1. Kāyānupassanā:
The Observation of Body

1.4 Paṭikūlamanasikāra Pabbaṁ: Section on Repulsiveness

Puna ca paraṁ bhikkhave bhikkhu / imameva kāyaṁ uddhaṁ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā/ taca pariyantaṁ pūraṁ nānappakārassa asucino paccavekkhati./ “Atthi imasmiṁ kāye, kesā, lomā, nakhā, dantā, taco,/ maṁsaṁ, nahāru, aṭṭhi, aṭṭhi miñjaṁ, vakkaṁ,/ hadayaṁ, yakanaṁ, kilomakaṁ, pihakaṁ, papphāsaṁ,/ antaṁ, antaguṇaṁ, udariyaṁ, karīsaṁ, matthaluṁgaṁ/ pittaṁ, semhaṁ, pubbo, lohitaṁ,/ sedo, medo, assu, vasā, kheḷo,/ siṁghāṇikā, lasikā, muttanti.”/

“Again, monks, a monk considers this body upwards from the soles of the feet, • and downwards from the tips of the hairs, enclosed in skin, • as full of many kinds of impurities: ‘In this body there are head hairs, • body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, • flesh, blood vessels, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, brain• heart, liver, gall bladder, spleen, lungs, • small intestine, large intestine, stomach, feces, brain • bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, • skin oil, saliva, mucus, • fluid in the joints, and urine.’

“Seyyathāpi bhikkhave ubhato mukhā muṭoḷi / pūrā nānāvihitassa dhaññassa,/ seyyathīdaṁ,/ sālīnaṁ, vihīnaṁ, muggānaṁ, māsānaṁ, tilānaṁ, taṇḍulānaṁ./ Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso muñcitvā paccavekkheyya:/ “ime sālī, ime vīhī, ime muggā, ime māsā,/ ime tilā, ime taṇḍulā’ti./

“Just as though there were a bag with an opening at both ends • full of many sorts of grain, • such as hill rice, red rice, beans, peas, millet, and white rice, • and a man with good eyes were to open it and review it thus: ‘This is hill rice, this is red rice, • these are beans, these are peas, • this is millet, and this is white rice.’

Evameva kho bhikkhave bhikkhu/ imameva kāyaṁ uddhaṁ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā / taca pariyantaṁ pūraṁ nānappakārassa asucino paccavekkhati:/ atthi imasmiṁ kāye kesā, lomā, nakhā, dantā, taco,/ maṁsaṁ, nahāru, aṭṭhi, aṭṭhimiñjaṁ, vakkaṁ,/ hadayaṁ, yakanaṁ, kilomakaṁ, pihakaṁ, papphāsaṁ,/ antaṁ, antaguṇaṁ, udariyaṁ, karīsaṁ, matthaluṁgaṁ/ pittaṁ, semhaṁ, pubbo, lohitaṁ,/ sedo, medo, assu, vasā, kheḷo,/ siṅghānikā, lasikā, muttanti.”/

In the same way , monks, a monk considers this body upwards from the soles of the feet, • and downwards from the tips of the hairs, enclosed in skin, • as full of many kinds of impurities: • ‘There are in this body head hairs, • body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, • flesh, blood vessels, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, • heart, liver, gall bladder, spleen, lungs, • small intestine, large intestine, stomach, feces, brain • bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, • skin oil, saliva, mucus, • fluid in the joints, and urine.’

Iti ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati./ Bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati./ Ajjhatta bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati./

“In this way he dwells contemplating his own body, • he dwells contemplating others’ bodies, • and he dwells contemplating both his and others’ bodies.

Samudaya dhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati./ Vaya dhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati./ Samudaya vaya dhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati./

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

Atthi kāyo’ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti./ Yāvadeva ñāṇa mattāya, patissati mattāya,/ anissito ca viharati./ Na ca kiñci loke upādiyati./

“Mindfulness, that there is a body • 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 / kāye kāyānupassī viharati./

That is how monks, a monk dwells contemplating the body in body.



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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