• Linked Discourses 54.7 Saṁyutta Nikāya 54.7
  • 1. One Thing 1. Ekadhammavagga

About Mahākappina Mahākappinasutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Now at that time Venerable Mahākappina was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, his body set straight, and mindfulness established in his presence. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahākappino bhagavato avidÅ«re nisinno hoti pallaį¹…kaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaį¹­į¹­hapetvā. The Buddha saw him, Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ mahākappinaṁ avidÅ«re nisinnaṁ pallaį¹…kaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaį¹­į¹­hapetvā. and addressed the mendicants: Disvāna bhikkhÅ« āmantesi:

ā€œMendicants, do you see any disturbance or trembling in that mendicant’s body?ā€ ā€œPassatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etassa bhikkhuno kāyassa iƱjitattaṁ vā phanditattaṁ vÄā€ti?

ā€œSir, whenever we see that mendicant meditating—whether in the middle of the Saį¹…gha or alone in private—we never see any disturbance or trembling in his body.ā€ ā€œYadāpi mayaṁ, bhante, taṁ āyasmantaṁ passāma saį¹…ghamajjhe vā nisinnaṁ ekaṁ vā raho nisinnaṁ, tadāpi mayaṁ tassa āyasmato na passāma kāyassa iƱjitattaṁ vā phanditattaṁ vÄā€ti.

ā€œMendicants, when an immersion has been developed and cultivated there’s no disturbance or trembling of the body or mind. That mendicant gets such immersion when he wants, without trouble or difficulty. ā€œYassa, bhikkhave, samādhissa bhāvitattā bahulÄ«katattā neva kāyassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā, na cittassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā, tassa so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samādhissa nikāmalābhÄ« akicchalābhÄ« akasiralābhÄ«. And what is that immersion? Katamassa ca, bhikkhave, samādhissa bhāvitattā bahulÄ«katattā neva kāyassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā, na cittassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā?

When immersion due to mindfulness of breathing has been developed and cultivated there’s no disturbance or trembling of the body or mind. Ānāpānassatisamādhissa, bhikkhave, bhāvitattā bahulÄ«katattā neva kāyassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā, na cittassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā. And how is immersion due to mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated in such a way? Kathaṁ bhāvite ca, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhimhi kathaṁ bahulÄ«kate neva kāyassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā, na cittassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā?

It’s when a mendicant—gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut—sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and establishes mindfulness in their presence. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araƱƱagato vā rukkhamÅ«lagato vā suƱƱāgāragato vā nisÄ«dati pallaį¹…kaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaį¹­į¹­hapetvā. Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. … So satova assasati, satova passasati …pe… They practice like this: ā€˜I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ā€˜I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’ ā€˜paį¹­inissaggānupassÄ« assasissāmī’ti sikkhati, ā€˜paį¹­inissaggānupassÄ« passasissāmī’ti sikkhati.

That’s how immersion due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated so that there’s no disturbance or trembling of the body or mind.ā€ Evaṁ bhāvite ca kho, bhikkhave, ānāpānassatisamādhimhi evaṁ bahulÄ«kate neva kāyassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vā, na cittassa iƱjitattaṁ vā hoti phanditattaṁ vÄā€ti.

Sattamaṁ.