4. Dhammānupassanā:
Contemplation of Phenomena

4.3 Āyatana Pabbaṁ: Section on the Sense Bases

Puna ca paraṁ bhikkhave bhikkhu / dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati / chasu ajjhattikabāhiresu āyatanesu./ Kathañca bhikkhave bhikkhu / dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati / chasu ajjhattika bāhiresu āyatanesu?/

“Again monks, a monk dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena • in terms of the six internal and external sense bases. • And how monks, does a monk dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena • in terms of the six internal and external sense bases?

Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu / cakkhuñca pajānāti./ Rūpe ca pajānāti./ Yañca tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati saññojanaṁ / tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa saññojanassa uppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa saññojanassa pahānaṁ hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa saññojanassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti, / tañca pajānāti./

“Here monks, a monk understands the eye, • he understands forms, • and he understands the fetter that arises dependent on both. He understands how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen fetter, • how there comes to be the abandoning of the arisen fetter, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of the abandoned fetter.

Sotañca pajānāti,/ sadde ca pajānāti./ Yañca tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati saññojanaṁ / tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa saññojanassa uppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa saññojanassa pahānaṁ hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa saññojanassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“He understands the ear, • he understands sounds, • and he understands the fetter that arises dependent on both. He understands how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen fetter, • how there comes to be the abandoning of the arisen fetter, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of the abandoned fetter.

Ghānañca pajānāti./ Gandhe ca pajānāti./ Yañca tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati saññojanaṁ / tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa saññojanassa uppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa saññojanassa pahānaṁ hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa saññojanassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“He understands the nose, • he understands odors, • and he understands the fetter that arises dependent on both. He understands how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen fetter, • how there comes to be the abandoning of the arisen fetter, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of the abandoned fetter.

Jivhañca pajānāti,/ rase ca pajānāti./ Yañca tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati saññojanaṁ / tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa saññojanassa uppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti. Yathā ca uppannassa saññojanassa pahānaṁ hoti, tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa saññojanassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“He understands the tongue, • he understands tastes, • and he understands the fetter that arises dependent on both. He understands how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen fetter, • how there comes to be the abandoning of the arisen fetter, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of the abandoned fetter.

Kāyañca pajānāti./ Phoṭṭhabbe ca pajānāti./ Yañca tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati saññojanaṁ / tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa saññojanassa uppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa saññojanassa pahānaṁ hoti, / tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa saññojanassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“He understands the body, • he understands tactile objects, • and he understands the fetter that arises dependent on both. He understands how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen fetter, • how there comes to be the abandoning of the arisen fetter, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of the abandoned fetter.

Manañca pajānāti./ Dhamme ca pajānāti./ Yañca tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati saññojanaṁ,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa saññojanassa uppādo hoti, /tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa saññojanassa pahānaṁ hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa saññojanassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“He understands the mind, • he understands mental objects, • and he understands the fetter that arises dependent on both. He understands how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen fetter, • how there comes to be the abandoning of the arisen fetter, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of the abandoned fetter.

Iti ajjhattaṁ vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati,/ bahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati./ Ajjhatta bahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati./

“In this way he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena within himself, • he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena within another, • and he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena both within himself and within another.

Samudaya dhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati,/ vaya dhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati,/ samudaya vaya dhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati./

“He dwells contemplating the arising of the phenomena, • he dwells contemplating the passing away of the phenomena, • and he dwells contemplating the arising and passing away of the phenomena.

Atthi dhammāti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti,/ yāvadeva ñāṇa mattāya patissati mattāya./ Anissito ca viharati./ Na ca kiñci loke upādiyati./

“Mindfulness, that there are phenomena • is simply established in him • to the extent necessary for higher knowledge and mindfulness. He dwells independent, and not clinging to anything in the world.

Evampi kho bhikkhave bhikkhu / dhammesu dhammānupassi viharati / chasu ajjhattika bāhiresu āyatanesu./

That is how monks, a monk dwells contemplating the phenomena in phenomena • in terms of the six internal and external sense bases.

• Uddeso: Introduction
• 1. Kāyānupassanā: The Observation of Body
• 1.1 Ānāpāna Pabbaṁ: Section on Breathing
• 1.2. Iriyāpatha Pabbaṁ: Section on Postures
• 1.3 Sampajañña Pabbaṁ: Section on Clear Comprehension
• 1.4 Paṭikūlamanasikāra Pabbaṁ: Section on Repulsiveness
• 1.5 Dhātumanasikāra Pabbaṁ: Reflections on the Elements
• 1.6 Navasīvathika Pabbaṁ: Nine Charnel-Ground Contemplations
• 2. Vedanānupassanā: Contemplation of Feeling
• 3. Cittānupassanā: Contemplation of Mind
• 4. Dhammānupassanā: Contemplation of Phenomena
• 4.1 Nīvaraṇa Pabbaṁ: Section on the Hindrances
• 4.2 Khandha Pabbaṁ: Section on the Aggregates
• 4.3 Āyatana Pabbaṁ: Section on the Sense Bases
• 4.4 Bojjhanga Pabbaṁ: Section on the Factors of Enlightenment
• 4.5 Sacca Pabbaṁ: Section on the Four Noble Truths
• Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvanānisaṁso: The Results of the Establishing of Mindfulness

The complete translation of the Maha Satipatthana Sutta can be found in in this book. The special feature of this book is that the many beautiful repetitions that help us understand each section have been carefully included so it is the perfect text for chanting. As well, the Pali and English has been marked with pauses so groups can easily chant in harmony.

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