Wednesday, July 31, 2019

31asb: where's the brain? 💩🧠

31asb: where's the brain? 💩🧠 


In KN Snp 1.11, the brain appears as an addition after the traditional group of 31.
In KN Khp 3, it follows the Vism. order, where it groups it in the end of the  "earth element" group, right after feces. 

KN Khp, 3. dvattiṃsākāro (KN 1.3), para. 5 ⇒
antaṃ antaguṇaṃ udariyaṃ karīsaṃ (feces) matthaluṅgaṃ, (brain)

In an interesting coincidence, In English, there's an expression "shit for brains".

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Shit for brains'?

https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/317900.html

Extremely stupid.


What's the origin of the phrase 'Shit for brains'?

This term of abuse originated in the USA in the 1960s. The earliest record of it that I can find is David Maccuish's novel Do not go Gentle, 1960:

"Larko's got shit for brains."




DN
MN
SN
AN
KN
KN Khp, 3. dvattiṃsākāro (KN 1.3), para. 5 ⇒
antaṃ antaguṇaṃ udariyaṃ karīsaṃ matthaluṅgaṃ,
KN Sn, 1. uragavaggo, 11. vijayasuttaṃ (KN 5.11), para. 20 ⇒
athassa susiraṃ sīsaṃ, matthaluṅgassa pūritaṃ.
KN Paṭis, 1. mahāvaggo, 1. ñāṇakathā, 1. sutamayañāṇaniddeso, para. 25 ⇒
kesā abhiññeyyā; lomā abhiññeyyā; nakhā abhiññeyyā; dantā abhiññeyyā; taco abhiññeyyo, maṃsaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; nhārū abhiññeyyā; aṭṭhī abhiññeyyā; aṭṭhimiñjā abhiññeyyā; vakkaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; hadayaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; yakanaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; kilomakaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; pihakaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; papphāsaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; antaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ antaguṇaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; udariyaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; karīsaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; pittaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; semhaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; pubbo abhiññeyyo; lohitaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; sedo abhiññeyyo; medo abhiññeyyo; assu abhiññeyyaṃ; vasā abhiññeyyā; kheḷo abhiññeyyo; siṅghāṇikā abhiññeyyā; lasikā abhiññeyyā; muttaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ; matthaluṅgaṃ abhiññeyyaṃ.
KN Paṭis, 1. mahāvaggo, 2. diṭṭhikathā, , para. 6 ⇒
kesaṃ etaṃ mama . pe . lomaṃ etaṃ mama. nakhaṃ etaṃ mama. dantaṃ etaṃ mama. tacaṃ etaṃ mama. maṃsaṃ etaṃ mama. nhāruṃ etaṃ mama. aṭṭhiṃ etaṃ mama. aṭṭhimiñjaṃ etaṃ mama. vakkaṃ etaṃ mama. hadayaṃ etaṃ mama. yakanaṃ etaṃ mama. kilomakaṃ etaṃ mama. pihakaṃ etaṃ mama. papphāsaṃ etaṃ mama. antaṃ etaṃ mama. antaguṇaṃ etaṃ mama. udariyaṃ etaṃ mama. karīsaṃ etaṃ mama. pittaṃ etaṃ mama. semhaṃ etaṃ mama. pubbaṃ etaṃ mama . lohitaṃ etaṃ mama. sedaṃ etaṃ mama. medaṃ etaṃ mama. assuṃ etaṃ mama. vasaṃ etaṃ mama . kheḷaṃ etaṃ mama. siṅghāṇikaṃ etaṃ mama. lasikaṃ etaṃ mama. muttaṃ etaṃ mama. matthaluṅgaṃ etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attāti — abhinivesaparāmāso diṭṭhi.
KN Mil, 2-3. milindapañho, 1. mahāvaggo, 1. paññattipañho, para. 2 ⇒
atha kho milindo rājā evamāha “suṇantu me bhonto pañcasatā yonakā asītisahassā ca bhikkhū, ayaṃ nāgaseno evamāha ‘na hettha puggalo upalabbhatī’ti, kallaṃ nu kho tadabhinanditun”ti. atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṃ nāgasenaṃ etadavoca “sace, bhante nāgasena, puggalo nūpalabbhati, ko carahi tumhākaṃ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṃ deti, ko taṃ paribhuñjati, ko sīlaṃ rakkhati, ko bhāvanamanuyuñjati, ko maggaphalanibbānāni sacchikaroti, ko pāṇaṃ hanati, ko adinnaṃ ādiyati, ko kāmesumicchācāraṃ carati, ko musā bhaṇati, ko majjaṃ pivati, ko pañcānantariyakammaṃ karoti, tasmā natthi kusalaṃ, natthi akusalaṃ, natthi kusalākusalānaṃ kammānaṃ kattā vā kāretā vā, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṃ kammānaṃ phalaṃ vipāko, sace, bhante nāgasena, yo tumhe māreti, natthi tassāpi pāṇātipāto, tumhākampi, bhante nāgasena, natthi ācariyo, natthi upajjhāyo, natthi upasampadā. ‘nāgasenoti maṃ, mahārāja, sabrahmacārī samudācarantī’ti yaṃ vadesi, ‘katamo ettha nāgaseno ? kinnu kho, bhante, kesā nāgaseno”ti? “na hi mahārājā”ti. “lomā nāgaseno”ti? “na hi mahārājā”ti. “nakhā . pe . dantā . pe . taco . pe . maṃsaṃ . pe . nhāru . pe . aṭṭhi . pe . aṭṭhimiñjaṃ . pe . vakkaṃ . pe . hadayaṃ . pe . yakanaṃ . pe . kilomakaṃ . pe . pihakaṃ . pe . papphāsaṃ . pe . antaṃ . pe . antaguṇaṃ . pe . udariyaṃ . pe . karīsaṃ . pe . pittaṃ . pe . semhaṃ . pe . pubbo . pe . lohitaṃ . pe . sedo . pe . medo . pe . assu . pe . vasā . pe . kheḷo . pe . siṅghāṇikā . pe . lasikā . pe . muttaṃ . pe . matthake matthaluṅgaṃ nāgaseno”ti? “na himahārājā”ti. “kiṃ nu kho, bhante, rūpaṃ nāgaseno”ti? “nahi mahārājā”ti. “vedanā nāgaseno”ti?“na hi mahārājā”ti. “saññā nāgaseno”ti? “na hi mahārājā”ti. “saṅkhārā nāgaseno”ti? “na hi mahārājā”ti. “viññāṇaṃ nāgaseno”ti? “na hi mahārājā”ti. “kiṃ pana, bhante, rūpavedanāsaññāsaṅkhāraviññāṇaṃ nāgaseno”ti? “na hi mahārājā”ti. “kiṃ pana, bhante, aññatra rūpavedanāsaññāsaṅkhāraviññāṇaṃ nāgaseno”ti? “na hi mahārājā”ti. “tamahaṃ bhante, pucchanto pucchanto na passāmi nāgasenaṃ. nāgasenasaddo yeva nu kho, bhante, nāgaseno”ti? “na hi mahārājā”ti. “ko panettha nāgaseno, alikaṃ tvaṃ, bhante, bhāsasi musāvādaṃ, natthi nāgaseno”ti.
KN Mil, 2-3. milindapañho, 1. mahāvaggo, 1. paññattipañho, para. 5 ⇒
“sādhu kho, tvaṃ mahārāja, rathaṃ jānāsi, evameva kho, mahārāja, mayhampi kese ca paṭicca lome ca paṭicca . pe . matthake matthaluṅgañca paṭicca rūpañca paṭicca vedanañca paṭicca saññañca paṭicca saṅkhāre ca paṭicca viññāṇañca paṭicca ‘nāgaseno’ti saṅkhā samaññā paññatti vohāro nāmamattaṃ pavattati, paramatthato panettha puggalo nūpalabbhati. bhāsitampetaṃ, mahārāja, vajirāya bhikkhuniyā bhagavato sammukhā —
KN Nett, 4. paṭiniddesavāro, 14. adhiṭṭhānahāravibhaṅgo, para. 11 ⇒
katamehi vīsatiyā ākārehi pathavīdhātuṃ vitthārena pariggaṇhāti? atthi imasmiṃ kāye kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco, maṃsaṃ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṃ vakkaṃ, hadayaṃ yakanaṃ kilomakaṃ pihakaṃ papphāsaṃ, antaṃ antaguṇaṃ udariyaṃ karīsaṃ matthake matthaluṅganti imehi vīsatiyā ākārehi pathavīdhātuṃ vitthārena pariggaṇhāti.
KN Nett, 4. paṭiniddesavāro, 14. adhiṭṭhānahāravibhaṅgo, para. 22 ⇒
“kāyo”ti ekattatā. tattha katamo kāyo? nāmakāyo rūpakāyo ca. tattha katamo rūpakāyo? kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco maṃsaṃ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṃ vakkaṃ hadayaṃ yakanaṃ kilomakaṃ pihakaṃ papphāsaṃ antaṃ antaguṇaṃ udariyaṃ karīsaṃ pittaṃ semhaṃ pubbo lohitaṃ sedo medo assu vasā kheḷo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttaṃ matthaluṅganti — ayaṃ rūpakāyo. nāmakāyo nāma vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṃ phasso manasikāroti — ayaṃ nāmakāyoti. ayaṃ vemattatā. 

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Tuesday, July 30, 2019

31asb: asubha. There are 31 body parts in EBT Theravada Pali, not 32.



Image result for jedi


In most of the EBT Pali suttas, it's almost always 31 body parts. If a sutta has 32 (brain added in), it's a sure sign of late editing. By the time of Visuddhimagga, 32 body parts had become the new standard.

If we compare to other EBT schools, like the Chinese agamas representing Sarvastivada, mula sarvastivada, and other schools, there doesn't seem to be a set standard on number of body parts, it varies quite a bit. In the MN 10 satipatthana sutta parallels, EA has 25, MA has 28. So who knows how many the Buddha originally designated?

But what's nice about the number 31, there's a nice association with 31 days of a month. There's a  different flavor of asubha for every day of the month. In other words, the number 31 has the added association that you should be thinking about 31 body parts every day of the month, every day of the year.



Vism. and Abhidhamma may have won the previous round.

 Related image



But the duty of the EBT jedi is to take a stand and fight against Dharma corruption.
So, not on my watch.



Related image


The Pa Auk Vism. Abhidhamma monastic tradition has a nice booklet with color photos with 32 parts. I've taken the liberty of changing it back to 31 body parts, and adding the brain as  #9, combining that as part of bone marrow.  Yes, I've modified all 32 images and renumbered them so they match the Pali EBT tradition.

4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

31asb🧟

a-subha

(31) un-attractive [body parts]

4👑☸ → STED   (⤴)
31 body parts
1. Kesa: head-hair
31 body parts
2. Loma: body-hair
31 body parts
3. Nakha: Nails
31 body parts
4. danta: dental (teeth)
31 body parts
5. taco: skin
31 body parts
6. mamsam: muscle/flesh
31 body parts
7. nharu: sinews
31 body parts
8. atthi: skeleton/bones
31 body parts
9. atthi-minja: bone-marrow
31 body parts
9b. matthalungam: brain is part of bone-marrow
31 body parts
10. vakkam: kidneys
31 body parts
11. hadayam: heart
31 body parts
12. yakanam: liver
31 body parts
13. kilomakam
31 body parts
14. pihikam
31 body parts
15. papphasam: lungs
31 body parts
16. antam: large intestines
31 body parts
17. anta-gunam: small intestines
31 body parts
18. udariyam: stomach
31 body parts
19. karisam: feces
31 body parts
20. pittam
31 body parts
21.semham
31 body parts
22. pubbo: pus
31 body parts
23. lohitam: blood
31 body parts
24. sedo: sweat
31 body parts
25. medo: fat
31 body parts
26. assu: tears
31 body parts
27. vasa: sweat
31 body parts
28. khelo: saliva
31 body parts
29. singhanika: snot
31 body parts
30. lasika: oil of the joints
31 body parts
31. muttam: urine


☸ Lucid 




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Sunday, July 28, 2019

This is why the 4 noble truths focus and emphasize dukkha, and not happiness, or anatta


Here's a well written essay, describing his problems in his personal practice with modern mindfulness and anatta. What he needs to focus on, is cause of dukkha, efficacy of karma, 7sb awakening factors, especially piti, to counter his somewhat nihilistic and tendency to depression.

https://aeon.co/essays/mindfulness-is-loaded-with-troubling-metaphysical-assumptions

excerpt:
contrary to Kabat-Zinn’s loftier claims to universalism, mindfulness is in fact ‘metaphysically loaded’: it relies on its practitioners signing up to positions they might not readily accept. In particular, mindfulness is grounded in the Buddhist doctrine of anattā, or the ‘no-self’. Anattā is a metaphysical denial of the self, defending the idea that there is nothing like a soul, spirit or any ongoing individual basis for identity. This view denies that each of us is an underlying subject of our own experience. By contrast, Western metaphysics typically holds that – in addition to the existence of any thoughts, emotions and physical sensations – there is some entity to whom all these experiences are happening, and that it makes sense to refer to this entity as ‘I’ or ‘me’. However, according to Buddhist philosophy, there is no ‘self’ or ‘me’ to which such phenomena belong.
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Thursday, July 25, 2019

The Miseducation of Pīti😁 in Theravada

THOX (Theravada Orthodoxy) teaches this subject in a way that promotes the marginal case of spontaneously arisen Piti upon entering first jhana, as the main definition. Whereas in EBT, we can see Piti is something that needs to be actively developed, nurtured, reflected upon even while in jhāna, so one sees the cause and effect relationship between virtue and the spontaneous expression of piti in the jhanas.

In other words, THOX has cause and effect inverted. It treats piti as an effect, as something that happens to you when you do their pure samatha VRJ (vism. redefinition of jhana), piti is a reward.

In EBT, piti, pamojja, mudita, are all very closely related if not synonymous, and they are activities you actively do, nurture, develop, rather than treating them like magic beans that magically sprout when you blank your mind out 'one-pointedly' on a kasina or breath nimitta, and are rewarded with piti and sukha in jhana. In EBT, one is cognizant of the cause and effect relationship that piti and mudita  has with the spontaneous piti and sukha that arises in jhana. 

Here is a summary, more details to be written later to explain the common misunderstandings promulgated by THOX.

STED Pīti



Pīti😁 sā-misā (worldly, carnal)

Rapture, mental thrill, excitement derived from worldly pleasures like food, sex, etc.

Pīti😁 nirā-misā (unworldly, non carnal, spiritual)

0. Note Pīti😁 in first and second jhāna, and 7sb☀️ → 4😁 (fourth of 7 awakening factors), are exactly the same. They're both nirā-misā (unworldly, non carnal) rapture (SN 46.3).
1. the “default” option the Buddha expects us to use as a pīti generator on demand, comes from the prior 7sb factor “vīriya-sam-bojjhanga”. In short, it’s because viriya is doing a good job of purifying our mind and behavior, the uplifting mental emotion of rapture/pīti and pamojja (mudita) arise from reflecting in ourselves that our sīla and virtue are pure, so we can train all day and night enraptured.
2. Pīti😁 caused by 7sb☀️ → 1🐘 sati-bojjhanga deliberately choosing a particular Dhamma topic to recollect and feed into the 7sb samadhi engine. The topic would be appropriate to the needs of the immediate moment. But pretty much any Dhamma topic should cause rapture to arise, because you know your dukkha💩 is about to be lessened by applying that Dharma, right away. It’s just like an addict getting an endorphine rush before they even consume the physical or mental food. The mere thought anticipating the pleasurable result that's about to happen triggers the pleasure chemicals in the brain before 'contact' with the source actually happens. Similarly, if you’re not dense, eventually you can tap into the same biochemical process of cue/trigger, routine/habit, reward (brain chemical high) by paying attention to the nimitta or perception that any genuine Dharma is beautiful, not just aesthetically, but because it pays cold hard cash and delivers results in immediate relief from Dukkha.
3. Other causes of Pīti😁 would be combinations, subsets, and slight variations of category 1 and 2, such piti caused by encountering inspiring figures in the sangha, such as the Buddha and arahants, especially an inspiring Dhamma teacher delivering a live Dhamma talk. Delighting in virtue of your companions in the holy life, and good Dhamma friends, even just seeing their presence or thinking about them (SN 46.3).
4. spontaneous Pīti😁 and jhāna can just suddenly hit you like a hurricane whereby you enter jhāna by pacifying (passaddhi-bojjhanga) the body and mind, and the hydraulic sensation and/or electrical orgasmic fireworks can suddenly hit you. The moment right before, the mind was completely ordinary, and did not deliberately choose a Dhamma topic with which to be inspired by.

✅Right and ⛔Wrong

✅ in case #4, even though one did not intentionally direct the mind toward an inspiring Dhamma topic, or reflect on one's virtue (cases 1-3), the pīti is a result of one's long term virtuous and effective practice. That cumulative practice sowed the seeds for seemingly spontaneous jhāna and pīti to occur.
⛔ Late Theravada propaganda redefined jhāna into a pure samatha vehicle (divorced from vipassana) and explains case #4 being the result of forcing the mind into "one-pointedness", leading to a supression of 5 hindrances. This is likely of heterodox origin, and goes completely against the grain of EBT, which emphasizes the union of samatha and vipassana within jhāna, and development of pīti and insight using 7sb holistically and organically, in conjunction with vipassana while in the 4 jhānas.
⛔ contrary to EBT case 0 stated above (pīti of jhāna is exactly the same as pīti-sambojjhanga of 7sb), Late Theravada claims they are different (♾️🦆 infinite duck fallacy). They try to sabotage 7sb awakening factors by creating a 5 jhāna factor system to replace 7sb as the natural counterpart to 5niv hindrances.



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Tuesday, July 23, 2019

unleashing the 7sb dragon

Dragon hidden underwater

If one doesn't practice 4sp remembering faculty assiduously, it's like a dormant dragon hidden underwater. Cool image here, notice the ying yang ☯ embedded.

File:Dragon TT-16.jpg


If you practice 4sp intermittently

It's like the dragon pokes it's head out of the water occasionally

Image result for dragon poking head out of water


If you practice 4sp assiduously, and slurp in 7sb

The hidden dragon steps out of the water, the whole body (7sb), not just the head (sati) is out in the open and ready to rumble.

Related image

If you get the hang of maintaining passadhi all the time while doing 7sb

Then 4 jhanas and samadhi are almost permanently switched on, and your dragon has taken flight.
Related image


SN 46.1 Himavantasutta: The Himalayas




♦ “ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū navā
“Monks, the new monks—
acira-pabbajitā
those who have not long gone forth,
adhunāgatā imaṃ dhamma-vinayaṃ,
who are newcomers in this Dhamma & Vinaya—
te vo, bhikkhave, bhikkhū
For those monks,
catunnaṃ satipaṭṭhānānaṃ
(regarding the) four remembrance-establishings,
bhāvanāya samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā.
should be encouraged, exhorted, & established (by you).
katamesaṃ catunnaṃ?
“Which four?
etha tumhe, āvuso,
‘Come, friends.
kāye kāy-ānupassino viharatha
(the) body as-the-body(he) continuously-sees; (he) abides [in that way]:
ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā
(he is) ardent, a lucid-discerner, transcended-into-singularity,
vippasanna-cittā
clear-minded,
samāhitā
(having become) undistractible-&-lucid,
ek'-agga-cittā,
(with) single-preoccupation-(in)-mind,
kāyassa yathā-bhūtaṃ ñāṇāya;
{for-the-knowledge-of} (the) body as-it-actually-is;
vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharatha
experienced-sensations as-experienced-sensations(he) continuously-sees; (he) abides [in that way]:
ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā
(he is) ardent, a lucid-discerner, transcended-into-singularity,
vippasanna-cittā
clear-minded,
samāhitā
(having become) undistractible-&-lucid,
ek'-agga-cittā,
(with) single-preoccupation-(in)-mind,
vedanānaṃ yathābhūtaṃ ñāṇāya
{for-the-knowledge-of} experienced-sensations as-it-actually-is;
citte cittānupassino viharatha
(the) mind as-the-mind(he) continuously-sees; (he) abides [in that way]:
ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā
(he is) ardent, a lucid-discerner, transcended-into-singularity,
vippasanna-cittā
clear-minded,
samāhitā
(having become) undistractible-&-lucid,
ek'-agga-cittā,
(with) single-preoccupation-(in)-mind,
cittassa yathābhūtaṃ ñāṇāya;
{for-the-knowledge-of} (the) mind as-it-actually-is;
dhammesu dhammānupassino viharatha
(the) Dhamma as-the-Dhamma(he) continuously-sees; (he) abides [in that way]:
ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā
(he is) ardent, a lucid-discerner, transcended-into-singularity,
vippasanna-cittā
clear-minded,
samāhitā
(having become) undistractible-&-lucid,
ek'-agga-cittā,
(with) single-preoccupation-(in)-mind,
dhammānaṃ yathābhūtaṃ ñāṇāya.
{for-the-knowledge-of} Dhamma as-it-actually-is;













































Destruction of the Āsavas, from Māra's point of view:









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What is the 'dhamma' category in 4sp satipatthana?


https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1313/what-is-the-meaning-of-dhamm%c4%81-in-the-context-of-the-four-satipa%e1%b9%ad%e1%b9%adh%c4%81na/34239#34239

Does anyone have a proper explanation as to why the fourth set is called "dhammas"?
Because the 4th category is not about dhamma (mental qualities or phenomena), it's ☸Dhamma-[teaching that leads directly to nirvana].
The standard Theravada interpretation of the cryptic formula in 4sp satipatthana, is that one focuses on one of the frames to the exclusion of the other 3. But that's not the real purpose. The real meaning, is that one should see "body as body [as it actually is]".http://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-real-meaning-of-cryptic-formula-in.html
For ☸Dhamma, the meaning of seeing ☸Dhamma as ☸Dhamma as it actually is, is very similar in meaning to  ☸Dhamma-anu-dhamma☸📐 {the practice of} dhamma/Dhamma that accords with {the Buddha's} ☸Dhamma. http://lucid24.org/tped/d/dhamma/index.html

EA, the MN 10  (satipatthana sutta) parallel in Chinese Agama, supports my interpretation

Or at the very least, has an idea much closer to mine, than to Theravada.
It looks like they're interpretation is that you take any dhamma [thing, quality, phenomena], and put it through a thorough ☸Dhamma investigation, after attaining 4 jhanas via 7sb.
“How does a monk in regard to dharmas contemplate the characteristics of dharmas as a satipaṭṭhāna? Here a monk cultivates the mindfulness awakening factor supported by insight, supported by dispassion, and supported by cessation, discarding evil states.
“He cultivates the [investigation-of-]dharmas awakening factor [supported by insight, supported by dispassion, and supported by cessation, discarding evil states].
“He cultivates the energy awakening factor [supported by insight, supported by dispassion, and supported by cessation, discarding evil states].
“He cultivates the joy awakening factor [supported by insight, supported by dispassion, and supported by cessation, discarding evil states].14
“He cultivates the tranquillity awakening factor [supported by insight, supported by dispassion, and supported by cessation, discarding evil states].
“He cultivates the concentration awakening factor [supported by insight, supported by dispassion, and supported by cessation, discarding evil states].
「云何比 丘法法相觀意止？於是，比丘修念覺意，依 觀、依無欲、依滅盡，捨諸惡法。修法覺意、 修精進覺意、修念覺意、修猗覺意、修三昧 覺意、修護覺意，依觀、依無欲、依滅盡，捨 諸惡法。如是，比丘法法相觀意止。
 “He cultivates the equanimity awakening factor supported by insight, supported by dispassion, and supported by cessation, discarding evil states. In this way a monk [in regard to] dharmas contemplates the characteristics of dharmas as a satipaṭṭhāna.

(1st jhāna)

「復次，比 丘！Fù cì, bǐqiū!
 “Further more, Bhikkhus!
於愛欲解脫，Wū àiyù jiětuō,
 free from craving for sensual pleasures,
除惡不-善法，Chú è bùshàn fǎ,
 removing evil (and) un-wholesome dhamma [qualities],
有覺、有觀，Yǒu jué, yǒu guān,
 with coarse-thinking (and) with subtle-thinking,
有猗念，Yǒu yī niàn,
 with tranquility (and) mindfulness,
樂於初禪而自娛樂。Lèwū chū chán ér zì yúlè.
 (he) delights in first Jhāna, and he experiences delight.
(jhāna is satipaṭṭhāna refrain)
如是，Rúshì,
 In this way,
比丘 法 Bǐqiū fǎ
 (a) Bhikkhu [in regard to] dhammas,
法相 fǎxiāng
 (those) dhamma characteristics
觀意止。 Guān yì zhǐ.
 (he) contemplates (as a) satipaṭṭhāna.
(A note on vitakka and vicāra)
Ven. Anālayo translated jue and guan as “directed awareness and sustained contemplation,” but that’s a translation based on an extrapolation of the literal reading of some archaic characters (in non-Buddhist Chinese contexts, they mean “realize” and “observe,” respectively). The Mahaprajnaparamita-sastra and the Yogacarabhumi (texts that are traditionally used as dictionaries), among others, explain that jue and guan should be understood as “coarse thinking” and “subtle thinking,” respectively.

(2nd jhāna)

「復次，比 丘！Fù cì, bǐqiū!
 “Further more, Bhikkhus!
捨有覺、有觀，Shě yǒu jué, yǒu guān,
 discarding coarse-thinking (and) subtle-thinking,
內 發歡喜，Nèi fā huānxǐ,
 Internally arousing joy
專其一意，Zhuān qí yīyì,
 the mind being unified,
成無覺、無觀，Chéng wú jué, wú guān,
 achieved no coarse-thinking (and) no subtle-thinking,
念猗 Niàn yī
 mindful (and) tranquil,
喜安， xǐ'ān,
 (with) joy (and) ease,
遊二禪而自娛樂。Yóu èr chán ér zì yúlè.
 (he) travels-to second Jhāna and he-himself (experiences) happy pleasure [sukha].
(jhāna is satipaṭṭhāna refrain)
如是，Rúshì,
 In this way,
比丘 法 Bǐqiū fǎ
 (a) Bhikkhu [in regard to] dhammas,
法相 fǎxiāng
 (those) dhamma characteristics
觀意止。 Guān yì zhǐ.
 (he) contemplates (as a) satipaṭṭhāna.

(3rd jhāna)

「復次，比 丘！Fù cì, bǐqiū!
 “Further more, Bhikkhus!
捨於念，Shě wū niàn,
 discarding [joy] mindfully
修於護，xiū wū hù,
 (he) cultivates equanimity in this respect,
恒自覺知 身覺樂，héng zìjué zhī shēn jué lè,
 constantly he experiences (and) knows (with his) body the-experience-of pleasure [sukha].
諸賢聖所求，zhūxián shèng suǒ qiú,
 as sought after by noble ones,
護念清淨，hù niàn qīngjìng,
 equanimity (and) mindfulness, (are) pure-(and)-clean,
行於三 禪。xíng wū sān chán.
 (he) engages in third Jhāna.
(jhāna is satipaṭṭhāna refrain)
如是，Rúshì,
 In this way,
比丘 法 Bǐqiū fǎ
 (a) Bhikkhu [in regard to] dhammas,
法相 fǎxiāng
 (those) dhamma characteristics
觀意止。 Guān yì zhǐ.
 (he) contemplates (as a) satipaṭṭhāna.

(4th jhāna)

「復次，比 丘！Fù cì, bǐqiū!
 “Further more, Bhikkhus!
捨 苦樂心，Shě kǔ lè xīn,
 discarding pain [dukkha] (and) pleasure [sukha] (of) heart/mind,
無復憂喜，wú fù yōu xǐ,
 without sadness (and) joy,
無苦無樂，wú kǔ wú lè,
 without pain [dukkha] (and) without pleasure [sukha],
護念清淨，hù niàn qīngjìng,
 equanimity (and) mindfulness, (are) pure-(and)-clean,
樂 於四禪。lèwū sì chán.
 (He) delights in fourth Jhāna.
(jhāna is satipaṭṭhāna refrain)
如是，Rúshì,
 In this way,
比丘 法 Bǐqiū fǎ
 (a) Bhikkhu [in regard to] dhammas,
法相 fǎxiāng
 (those) dhamma characteristics
觀意止。 Guān yì zhǐ.
 (he) contemplates (as a) satipaṭṭhāna.

(arising, ceasing, pari-mukhaṃ refrain)

彼行習 法，Bǐ xíng xí fǎ,
 “he practices the venue to [its] origination,
行盡法，Xíng jǐn fǎ,
 he practices the venue to [its] cessation,
并行習盡之法 Bìngxíng xí jǐn zhī fǎ
 and he practices the venue to both [its] origination and cessation.”
而自娛樂， ér zì yúlè,
 experiencing joy in himself [by removing evil thoughts and being free from worry and sorrow].
便 得法意止 Biàn défǎ yì zhǐ
 He gains the satipaṭṭhāna of dharmas
而現在前。 ér xiànzài qián. (pari-mukha)
 and keeps it present in front [of himself].
(A note on pari-mukha)
Visuddhimagga apologists often explain the parimukha-instruction as “bringing attentional focus” to one’s nose-tip. But Chinese passages where that instruction occur actually are virtually identical to what you find here in EA. Here in EA, the expression clearly means something to the effect of “keeping it present,” as a nose-tip focus would not be a sensible starting point for dharma-based satipatthana. If it means “keeping it present” here, why would it mean “fixing on nose-tip” elsewhere?
(EA 12.1 translation notes for STED 4 jhānas and 4sp)
護 is equanimity. This is peculiar to this EA recension.
捨 (Shě) is what most Chinese Agamas have for equanimity.
樂 as sukha is a noun sometimes, but also gets used as a verb "to enjoy" or "to delight in". (such as in 4th jhāna)
意止 (yì zhǐ) in EA is satipaṭṭhāna.
念住 (nianzhu) is the phrase for satipaṭṭhāna used in most Chinese agamas.

可知可見，除去亂想， 無所依猗，不起世間想；已不起想，便無 畏怖；已無畏怖，生死便盡；梵行已立，所作 已辦，更不復受有，如實知之。
 “He is able to know, able to see, discarding distracted perceptions, he does not depend on anything and does not give rise to worldly perceptions. Not having given rise to such perceptions he is not agitated, not being agitated he knows as it really is that ‘birth and death have been extinguished, the holy life has been established, what had to be done has been done, there is no more experiencing of [another] existence.’    


Response to Questions and Commenters


on the interpretation of analyzing dhamma-phenomena through Dhamma-teaching framework

my response to one of the comments below: in DN 22 though, the 4 noble truths and noble eightfold path description under Dhammaanupassana are just cut and paste jobs from other fundamental suttas defining what those factors are. Unlike the EA parallel where Dhamma anupassana is described where you're activing USING a Dhamma-teaching framework to analyze the phenomena. DN 22 maybe implies that, but the Theravada model is so massive and convoluted you can't tell for sure. In EA, for sure that's what they're doing. The problem is if you take DN 22 as viewing dhamma-phenomena viewed through Dhamma-teaching framework, then how do you approach the other 3 satipatthana where that wouldn't work? It doesn't say kaya-Dhamma-anupassi, vedana-dhamma-anupassa, etc...


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