People often study, almost exclusively, Sati-'paṭṭhāna 🐘Sutta (MN 10, DN 22),
told by authorities that it's one of the most, if not the most important sutta on meditation and "mindfulness".
They're wrong, very wrong.
There is over reliance in modern times on that one sutta for the subject of Sati-'paṭṭhāna.
MN 10 can be useful and interesting as additional supplemental material on the subject,
but what you really should use as your basis and foundation on Sati-'paṭṭhāna,
is the first 10 suttas of SN 47, as the Theras (elder keepers of Dhamma) intended.
If you repeatedly study these 10 suttas,
as was designed in the oral tradition,
you're going to get a much more comprehensive and holistic understanding of
"Mindfulness meditation" (sati),
how it integrates with jhāna and 7 awakening factors,
how all the noble 8 factors and 7 awakening factors are to be done all the time.
Provided you read a correct translation.
If you read Sujato's for example,
you're going to be confused and utterly confounded on many things,
important critical things.
My criteria for whether Dhamma translation and interpretation is correct,
is that you can actually learn the Dhamma by relying on the suttas themselves,
enough by themselves.
(and of course the interpretation has to be coherent, consistent in the entire collection of EBT,
not just a few cherry picked anomalies for one's pet theory)
I believe I can teach correct sati and jhāna practice,
based on these suttas.
Audio English - first ten suttas of SN 47 by professional voice actors
(TTS text to speech with AI using voices of pros)
To me it's indistinguishable from live human recording.
Pāḷi + English sutta text
Frankk translation from pāḷi to english (first 10 suttas and some of the remainder of SN 47)
SP-FLUENT style means translations embedded in square [] brackets
are interpolations from other suttas on the subject which make
the otherwise terse original sutta text much more comprehensible.
The English text for the recordings
Sutta text is slightly condensed from above.
SN 47.1: In Ambapālī’s Wood
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, in Ambapālī’s Wood.
There the Buddha addressed the monks:
"Monks, this path is the only way
To purify beings,
to overcome sorrow and lamentation,
to end pain and distress,
to achieve the method [of ending suffering],
to realize nirvana.
In other words, this path is the four ways of remembering [and applying The ☸Dharma];
Which Four [ways]?
It’s when a monk
lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [truly are]
He lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing ☸Dharma as ☸Dharma [truly is]
[in each of the 4 ways of remembering]:
He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],
having removed greed and distress in regard to the world.
Monks, this path is the only way to realize nirvana.
SN 47.2: The canonical definition of mindfulness
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, in Ambapālī’s Wood.
There the Buddha addressed the monks:
“monks, a monk should live remembering and applying Dharma and lucidly-discerning.
This is my instruction to you.
And how is a monk remembering and applying Dharma ?
It’s when
He lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [truly are]
He lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing ☸Dharma as ☸Dharma [truly is]
[in each of the 4 ways of remembering]:
He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],
having removed greed and distress in regard to the world.
That’s how a monk is remembering and applying Dharma .
That is mindfulness.
And how is a monk lucidly-discerning?
It’s when a monk acts with lucid-discerning [at all times, in any posture, in any action]:
when going out and coming back
he does that with lucid-discerning.
When Looking-ahead (and) looking-aside,
he does that with lucid-discerning.
when bending and extending (his limbs),
he does that with lucid-discerning.
when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes;
he does that with lucid-discerning.
when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting;
he does that with lucid-discerning.
when urinating and defecating;
he does that with lucid-discerning.
when walking, standing,
sitting, lying down,
waking, speaking, and keeping silent,
he does that with lucid-discerning.
That’s how a monk acts with lucid-discerning.
A monk should live remembering and applying Dharma and lucidly-discerning.
That is the canonical definition of mindfulness and lucid-discerning.
SN 47.3: The proper monastic life
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Then a monk went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, assiduous, ardent, and resolute.”
“This is exactly how some foolish people ask me for something.
But when The Dharma has been explained they think only of following me around.”
“Sir, may the Buddha teach me the Dhamma in brief! May the Holy One teach me the Dhamma in brief! Hopefully I can lucidly-discern the meaning of what the Buddha says!
Hopefully I can be an heir of the Buddha’s Dharma!”
“Well then, monk, you should purify the starting point of skillful Dharmas.
What is the starting point of skillful Dharmas?
Well purified ethics and correct view.
When your ethics are well purified and your view is correct,
you should develop the four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma
in three ways,
depending on and grounded on ethics.
And what are the four ways of remembering and applying Dharma ?
It’s when a monk
lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [truly are]
He lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing ☸Dharma as ☸Dharma [truly is]
[in each of the 4 ways of remembering]:
He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],
having removed greed and distress in regard to the world.
These four kinds of remembering are engaged in three ways:
Internally, externally, and both internally and externally.
Internally means one's own body and mind.
Externally means any form or mental activity outside of oneself.
When you develop the four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma in these three ways,
depending on and grounded on ethics, you can expect growth, not decline, in skillful Dharmas, whether by day or by night.”
And then that monk approved and agreed with what the Buddha said.
He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.
Then that monk, living alone, withdrawn, assiduous, ardent, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which people from good families rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.”
And that monk became one of the perfected Arahants.
SN 47.4: novices and adepts all do jhāna and mindfulness simultaneously
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans near the brahmin village of Sālā.
There the Buddha addressed the monks:
“monks, those monks who are junior—recently gone forth,
newly come to this Dharma and training—
should be encouraged, supported, and established in the four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma.
Which Four ways?
‘Come, friends.
live continuously seeing the body as a body [truly is],
be ardent, lucidly-discerning, having become singular [in focus],
clear-minded,
undistractible-&-lucid,
with a single focus in mind,
[live to] lucidly-discern the body’s true nature;
Likewise, with the 3 remaining frames of sensations, mind, and Dharma,
you practice mindfulness with jhāna in tandem.
Those monks who are partially enlightened trainees —
who haven’t yet achieved their heart’s desire,
live aspiring to the supreme sanctuary of nirvana—
They also do the same practice as new monks,
continuously seeing the body as a body [truly is],
they’re ardent, lucidly-discerning, having become singular [in focus],
clear-minded,
undistractible-&-lucid,
with a single focus in mind.
Whereas the novices train in this way to lucidly-discern the body’s true nature,
the partially enlightened trainee seeks to perfect knowledge of the body’s true nature.
Likewise, with the 3 remaining frames of sensations, mind, and Dharma,
novices and trainees practice mindfulness with jhāna in tandem.
Those monks who are perfected [Arahants]—
who have ended the asinine-inclinations,
completed the spiritual journey,
done what had to be done,
laid down the burden,
achieved their own goal,
utterly ended the fetters of rebirth,
and are rightly freed through enlightenment—
Those perfected Arahants also do the same practice as new monks and partially enlightened trainees,
continuously seeing the body as a body [truly is],
they’re ardent, lucidly-discerning, having become singular [in focus],
clear-minded,
undistractible-&-lucid,
with a single focus in mind.
Since the Arahant has already realized perfect knowledge of the body's true nature,
they no longer need training, they simply abide detached from the body,
detached [from any underlying asinine-inclinations or delusions in regard to] the body.
Likewise, with the 3 remaining frames of sensations, mind, and Dharma,
novices, trainees, perfected Arahants all practice mindfulness with jhāna in tandem.
Those monks who are junior—recently gone forth, newly come to this Dharma and training—should be encouraged, supported, and established in these four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma.”
SN 47.5 : A Heap of the Unskillful
At Sāvatthī.
There the Buddha said:
“Rightly speaking, monks, you’d call these five hindrances a ‘heap of the unskillful’.
For these five hindrances are entirely a heap of the unskillful.
What five?
The hindrances of sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.
Rightly speaking, you’d call these four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma a ‘heap of the skillful’.
For these four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma are entirely a heap of the skillful.
Which Four?
It’s when a monk
lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [truly are]
He lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing Dharma as Dharma [truly is]
[in each of the 4 ways of remembering]:
He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],
having removed greed and distress in regard to the world.
Rightly speaking, you’d call these four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma a ‘heap of the skillful’.
For these four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma are entirely a heap of the skillful.”
SN 47.6: A Hawk
“Once upon a time, monks, a hawk suddenly swooped down and grabbed a quail.
And as the quail was being carried off he wailed:
‘I’m so unlucky, so unfortunate, to have roamed out of my territory into the domain of others.
If today I’d roamed within my own territory, the domain of my fathers, this hawk wouldn’t have been able to beat me by fighting.’
‘So, quail, what is your own territory, the domain of your fathers?’
‘It’s a ploughed field covered with clods of earth.’
Because of her own strength, the hawk was not daunted or intimidated. She released the quail, saying:
‘Go now, quail. But even there you won’t escape me!’
Then the quail went to a ploughed field covered with clods of earth. He climbed up a big clod, and standing there, he said to the hawk:
‘Come get me, hawk! Come get me, hawk!’
Because of her own strength, the hawk was not daunted or intimidated. She folded her wings and suddenly swooped down on the quail.
When the quail knew that the hawk was nearly there, he slipped under that clod.
And the hawk crashed chest-first right there.
That’s what happens when you roam out of your territory into the domain of others.
So, monks, don’t roam out of your own territory into the domain of others.
If you roam out of your own territory into the domain of others, Māra will find a vulnerability and get hold of you.
And what is not a monk’s own territory but the domain of others?
It’s the five kinds of sensual stimulation.
What five?
Sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Sounds known by the ear …
Smells known by the nose …
Tastes known by the tongue …
Touches known by the body that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
This is not a monk’s own territory but the domain of others.
You should roam inside your own territory, the domain of your fathers.
If you roam inside your own territory, the domain of your fathers, Māra won’t find a vulnerability or get hold of you.
And what is a monk’s own territory, the domain of the fathers?
It’s the four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma.
Which Four?
It’s when a monk lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [truly are]
He lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing Dharma as Dharma [truly is]
[in each of the 4 ways of remembering]:
He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],
having removed greed and distress in regard to the world.
This is a monk’s own territory, the domain of the fathers.”
SN 47.7: A Monkey
“monks, in the Himalayas there are regions that are rugged and impassable. In some such regions, neither monkeys nor humans can go,
while in others, monkeys can go but not humans.
There are also level, pleasant places where both monkeys and humans can go.
There hunters lay snares of tar on the monkey trails to catch the monkeys.
The monkeys who are not foolhardy and reckless see the tar and avoid it from afar.
But a foolish and reckless monkey goes up to the tar and grabs it with a hand.
He gets stuck there.
Thinking to free his hand, he grabs it with his other hand.
He gets stuck there.
Thinking to free both hands, he grabs it with a foot.
He gets stuck there.
Thinking to free both hands and foot, he grabs it with his other foot.
He gets stuck there.
Thinking to free both hands and feet, he grabs it with his snout.
He gets stuck there.
And so the monkey, trapped at five points, just lies there screeching. He’d meet with tragedy and disaster, and the hunter can do what he wants with him.
The hunter spears him, pries him off that tarred block of wood, and goes wherever he wants.
That’s what happens when you roam out of your territory into the domain of others.
So, monks, don’t roam out of your own territory into the domain of others.
If you roam out of your own territory into the domain of others, Māra will catch you and get hold of you.
And what is not a monk’s own territory but the domain of others?
It’s the five kinds of sensual stimulation.
What five?
Sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Sounds known by the ear …
Smells known by the nose …
Tastes known by the tongue …
Touches known by the body that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
This is not a monk’s own territory but the domain of others.
You should roam inside your own territory, the domain of your fathers.
If you roam inside your own territory, the domain of your fathers, Māra won’t catch you or get hold of you.
And what is a monk’s own territory, the domain of the fathers?
It’s the four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma.
Which Four?
It’s when a monk lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [truly are]
He lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing Dharma as Dharma [truly is]
[in each of the 4 ways of remembering]:
He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],
having removed greed and distress in regard to the world.
This is a monk’s own territory, the domain of the fathers.”
SN 47.8: Cooks
“monks, suppose a foolish, incompetent, unskillful cook was to serve a ruler or their minister with an excessive variety of curries:
superbly sour, bitter, pungent, and sweet; hot and mild, and salty and bland.
But that cook didn’t follow the signs of his master [signaling what he liked and disliked].
‘Today my master preferred this sauce, or he reached for it, or he took a lot of it, or he praised it.
Today my master preferred the sour or bitter or pungent or sweet or hot or mild or salty sauce. Or he preferred the bland sauce, or he reached for the bland one, or he took a lot of it, or he praised it.’
That foolish, incompetent, unskillful cook doesn’t get presented with clothes, wages, or bonuses.
Why is that?
Because they don’t follow the signs of their master [signaling what he liked and disliked].
In the same way, a foolish, incompetent, unskillful monk tries to live by seeing the body as a body truly is—
but their mind doesn’t become undistractible and lucid, and their corruptions aren’t given up.
They didn’t follow the signs [that lead to mental activity removing unskillful Dharmas].
They try to live seeing sensations, the mind, and Dharma as they truly are …
but their mind doesn’t become undistractible and lucid, and their corruptions aren’t given up.
They didn’t follow the signs [that lead to mental activity removing unskillful Dharmas].
That foolish, incompetent, unskillful monk doesn’t get the pleasure of jhāna in this very life,
nor do they properly develop remembrance and application of Dharma and lucid-discerning.
Why is that?
Because they don’t follow the signs of their mind [that lead to mental activity removing unskillful Dharmas].
[Instead of following profitable signs that lead to skillful Dharmas, they followed bad signs that led to an increase in unskillful Dharmas.]
Suppose an astute, competent, skillful cook was to serve a ruler or their minister with an excessive variety of curries:
superbly sour, bitter, pungent, and sweet; hot and mild, and salty and bland.
And that cook learned their master’s [unspoken] signals:
‘Today my master preferred this sauce, or he reached for it, or he took a lot of it, or he praised it.
Today my master preferred the sour or bitter or pungent or sweet or hot or mild or salty sauce. Or he preferred the bland sauce, or he reached for the bland one, or he took a lot of it, or he praised it.’
That astute, competent, skillful cook gets presented with clothes, wages, and bonuses.
Why is that?
Because they learned the [unspoken] signs of their master [indicating what he liked and disliked].
In the same way, an astute, competent, skillful monk lives by seeing the body as a body truly is—ardent, lucidly-discerning, and remembering and applying Dharma, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
As they live seeing the body as a body truly is, their mind becomes undistractible and lucid,
and their corruptions are given up.
This happened because they followed the signs [that led to mental activity removing unskillful Dharmas and powering up the skillful Dharmas that launch them into jhāna].
They live seeing sensations as sensations truly are …
They live seeing the mind as the mind truly is …
They live seeing Dharma as Dharma truly is— ardent, lucidly-discerning, and remembering and applying Dharma, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
As they live seeing Dharma as Dharma truly is,
their mind becomes undistractible and lucid,
and their corruptions are given up.
This happened because they followed the signs [that led to mental activity removing unskillful Dharmas and powered up the skillful Dharmas that launched them into jhāna].
That astute, competent, skillful monk gets happiness and physical pleasure [which characterize the 4 jhānas] in this very life, and they improve their remembering and application of Dharma and lucid-discerning.
Why is that?
Because they followed their mind’s signs [which signal the type of mental activity that remove unskillful Dharmas and power up the skillful Dharmas that launch them into jhāna].
[And they recognized the bad signs with wise attention and actively ignored them].
SN 47.9: The Buddha near death
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the little village of Beluva.
There the Buddha addressed the monks:
“monks, please enter the rainy season residence with whatever friends or acquaintances you have around Vesālī.
I’ll commence the rainy season residence right here in the little village of Beluva.”
“Yes, sir,” those monks replied. They did as the Buddha said,
while the Buddha commenced the rainy season residence right there in the little village of Beluva.
After the Buddha had commenced the rainy season residence, he fell severely ill, struck by dreadful pains, close to death.
But he endured with remembrance of Dharma and lucid-discerning, without worrying.
Then it occurred to the Buddha:
“It would not be appropriate for me to become fully nirvana'd before informing my attendants and taking leave of the monk Saṅgha.
Why don’t I forcefully suppress this illness, stabilize the life force, and live on?”
So that is what he did.
Then the Buddha’s illness died down.
Soon after the Buddha had recovered from that sickness, he came out from his dwelling and sat in the shade of the porch on the seat spread out.
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Sir, it’s fantastic that the Buddha is comfortable,
that he’s well,
and that he’s alright.
Because when the Buddha was sick, my body felt like it was drugged. I was disorientated, and The Dharmas weren’t clear to me.
Still, at least I was consoled by the thought that
the Buddha won’t become fully nirvana'd without making some statement regarding the Saṅgha of monks.”
“But what could the monk Saṅgha expect from me now, Ānanda?
I’ve taught the Dhamma without making any distinction between secret and public Dharmas.
The Realized One doesn’t have the closed fist of a teacher when it comes to The Dharmas.
If there’s anyone who thinks:
‘I’ll take charge of the Saṅgha of monks,’ or ‘the Saṅgha of monks is meant for me,’ let them make a statement regarding the Saṅgha.
But the Realized One doesn’t think like this,
so why should he make some statement regarding the Saṅgha?
I’m now old, elderly and senior. I’m advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life.
I’m currently eighty years old.
Just as a decrepit cart keeps going by relying on straps,
in the same way, the Realized One’s body keeps going by relying on straps, or so you’d think.
Sometimes the Realized One, not focusing on any signs, and with the cessation of certain sensations, enters and remains in the signless undistractible-lucidity of the heart. Only then does the Realized One’s body become more comfortable.
So Ānanda, be your own island, your own refuge, with no other refuge. Let The Dharma be your island and your refuge, with no other refuge.
And how does a monk do this?
It’s when He lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing sensations as sensations [truly are]
He lives continuously seeing a mind as a mind [truly is]
He lives continuously seeing Dharma as Dharma [truly is]
[in each of the 4 ways of remembering]:
He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],
having removed greed and distress in regard to the world.
That’s how a monk is their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge. That’s how The Dharma is their island and their refuge, with no other refuge.
Whether now or after I have passed, any who shall live as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge; with The Dharma as their island and their refuge, with no other refuge—those monks of mine who want to train shall be among the best of the best.”
SN 47.10 The Nuns’ Quarters
Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the nuns’ quarters, and sat down on the seat spread out.
Then several nuns went up to Venerable Ānanda, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Sir, Ānanda, several nuns live with their minds firmly established in the four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma. They have realized a higher distinction than they had before.”
“That’s how it is, sisters! That’s how it is, sisters!
Any monk or nun who lives with their mind firmly established in the four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma can expect to
realize a higher distinction than they had before.”
Then Ānanda educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired those nuns with a Dhamma talk, after which he got up from his seat and left.
Then Ānanda wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from alms-round, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.
“That’s so true, Ānanda! That’s so true!
Any monk or nun who lives with their mind firmly established in the four kinds of remembering and applying Dharma can expect to
realize a higher distinction than they had before.
Which Four ways?
It’s when
a monk lives continuously seeing a body as a body [truly is]
He is ardent, lucidly discerning, remembering [and applying Dharma],
having removed greed and distress in regard to the world.
As they live seeing the body as a body truly is, based on the body there arises physical tension, or mental sluggishness, or the mind is externally scattered.
That monk should direct their mind towards an inspiring sign.
As they attend to that sign, [an inspiring recollection relevant to skillful Dharmas], they rejoice.
Rejoicing [in skillful Dharmas], mental-joy [of first and second jhāna] springs up.
When the mind is full of mental-joy, the body becomes pacified.
When the body is pacified, one feels [physical] pleasure.
And when pleasure [pervades the body], the mind becomes undistractible-&-lucid in samādhi.
Then they [equanimously] observe:
‘I have accomplished the goal for which I directed my mind.
Let me now pull back.’
They pull back from [first jhāna, which involves] directing and evaluating thoughts [based on skillful Dharmas].
They lucidly-discern: ‘I’m neither directing-thoughts nor evaluating them,
internally [I have purity and confidence in Dharma and myself].
I’m simply remembering and applying Dharma [without using mental words].
I abide in the pleasure [of second jhāna or something higher] .’
Furthermore, a monk lives seeing sensations as sensations truly are …
a monk lives seeing the mind as the mind truly is…
A monk lives seeing Dharma as Dharma truly is —ardent, lucidly-discerning, and remembering and applying Dharma, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
As they live seeing Dharma as Dharma truly is, based on [this fourth frame of remembering and applying] Dharma, there arises physical tension, or mental sluggishness, or the mind is externally scattered.
That monk should direct their mind towards an inspiring sign.
As they attend to that sign, [an inspiring recollection relevant to skillful Dharmas], they rejoice.
Rejoicing [in skillful Dharmas], mental-joy [of first and second jhāna] springs up.
When the mind is full of mental-joy, the body becomes pacified.
When the body is pacified, one feels [physical] pleasure.
And when pleasure [pervades the body], the mind becomes undistractible-&-lucid in samādhi.
Then they [equanimously] observe:
‘I have accomplished the goal for which I directed my mind.
Let me now pull back.’
They pull back from [first jhāna, which involves] directing and evaluating thoughts [based on skillful Dharmas].
They lucidly-discern: ‘I’m neither directing-thoughts nor evaluating them,
internally [I have purity and confidence in Dharma and myself].
I’m simply remembering and applying Dharma [without using mental words].
I abide in the pleasure [of second jhāna or something higher] .’
That’s how there is directed development.
And how is there undirected development?
Not directing their mind externally, a monk lucidly-discerns: ‘My mind is not directed externally.’
And they lucidly-discern: ‘Over a period of time it’s uncontracted, freed, and undirected.’
And they also lucidly-discern: ‘I live seeing the body as a body truly is—ardent, lucidly-discerning, remembering and applying Dharma; I am happy.’
Likewise with 3 remaining frames, they live seeing sensations, the mind, and Dharma as they truly are,
and they are happy.
So, Ānanda, I've taught you directed development and undirected development.
Directed development means you use skillful verbal Dharma thoughts of first jhāna to pacify the mind by arousing mental joy, which induces physical pleasure, stabilizing the body and grounding first jhāna.
Undirected development means you no longer need verbal Dharma thoughts to settle the mind — you already have the skill to pacify body and mind at will and enter directly into second jhāna or higher, which holds no verbal thoughts, only non-verbal mental activity, attending to perceptions of relevant Dharma.
Out of compassion, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples.
Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts.
Practice jhāna, Ānanda!
Be assiduous! not negligent!
Don’t regret it later!
This is my instruction to you.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda was happy with what the Buddha said.
The picture for SN 47.10 is quite erroneous. Unlike Christian nuns or Muslim women who often wear veils or head coverings, the Bhikkhunis did not cover their heads. A Patimokkha rule states: "I will not go [or sit] with my head covered in inhabited areas" (unless ill). This applies to both monks and nuns and refers to using any cloth, robe fold, scarf, or headgear.
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