Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.21 3.

The Section on the Establishment of Mindfulness

Sīlaṭṭhitivagga Sīlasutta Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca ānando āyasmā ca bhaddo pāṭaliputte viharanti kukkuṭārāme.

The Discourse on Virtue Thus have I heard. On one occasion, the Venerable Ānanda and the Venerable Bhadda were dwelling at Pāṭaliputta in the Kukkuṭārāma.

Atha kho āyasmā bhaddo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then, in the evening, the Venerable Bhadda, having emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Ānanda. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Ānanda.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

After exchanging greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “yānimāni, āvuso ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni kimatthiyāni vuttāni bhagavatā”ti?

Sitting to one side, the Venerable Bhadda said to the Venerable Ānanda, Friend Ānanda, for what purpose did the Blessed One declare these wholesome virtues?

“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda.

Good, good, friend Bhadda.

Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā. Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi: ‘yānimāni, āvuso ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni kimatthiyāni vuttāni bhagavatā’”ti? “Evamāvuso”ti.

You have asked well, friend Bhadda, and your inquiry is commendable.

For you have asked, Friend Ānanda, for what purpose did the Blessed One declare these wholesome virtues? Yes, friend, he replied. Friend Bhadda, the Blessed One declared these wholesome virtues for the purpose of developing the four dwellings of mindfulness.

“Yānimāni, āvuso bhadda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni yāvadeva catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya vuttāni bhagavatā. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

What are these four? Here, friend, a disciple dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, having removed craving and aversion in regard to the world.

Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe…

He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, having removed craving and aversion in regard to the world.

citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

He dwells contemplating the mind in the mind, ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, having removed craving and aversion in regard to the world.

Yānimāni, āvuso bhadda, kusalāni sīlāni vuttāni bhagavatā, imāni kusalāni sīlāni yāvadeva imesaṁ catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya vuttāni bhagavatā”ti. Paṭhamaṁ.

He dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly knowing, and mindful, having removed craving and aversion in regard to the world.

Friend Bhadda, the Blessed One declared these wholesome virtues for the purpose of developing these four dwellings of mindfulness.