4. Dhammānupassanā:
Contemplation of Phenomena

4.1 Nīvaraṇa Pabbaṁ: Section on the Hindrances

Kathañca bhikkhave bhikkhu / dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati?/

“And how, monks, does a monk dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena?

Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu / dhammesu dhammānupassi viharati;/ pañcasu nīvaraṇesu./

“Here monks, a monk dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena • in terms of the five hindrances.

Kathañca bhikkhave bhikkhu dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati pañcasu nīvaraṇesu?/

And how does monks, a monk dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena • in terms of the five hindrances?

Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu / santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ kāmacchandaṁ,/ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ kāmacchando’ti pajānāti./ Asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ kāmacchandaṁ,/ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ kāmacchando’ti pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa kāmacchandassa uppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa kāmacchandassa pahānaṁ hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa kāmacchandassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti / tañca pajānāti./

“Here, monks, there being sense desire in him, • a monk understands: • ‘There is sense desire in me.’ There being no sense desire in him, he understands: • ‘There is no sense desire in me.’ He also understands how there comes to be • the arising of unarisen sense desire, • how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen sense desire, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of abandoned sense desire.

Santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ vyāpādaṁ,/ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ vyāpādo’ti pajānāti./ Asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ vyāpādaṁ,/ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ vyāpādo’ti pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa vyāpādassa uppādo hoti / tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa vyāpādassa pahānaṁ hoti / tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa vyāpādassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“There being ill will in him, • a monk understands: • ‘There is ill will in me.’ There being no ill will in him, he understands: • ‘There is no ill will in me.’ He also understands how there comes to be • the arising of unarisen ill will, • how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen ill will, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of abandoned ill will.

Santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ thīnamiddhaṁ,/ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ thīnamiddhan’ti pajānāti./ Asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ thīnamiddhaṁ,/ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ thīnamiddhan’ti pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa thīnamiddhassa uppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa thīnamiddhassa pahānaṁ hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnassa thīnamiddhassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“There being dullness and drowsiness in him, • a monk understands: • ‘There is dullness and drowsiness in me.’ There being no dullness and drowsiness in him, • he understands: • ‘There is no dullness and drowsiness in me.’ He also understands how there comes to be • the arising of unarisen dullness and drowsiness, • how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen dullness and drowsiness, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising • of abandoned dullness and drowsiness.

Santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ uddhacca kukkuccaṁ,/ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ uddhacca kukkuccan’ti pajānāti./ Asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ uddhacca kukkuccaṁ / ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ uddhacca kukkuccanti’ pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannassa uddhacca kukkuccassa uppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannassa uddhacca kukkuccassa pahānaṁ hoti,/ tañca pajānāti,/ yathā ca pahīnassa uddhacca kukkuccassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“There being restlessness and remorse in him, • a monk understands: • ‘There is restlessness and remorse in me.’ There being no restlessness and remorse in him, • he understands: • ‘There is no restlessness and remorse in me.’ He also understands how there comes to be • the arising of unarisen restlessness and remorse, • how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen restlessness and remorse, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising • of abandoned restlessness and remorse.

Santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ vicikicchaṁ,/ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ vicikicchā’ti pajānāti./ Asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ vicikicchaṁ,/ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ vicikicchā’ti pajānāti./ Yathā ca anuppannāya vicikicchāya uppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca uppannāya vicikicchāya pahānaṁ hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./ Yathā ca pahīnāya vicikicchāya āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti,/ tañca pajānāti./

“There being doubt in him, a monk understands: • ‘There is doubt in me.’ There being no doubt in him, he understands: • ‘There is no doubt in me.’ He understands how there comes to be the arising of unarisen doubt, • how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen doubt, • and how there comes to be the future non-arising of abandoned doubt.

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 dhammānupassī viharati / pañcasu nīvaraṇesu./

That is how monks, a monk dwells contemplating the phenomena in phenomena • in terms of the five hindrances.

• 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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