Kāyagatāsatisuttaṁ
The Discourse about Mindfulness related to the Body

The Similies

Yassa kassaci bhikkhave kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā,
For whoever, monks, mindfulness related to the body has been developed and made much of

antogadhā tassa ChS: antogadhāvāssa, and similarly throughout. I cannot see how we could parse this successfully. kusalā dhammā ye keci vijjābhāgiyā.
for him are included whatever wholesome things there are partaking of understanding. Comm: tattha vipassanāñāṇaṁ, manomayiddhi, cha abhiññā ti aṭṭha vijjā; herein, insight knowledge, mind-created psychic power, and the six deep knowledges are the eight understandings.

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave yassa kassaci mahāsamuddo cetasā phuṭo
Just as, monks, for whoever has encompassed the great ocean with his mind

antogadhā tassa kunnadiyo yā kāci samuddaṅgamā,
for him are included whatever small rivers there are that flow to the ocean,

evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā
just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body has been developed and made much of

antogadhā tassa kusalā dhammā ye keci vijjābhāgiyā.
for him are included whatever wholesome things there are partaking of understanding.

Yassa kassaci bhikkhave kāyagatāsati abhāvitā abahulīkatā,
For whoever, monks, mindfulness related to the body is undeveloped and has not been made much of

labhati tassa Māro otāraṁ, labhati tassa Māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Māra finds an opening in him, Māra gets an opportunity with him. Comm: otāran-ti vivaraṁ chiddaṁ, ārammaṇan-ti kilesuppattipaccayaṁ; opening means a fissure, a hole, opportunity means a support for the arising of defilements.

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave puriso garukaṁ silāguḷaṁ BJT: silāgulaṁ, and similarly below, though later it writes suttaguḷaṁ; showing the l/ḷ alternation. allamattikāpuñje pakkhipeyya,
Just as, monks, a person might throw a heavy stone ball into a mass of soft clay,

taṁ kim-maññatha Thai, ChS: kiṁ maññatha, parsed form, similarly throughout. bhikkhave api nu taṁ garukaṁ silāguḷaṁ
what do you think, monks, would that heavy stone ball

allamattikāpuñje labhetha otāran?”-ti
get an opening into that mass of soft clay?”

“Evaṁ Bhante.”
“Yes, reverend Sir.”

“Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati abhāvitā abahulīkatā
“Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is undeveloped and has not been made much of

labhati tassa Māro otāraṁ, labhati tassa Māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Māra finds an opening in him, Māra gets an opportunity with him.

* * *

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave sukkhaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ koḷāpaṁ
Just as if, monks, there were a dry piece of wood from a dead tree

atha puriso āgaccheyya uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya,
then a person might come along and having taken an upper kindling-stick,

‘aggiṁ abhinibbattessāmi tejo pātukarissāmī’ ti, Thai: tejodhātuṁ karissāmīti, similarly below = I will make the heat element.
(thinking): ‘I will kindle a fire, I will make heat’,

taṁ kim-maññatha bhikkhave api nu so puriso,
what do you think, monks, that person,

amuṁ sukkhaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ koḷāpaṁ uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya, BJT: adāya, printer’s error.
after taking that upper kindling-stick to that dry piece of wood from a dead tree,

abhimatthento aggiṁ abhinibbatteyya tejo pātukareyyā?” ti.
while rubbing it might he kindle a fire, might he make heat?”

“Evaṁ Bhante.”
“Yes, reverend Sir.”

“Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati abhāvitā abahulīkatā
“Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is undeveloped and has not been made much of

labhati tassa Māro otāraṁ, labhati tassa Māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Māra finds an opening in him, Māra gets an opportunity with him.

* * *

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave udakamaṇiko ritto tuccho ādhāre ṭhapito, PTS: ṭhito, alternate form.
Just as if, monks, there was an empty, hollow water jar placed on a stand,

atha puriso āgaccheyya udakabhāraṁ ādāya,
and a person would come after taking a load of water,

taṁ kim-maññatha bhikkhave api nu so puriso
what do you think, monks, would that person

labhetha udakassa nikkhepanan?”-ti
be able to pour water into it?”

“Evaṁ Bhante.”
“Yes, reverend Sir.”

“Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati abhāvitā abahulīkatā
“Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is undeveloped and has not been made much of

labhati tassa PTS: tāssa, printer’s error. Māro otāraṁ, labhati tassa Māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Māra finds an opening in him, Māra gets an opportunity with him.

* * *

Yassa kassaci bhikkhave kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā,
For whoever, monks, mindfulness related to the body has been developed and made much of

na tassa labhati Māro otāraṁ, na tassa labhati Māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Māra does not find an opening in him, Māra does not get an opportunity with him.

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave puriso lahukaṁ suttaguḷaṁ
* Just as if, monks, a person would throw a light ball of string

sabbasāramaye aggaḷaphalake BJT: aggala-, similarly below, showing the l/ḷ alternation. pakkhipeyya,
at a crossbar of a door made out of solid heartwood,

taṁ kim-maññatha bhikkhave api nu so puriso PTS omits so puriso, which is needed by the context.
what do you think, monks, would that person

taṁ lahukaṁ suttaguḷaṁ sabbasāramaye aggaḷaphalake labhetha otāran?”-ti.
be able to pierce the crossbar of a door made out of solid heartwood with that light ball of string?”

“No hetaṁ Bhante.”
“Certainly not, reverend Sir.”

“Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā
“Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is developed and has been made much of

na tassa labhati Māro otāraṁ, na tassa labhati Māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Māra does not find an opening in him, Māra does not get an opportunity with him.

* * *

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave allaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ sasnehaṁ,
Just as if, monks, there were a moist piece of wood still having sap,

atha puriso āgaccheyya uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya,
then a person might come along and having taken an upper kindling-stick,

‘aggiṁ abhinibbattessāmi tejo pātukarissāmī’ ti,
(thinking): ‘I will kindle a fire, I will make heat’,

taṁ kim-maññatha bhikkhave api nu so puriso,
what do you think, monks, that person,

amuṁ allaṁ kaṭṭhaṁ sasnehaṁ uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya
after taking that upper kindling-stick to that moist piece of wood still having sap,

abhimatthento aggiṁ abhinibbatteyya tejo pātukareyyā?” ti.
while rubbing it might he kindle a fire, might he make heat?”

“No hetaṁ Bhante.”
“Certainly not, reverend Sir.”

“Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā
“Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is developed and has been made much of

na tassa labhati Māro otāraṁ, na tassa labhati Māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Māra does not find an opening in him, Māra does not get an opportunity with him.

* * *

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave udakamaṇiko pūro udakassa
Just as if, monks, there was a water jar full of water,

samatittiko kākapeyyo, ādhāre ṭhapito,
so brimful that a crow could drink from it, placed on a stand,

atha puriso āgaccheyya, udakabhāraṁ ādāya,
and a person would come after taking a load of water,

taṁ kim-maññatha bhikkhave api nu so puriso
what do you think, monks, would that person

labhetha udakassa nikkhepanan?”-ti
be able to pour water into it?”

“No hetaṁ Bhante.”
“Certainly not, reverend Sir.”

“Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā
“Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is developed and has been made much of

na tassa labhati Māro otāraṁ, na tassa labhati Māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Māra does not find an opening in him, Māra does not get an opportunity with him.

Yassa kassaci bhikkhave kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā,
For whoever, monks, mindfulness related to the body is developed and has been made much of

so yassa yassa abhiññā sacchikaraṇīyassa dhammassa
whatever deep knowledge pertaining to things that can be realised

cittaṁ abhininnāmeti abhiññā sacchikiriyāya,
he turns his mind to for realisation of deep knowledge,

tatra tatreva ChS: ta tatre ? perhaps a printer’s error. sakkhibhabbataṁ PTS: -bhavyataṁ, alternative form (-vy- developing to -bb-); Thai: sakkhibyataṁ ? pāpuṇāti, sati sati-āyatane.
right there he attains a realisation of it, while there is a basis for mindfulness. This is a locative absolute construction giving temporal meaning, the first sati is locative present participle from verb atthi, is, the second is the noun.

* * *

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave udakamaṇiko pūro udakassa samatittiko
Just as if, monks, there was a full water jar, so brimful with water

kākapeyyo ādhāre ṭhapito,
that a crow could drink from it placed on a stand,

tam-enaṁ balavā puriso yato yato āviñjeyya, PTS: āvajjeyya = were to upset it; Thai: āpajjeyya, difficult to see a good meaning here; ChS: āviñcheyya, were to toss it about? āgaccheyya udakan?”-ti
and a strong man were to disturb it from whatever place, would water flow out?”

“Evaṁ Bhante.”
“Yes, reverend Sir.”

“Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā,
“Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is developed and has been made much of

so yassa yassa abhiññā sacchikaraṇīyassa dhammassa
whatever deep knowledge pertaining to things that can be realised

cittaṁ abhininnāmeti abhiññā sacchikiriyāya,
he turns his mind to for realisation of deep knowledge,

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti, sati sati-āyatane.
right there he attains a realisation of it, while there is a basis for mindfulness.

* * *

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave PTS omits bhikkhave, which is expected. same bhūmibhāge caturassā pokkharaṇī, BJT: pokkharaṇi, possibly printer’s error; BJT, ChS add assa.
Just as if, monks, there were a square pond on an even piece of ground,

āḷibaddhā, ChS: āḷibandhā, showing the -dd-/-nd- alternation. pūrā udakassa, samatittikā kākapeyyā,
bound with an embankment, full of water, so brimful that a crow could drink from it,

tam-enaṁ balavā puriso yato yato āḷiṁ muñceyya, Thai: paccheyya ? āgaccheyya udakan?”-ti
and a strong man were to loosen that embankment from whatever place, would water flow out?”

“Evaṁ Bhante.”
“Yes, reverend Sir.”

“Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā,
“Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is developed and has been made much of

so yassa yassa abhiññā sacchikaraṇīyassa dhammassa
whatever deep knowledge pertaining to things that can be realised

cittaṁ abhininnāmeti abhiññā sacchikiriyāya,
he turns his mind to for realisation of deep knowledge,

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti, sati sati-āyatane.
right there he attains a realisation of it, while there is a basis for mindfulness.

* * *

Seyyathā pi bhikkhave subhūmiyaṁ cātummahāpathe
Just as if, monks, there were at the cross roads on good ground

ājaññaratho yutto assa ṭhito odhastapatodo, Thai: ubhantarapaṭodo ? the last word shows the t/ṭ alternation, which occurs also separately below.
a chariot yoked with well-bred horses standing and a goad made ready,

tam-enaṁ dakkho yoggācariyo PTS: yogācariyo, incorrect form, perhaps printer’s error. assadammasārathi abhiruhitvā,
a clever driver, a trainer for those horses who need taming, after ascending,

vāmena hatthena rasmiyo gahetvā,
grasping the reigns with his left hand,

dakkhiṇena hatthena Thai: hatkena, printer’s error. patodaṁ gahetvā,
grasping the goad with his right hand,

yenicchakaṁ yad-icchakaṁ sāreyyāpi paccāsāreyyāpi. PTS: yenicchakaṁ sāreyya, would lead them wherever he liked; Thai: yadicchakaṁ yadicchakaṁ sāreyya, would lead them just as (emphatic through repetition) he liked.
could lead them out and could lead them back whichever way he liked just as he liked.

Evam-eva kho bhikkhave yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā,
Just so, monks, for whoever mindfulness related to the body is developed and has been made much of

so yassa yassa abhiññā sacchikaraṇīyassa dhammassa
whatever deep knowledge pertaining to things that can be realised

cittaṁ abhininnāmeti abhiññā sacchikiriyāya,
he turns his mind to for realisation of deep knowledge,

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti, sati sati-āyatane.
right there he attains a realisation of it, while there is a basis for mindfulness.

last updated: November 2008