized mindfulness directed to the body.”

The text is taken from: Bodhi, Bhikkhu (2012). The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Complete Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya (Teachings of the Buddha). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition. (Kindle Locations 2749-2750)

[This material will be found at pp.129-134, of the equivalent hardback edition from Wisdom Publications. I have removed only the reference numbers throughout, for ease of reading on the webpage. Otherwise, the text is unedited, faithful to Bodhi’s translation. – C.McL.]