The Discourse to Girimānanda

At one time, the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery.

At that time, Venerable Girimānanda was sick, afflicted, and seriously ill.

Then Venerable Ānanda went to the Blessed One, bowed, and sat down to one side.

Sitting to one side, Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: Venerable sir, Girimānanda is sick, afflicted, and seriously ill.

It would be good if the Blessed One would visit him out of compassion.

If you were to speak to the disciple Girimānanda about ten perceptions, it is possible that hearing them, his affliction might subside.

What are the ten? Inconstancy perception, not-self perception, unattractiveness perception, danger perception, abandoning perception, dispassion perception, cessation perception, perception of non-delight in all the worlds, perception of inconstancy in all conditions, and mindfulness of breathing.

The Blessed One then explained each of these perceptions:

And what, Ānanda, is inconstancy perception?

Here, a disciple, gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, reflects thus: Form is inconstant, feeling is inconstant, perception is inconstant, mental formations are inconstant, consciousness is inconstant.

He dwells contemplating inconstancy in these five clinging-aggregates.

This is called inconstancy perception.

And what, Ānanda, is not-self perception?

Here, a disciple, gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, reflects thus: The eye is not-self, forms are not-self, the ear is not-self, sounds are not-self, the nose is not-self, odors are not-self, the tongue is not-self, tastes are not-self, the body is not-self, tactile sensations are not-self, the mind is not-self, mental phenomena are not-self.

He dwells contemplating not-self in these six internal and external sense bases.

This is called not-self perception.

And what, Ānanda, is unattractiveness perception?

Here, a disciple examines this very body from the soles of the feet up, and from the top of the head down, enclosed in skin and full of various kinds of impurity: In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.

You dwell contemplating the foulness of the body.

This is called perception of foulness.

And what, Ananda, is the perception of danger?

Here, a disciple, gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, reflects thus: This body has much suffering, much danger.

In this body various diseases arise, such as: diseases of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, head, ear, mouth, tooth, lip, cough, asthma, consumption, fever, aging, stomach ache, fainting, dysentery, boils, leprosy, tuberculosis, epilepsy, skin diseases, itch, scabs, ulcers, blood disorders, bile disorders, phlegm disorders, bodily humors disorders, wind disorders, disturbances from changes of weather, disturbances from external elements, disturbances from kamma, disturbances from the mind, cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, urination.

Thus he dwells contemplating danger in the body.

This is called perception of danger.

And what, Ananda, is the perception of abandoning?

Here, a disciple does not tolerate arisen sensual thoughts, he abandons, dispels, terminates, and eliminates them.

He does not tolerate arisen thoughts of ill-will, cruelty, or harmfulness, he abandons, dispels, terminates, and eliminates them.

He does not tolerate arisen unwholesome mental states, he abandons, dispels, terminates, and eliminates them.

This is called perception of abandoning.

And what, Ananda, is the perception of dispassion?

Here, a disciple reflects: This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana.

This is called perception of dispassion.

And what, Ananda, is the perception of cessation?

Here, a disciple reflects: This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the destruction of craving, cessation, Nibbana.

This is called perception of cessation.

The Blessed One then explained the perceptions of non-delight in all the worlds and inconstancy in all conditions:

And what, Ananda, is the perception of the unattractiveness of the whole world?

Here, a disciple, by abandoning the mental obsessions, attachments, and underlying tendencies towards grasping in the world, dwells contemplating the non-arising of the defilements of the mind.

This is called Ananda, the perception of not delighting in the whole world.

And what is Ananda, the perception of inconstancy in all conditioned phenomena?

Here, Ananda, a disciple detaches, lets go, and abandons all conditioned phenomena.

This is called Ananda, the perception of inconstancy in all conditioned phenomena.

The Blessed One then explained mindfulness of breathing:

And what is Anapanasati?

Here, Ananda, a disciple, gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down, crosses his legs, keeps his body erect, and establishes mindfulness on itself.

Breathing in long, he knows, Breathing out long, he knows.

Breathing in short, he knows. Breathing out short, he knows.

He trains thus, I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body.

He trains thus, I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body.

He trains thus, I shall breathe in calming bodily formation.

He trains thus, I shall breathe out calming bodily formation.

He trains thus, I shall breathe in experiencing pīti.

He trains thus, I shall breathe out experiencing pīti.

He trains thus, I shall breathe in experiencing pleasure.

He trains thus, I shall breathe out experiencing pleasure.

He trains thus, I shall breathe in experiencing mental fabrications.

He trains thus, I shall breathe out experiencing mental fabrications.

He trains thus, I shall breathe in calming mental fabrications.

He trains thus, I shall breathe out calming mental fabrications.

He trains thus, I shall breathe in experiencing the mind.

He trains thus, I shall breathe out experiencing the mind.

He trains thus, I shall breathe in gladdening the mind. ...

He trains thus, I shall breathe in steadying the mind. ...

He trains thus, I shall breathe in releasing the mind. ...

He trains thus, I shall contemplate inconstancy. ...

He trains thus, I shall contemplate dispassion. ...

He trains thus, I shall contemplate cessation. ...

He trains thus, I shall breathe in relinquishing.

He trains thus, I shall breathe out relinquishing.

This is called Anapanasati, Ananda.

If, Ananda, you were to speak these ten perceptions to the disciple Girimananda, it is possible that on hearing them, his illness would be allayed.

Then Ananda, having received these ten perceptions from the Blessed One, approached the disciple Girimananda; having approached, he spoke these ten perceptions to the disciple Girimananda.

Then, having heard these ten perceptions, the illness of the disciple Girimananda was allayed.