Commentary on the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Second Edition) (Newly Revised)

Preface

The Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, also known as the Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness, expounds the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness: contemplation on the impurity of the body, contemplation on the suffering inherent in feelings, contemplation on the impermanence of the mind, and contemplation on the non-self nature of phenomena. Upon mastering this practice, one attains the third or fourth fruition of enlightenment, achieving liberation and the pure state of Nirvāṇa. Therefore, the purpose of cultivating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness should be to eradicate the view of self, subdue afflictions, and attain liberation. During the practice, if one constantly abides in the contemplative observation of the Four Foundations, with persistent effort over time, one will inevitably sever the view of the body and the view of self, attain the fruit of liberation, eradicate the three fetters and all afflictive bonds, untie the knots of birth and death, and forever be free from the suffering of the three lower realms and the cycle of the six destinies in the future. Without such contemplation, it is difficult to eradicate the view of self; the three fetters are hard to sever, the knots of birth and death remain unresolved, and one cannot escape the ocean of suffering.

The three fetters are: the view of self (sakkāya-diṭṭhi), adherence to rites and rituals (sīlabbata-parāmāsa), and doubt (vicikicchā). What is the self and the view of self? The so-called self refers to the impermanent, conditioned self composed of the five aggregates and eighteen elements — the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, along with the six sense bases, six sense objects, and six sense consciousnesses. Mistaking these as the self constitutes the view of self. Within the view of self lies the view of the body (satkāya-diṭṭhi), which is the mistaken view of regarding the physical body as the self. Both the view of the body and the view of self must be eradicated to eliminate wrong views and transcend birth and death. What is the consequence of being dominated by the view of self and clinging to it everywhere? The result is creating immeasurable karmic actions of three kinds for the sake of this impermanent, conditioned self. After creating such karma, one becomes bound to suffer within the six destinies. The view of self is a fetter that binds us to the six destinies, especially the three lower realms, preventing liberation from the great suffering of birth and death.

What is adherence to rites and rituals? It refers to establishing one or more precepts to follow for the sake of liberation, but these precepts do not lead to liberation; they are established irrationally and improperly, unable to enable practitioners relying on them to attain liberation. If one clings to such improper precepts, believing them to be proper and rational, and observes them, this kind of view is called adherence to rites and rituals. This generally refers to precepts instituted by non-Buddhist paths (tīrthika). Their precepts merely involve chaotic physical practices, failing to yield right view, wisdom of liberation, or the ability to subdue afflictions of the mind. Observing such precepts cannot lead to liberation from the cycle of birth and death; clinging to them becomes a fetter, further binding oneself to the six destinies and preventing escape from the suffering of birth and death.

What are irrational and improper precepts? Any precept established not for cultivating the mind and transforming mental conduct, but merely focusing on external physical appearances, is an irrational precept of adherence to rites and rituals. Any precept inconsistent with those established by the Buddha, differing in essence and aim, failing to achieve the purpose of liberation, is an irrational and improper precept of adherence to rites and rituals. Clinging to such irrational and improper precepts is called adherence to rites and rituals.

For example, some non-Buddhists say that fish live freely in water; if we could be as free as fish, we should immerse ourselves in water all day, and in the future, we will attain freedom and liberation like fish. Can such precepts lead to freedom and liberation? No. Other non-Buddhists say that cattle and sheep eat only grass and no other food, hence they are pure and free; if we also eat only grass, we can attain purity, freedom, and liberation. But can eating only grass truly bring purity and liberation? Absolutely not. Eradicating the view of self has nothing to do with eating grass or not. Liberation lies within one's own mind, in how the mind is applied, in wisdom, not merely in diet alone.

Some other non-Buddhists say that to attain liberation, one must eliminate all the evil karma accumulated over countless kalpas. How to eliminate that karma? They torment themselves with many meaningless ascetic practices: eating only a single sesame seed or wheat grain per day, eating only dirt, fasting for long periods enduring hunger, lying on ashes, scorching themselves with fire in summer, or freezing themselves in winter. In short, they use various methods to torment their bodies, believing this will eliminate all the sinful karma accumulated over countless kalpas, thereby attaining liberation. But can such self-torment eliminate all sinful karma? Certainly not. Consider how much sinful karma we have created over countless kalpas — the sins accumulated are innumerable and boundless; the karma for hell alone is immeasurable, let alone karma for the hungry ghost and animal realms, and other karmas. Can tormenting oneself eliminate all this karma? Of course not. Especially the debts owed to sentient beings cannot be repaid through such methods.

How then can the sinful karma accumulated over countless kalpas be eliminated to avoid the suffering of the three lower realms? Only by eradicating the view of self, severing the three fetters, and eliminating all ignorance within the mind. If erroneous views can be overturned, so that there is no "I" in the mind, and one recognizes that the "I" composed of the five aggregates is illusory and unreal, then the karma created by this "I" is also illusory and unreal. Thus, the karma for the three lower realms is nullified. To eradicate the view of self and the three fetters, one must contemplate the non-self nature of the five aggregates and eighteen elements, realizing that the five aggregates are an illusory, empty, and unreal "I." Only then can the view of self be severed. The so-called precepts and practices of non-Buddhists cannot eliminate all sinful karma; hence, such irrational views are called adherence to rites and rituals.

The third fetter is the fetter of doubt. What is the view of doubt? It is the presence of unresolved Dharma within the mind — uncertainty about whether the five aggregates are real, whether they are impermanent, whether there exists an indestructible self to rely upon, and whether it can continue into future lives. Harboring such unresolved doubts leads to indecision and an inability to discern. Consequently, one remains dependent on and trusting in the five aggregates, unable to eliminate the evil karma created by relying on them, thus following karma into the three lower realms. This view of doubt is an afflictive fetter; if not eradicated, afflictions, deluded karma, and suffering will persist.

How to eradicate the affliction of doubt? Some say that by studying and observing the suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self nature of the five aggregates, one comes to believe there truly is no self. Thus, confirming the non-self nature of the five aggregates, the mind is no longer doubtful, and the fetter of doubt is severed. But can mere intellectual understanding by the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna) eliminate the deep-seated doubt within? Likely not. Intellectual understanding by the conscious mind does not equate to realization by the mental faculty (manas). Each must be cultivated individually. If the mental faculty is not cultivated and observed, realization cannot occur, and the view of self cannot be severed. Since beginningless time, due to the profound ignorance inherent in the mental faculty itself, the superficial intellectual understanding by the conscious mind cannot eliminate the ignorance of the mental faculty, thus failing to eradicate the view of self. How then to eliminate the fetter of doubt? To eliminate doubt, one must cultivate meditative concentration (dhyāna). Within concentration, one must contemplate and reflect meticulously, or follow the Buddha's method of contemplation in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. One must practice diligently and earnestly, without seeking shortcuts, steadfastly cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path and the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, thereby developing meditative concentration and the samādhi of emptiness (śūnyatā-samādhi).

During the Buddha's time, beings of great capacity could attain the fourth fruition of Arhatship immediately upon hearing the principle of the non-self of the five aggregates, without repeated contemplation. Their robes would spontaneously settle upon their bodies, their hair would fall out, and psychic powers would manifest. Examples include Mahākāśyapa, Śāriputra, and Subhūti. This is because they had attained the fourth fruition countless kalpas ago, even three immeasurable kalpas. Their identities might be Buddhas returning to the world, born with meditative concentration and the psychic power of recollecting past lives (pūrva-nivāsānusmṛti-jñāna), born as Arhats. Naturally, they could demonstrate immediate realization upon hearing a single phrase. This is because their mental faculty had attained fruition countless kalpas ago; it has never ceased and has always known the non-self of the five aggregates, requiring no effort from the conscious mind to influence or instruct it. Although their present five aggregates are new and their conscious mind is new, upon encountering the Buddha's Dharma, with a slight contemplation by the conscious mind, they attain fruition. Thus, their realization is extremely swift, unhindered by the mental faculty.

If the conscious mind possesses the power of recollecting past lives and is likewise born knowing the non-self of the five aggregates, there is no need to eradicate the view of self or attain fruition again. However, to teach and influence sentient beings, one may demonstrate attaining fruition, where the present conscious mind hears a phrase of Dharma and realizes the non-self of the five aggregates without contemplation. The mental faculty has always known it. Anyone who attained fruition in past lives will attain fruition very quickly in this life, as the conscious mind need not repeatedly influence or instruct the mental faculty. The more times one attained fruition in past lives, the faster realization occurs in this life, because the mental faculty is free from ignorance and no longer obstructs the path. A mental faculty that has been influenced and transformed is exceptionally sharp; it only requires the conscious mind to understand. If one attained the first fruition (Sotāpanna) in a past life, attaining it again in this life is easy, but attaining the second fruition (Sakṛdāgāmin) is not easy, because the mental faculty only corresponds to the wisdom of the first fruition.

One who attained the second fruition in a past life will find it relatively easy to attain it again in this life, but attaining the third fruition (Anāgāmin) is not easy, because the mental faculty is not yet attuned to the third fruition. One must again contemplate and reflect on the content of the third fruition for both the conscious mind and mental faculty to realize it. One who attained the third fruition in a past life will find it relatively easy to attain it again in this life, but attaining the fourth fruition (Arhat) is not easy, because the mental faculty is not attuned to the state of the fourth fruition. One must again contemplate and reflect on the content of the fourth fruition for both the conscious mind and mental faculty to realize it. This is why returners (āgantuka) and those who realize the mind (citta) attain fruition and understanding faster than others.

Having explained the three fetters above, we now begin the explanation of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta.