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

Chapter 5: Contemplating Dharmas and Dwelling Therein

Section 2: Contemplating the Five Grasped Aggregates and Dwelling Therein

Original text: 复次。诸比丘。比丘即于五取蕴法观法而住。然。诸比丘。比丘如何即于五取蕴法观法而住耶。于此。诸比丘。比丘知如是色。如是色之生起。如是色之灭尽。如是受。如是受之生起。如是受之灭尽。如是想。如是想之生起。如是想之灭尽。如是行。如是行之生起。如是行之灭尽。如是识。如是识之生起。如是识之灭尽。

Explanation: Continuing on, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should contemplate the dharma of the five grasped aggregates, with the mind dwelling on the contemplative practice of the five grasped aggregates. But, O bhikkhus, how does a bhikkhu contemplate dharmas and dwell therein with regard to the five grasped aggregates? It is like this: O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should know what the aggregate of form is, how the aggregate of form arises, and how it ceases completely; know what the aggregate of feeling is, how the aggregate of feeling is born, and how it ceases completely; know what the aggregate of perception is, how the aggregate of perception is born, and how it ceases completely; know what the aggregate of volitional formations is, how the aggregate of volitional formations is born, and how it ceases completely; and know what the aggregate of consciousness is, how the aggregate of consciousness is born, and how it ceases completely.

This is to observe the impermanent nature of arising, ceasing, and change of the five aggregates. At every moment, the mind should be aware of the state of the aggregate of form and the circumstances of its arising, ceasing, and change; be aware of the feelings in the mind at any time, as well as the impermanent nature of arising, ceasing, and change of those feelings; be aware of the aggregate of perception at any time, as well as the impermanent nature of arising, ceasing, and change of the aggregate of perception; be aware of the aggregate of volitional formations at any time, as well as the impermanent nature of arising, ceasing, and change of the aggregate of volitional formations; and be aware of the aggregate of consciousness at any time, as well as the impermanent nature of arising, ceasing, and change of the aggregate of consciousness.

Original text: 如是。或于内法观法而住。又于外法观法而住。又于内外法观法而住。或于法观生法而住。又于法观灭法而住。或于法观生灭法而住。尚又智识所成及忆念所成。皆会有法之思念现前。彼当无所依而住。且不执着世间任何物。诸比丘。比丘如是即于五取蕴法观法而住。

Explanation: Just like this, one may contemplate dharmas and dwell therein with regard to the internal five grasped aggregates; or contemplate dharmas and dwell therein with regard to the external five grasped aggregates; or contemplate dharmas and dwell therein with regard to both the internal and external five grasped aggregates. Or one may contemplate the newly arisen dharmas of the five grasped aggregates and dwell therein, or contemplate the ceasing dharmas of the five grasped aggregates and dwell therein; or contemplate the phenomena of arising and ceasing simultaneously in the five grasped aggregates and dwell therein.

Through such continuous observation, the conscious mind becomes endowed with wisdom and will constantly contemplate the dharma of the five grasped aggregates. Because of frequently engaging in contemplative practice of the five grasped aggregates, the mind will frequently be mindful of the five grasped aggregates, and there will form in the mind a continuous stream of mental thoughts about the five grasped aggregates. At this time, one should extinguish and empty out these mental thoughts, and should not dwell relying on the five grasped aggregates, because the five grasped aggregates are conditioned dharmas subject to arising and ceasing and cannot be relied upon. After extinguishing the dharma of the five grasped aggregates from the mind, one should also not cling to anything in the world, nor dwell relying on anything, because all things are impermanent, subject to arising and ceasing, and unreliable. O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should contemplate dharmas and dwell therein with regard to the five grasped aggregates in just this way.

If the five grasped aggregates are divided into internal and external: the internal aggregate of form refers to the physical body, while the external aggregate of form refers to material forms outside the physical body, such as mountains, rivers, and the great earth, including the six sense objects of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas; the internal aggregate of feeling refers to the feeling of the deeper-level manas, while the external feeling refers to the feeling of the shallower-level six consciousnesses; the internal aggregate of perception refers to the perception of the manas, while the external aggregate of perception refers to the perception of the six consciousnesses; the internal aggregate of volitional formations refers to the volitional formations of the manas, while the external aggregate of volitional formations refers to the volitional formations of the six consciousnesses—volitional formations are also deliberation (cetanā); the internal aggregate of consciousness refers to the conscious nature of the manas, while the external aggregate of consciousness refers to the conscious nature of the six consciousnesses.