The Related Suttas Collection 47.40

4. Not Learned From Anyone Else

Analysis

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you mindfulness meditation, the development of mindfulness meditation, and the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation. Listen …

And what is mindfulness meditation? It’s when a bhikkhu meditates by watching, again and again, an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate watching, again and again, an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. This is called mindfulness meditation.

And what is the development of mindfulness meditation? It’s when a bhikkhu meditates watching, again and again, the body as liable to originate, as liable to vanish, and as liable to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They are watching, again and again, an aspect of feelings … mind … principles as liable to originate, as liable to vanish, and as liable to originate and vanish—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. This is called the development of mindfulness meditation.

And what is the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samādhi. This is called the practice that leads to the development of mindfulness meditation.”