Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna knew what Venerable Anuruddha was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he reappeared in front of Anuruddha,
“Reverend, it’s when a monk meditates observing the body internally as liable to originate, as liable to vanish, and as liable to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and rememberful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
They meditate observing the body externally as liable to originate, as liable to vanish, and as liable to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and rememberful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
They meditate observing the body internally and externally as liable to originate, as liable to vanish, and as liable to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and rememberful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati;
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.
Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna knew what Venerable Anuruddha was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he reappeared in front of Anuruddha and said to him:
“kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso anuruddha, bhikkhuno cattāro satipaṭṭhānā āraddhā hontī”ti?
“Reverend Anuruddha, how do you define the undertaking of the four kinds of rememberfulness meditation by a monk?”
“Reverend, it’s when a monk meditates by observing an aspect of the body internally—keen, aware, and rememberful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
Bahiddhā kāye kāyānupassī viharati … pe …
They meditate observing an aspect of the body externally …
And it was by developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I directly knew the lower realm as lower, the middle realm as middle, and the higher realm as higher.”
SN 52.4 Paṭhamakaṇḍakī: At Thorny Wood (1st)
4. Paṭhamakaṇḍakīsutta
4. At Thorny Wood (1st)
Ekaṃ samayaṃ āyasmā ca anuruddho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno sākete viharanti kaṇḍakīvane.
At one time the venerables Anuruddha, Sāriputta, and Mahāmoggallāna were staying near Sāketa, in the Thorny Wood.
Atha kho āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno sāyanhasamayaṃ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhitā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṃsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā anuruddhena saddhiṃ sammodiṃsu.
Then in the late afternoon, Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna came out of retreat, went to Anuruddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
“In the same way, while a monk develops and cultivates the four kinds of rememberfulness meditation, if rulers or their ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or family should invite them to accept wealth, saying:
‘ehambho purisa, kiṃ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti?
‘Please, mister, why let these ocher robes torment you?
Kiṃ muṇḍo kapālamanusañcarasi?
Why follow the practice of shaving your head and carrying an alms bowl?
Ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu puññāni ca karohī’ti.
Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!’
It’s simply impossible for a monk who is developing and cultivating the four kinds of rememberfulness meditation to reject the training and return to a lesser life.
These days I usually meditate with my mind firmly established in these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation.
Yo so, āvuso, bhikkhu arahaṃ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṃyojano sammadaññāvimutto, so imesu catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto bahulaṃ viharatī”ti.
A monk who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own true goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—usually meditates with their mind firmly established in these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation.”
“Lābhā vata no, āvuso, suladdhaṃ vata no, āvuso.
“We’re so fortunate, reverend, so very fortunate,
Ye mayaṃ āyasmato anuruddhassa sammukhāva assumha āsabhiṃ vācaṃ bhāsamānassā”ti.
to have heard such a dramatic statement in the presence of Venerable Anuruddha.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again … controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that, with clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, I hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that, with clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, I hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.”
“Imesañca panāhaṃ, āvuso, catunnaṃ satipaṭṭhānānaṃ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇāmi dibbe ca mānuse ca ye dūre santike cā”ti.
“Imesañca panāhaṃ, āvuso, catunnaṃ satipaṭṭhānānaṃ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇāmi dibbe ca mānuse ca ye dūre santike cā”ti.
SN 52.14 Cetopariya: Comprehending the Mind
14. Cetopariyasutta
14. Comprehending the Mind
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with my mind. I understand mind with greed as ‘mind with greed’ … I understand unfreed mind as ‘unfreed mind’.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with my mind. I understand mind with greed as ‘mind with greed’ … I understand unfreed mind as ‘unfreed mind’.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I truly understand the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I truly understand the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible.”
SN 52.16 Kammasamādāna: The Results of Deeds Undertaken
16. Kammasamādānasutta
16. The Results of Deeds Undertaken
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I truly understand the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of causes and reasons.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I truly understand the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of causes and reasons.”
SN 52.17 Sabbatthagāmini: Where All Paths of Practice Lead
17. Sabbatthagāminisutta
17. Where All Paths of Practice Lead
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I truly understand where all paths of practice lead.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I truly understand where all paths of practice lead.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I truly understand the world with its many and diverse elements.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I truly understand the world with its many and diverse elements.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I truly understand the diverse beliefs of sentient beings.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I truly understand the diverse beliefs of sentient beings.”
SN 52.20 Indriyaparopariyatta: Comprehending the Faculties of Others
20. Indriyaparopariyattasutta
20. Comprehending the Faculties of Others
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I truly understand the faculties of other sentient beings and other individuals after comprehending them with my mind.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I truly understand the faculties of other sentient beings and other individuals after comprehending them with my mind.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I truly understand corruption, cleansing, and emergence regarding the absorptions, liberations, immersions, and attainments.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I truly understand corruption, cleansing, and emergence regarding the jhānas, liberations, undistractible-luciditys, and attainments.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I recollect my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I recollect my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And I live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.”
“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of rememberfulness meditation that I realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And I live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.”