{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn36.8/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn36.8","id":"suttacentral_sn36.8","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn36.8/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying near Ves\u0101l\u012b, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the infirmary, where he sat down on the seat spread out, and addressed the mendicants: \u201cMendicants, a mendicant should await their time mindful and aware. This is my instruction to you. And how is a mendicant mindful? It\u2019s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body\u2014keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings \u2026 They meditate observing an aspect of the mind \u2026 They meditate observing an aspect of principles\u2014keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. That\u2019s how a mendicant is mindful. And how is a mendicant aware? It\u2019s when a mendicant acts with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent. That\u2019s how a mendicant is aware. A mendicant should await their time mindful and aware. This is my instruction to you. While a mendicant is meditating like this\u2014mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute\u2014if pleasant feelings arise, they understand: \u2018A pleasant feeling has arisen in me. That\u2019s dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on this very contact. But this contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated. So how could a pleasant feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on contact that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?\u2019 They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in contact and pleasant feeling. As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for greed for contact and pleasant feeling. While a mendicant is meditating like this\u2014mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute\u2014if painful feelings arise \u2026 if neutral feelings arise, they understand: \u2018A neutral feeling has arisen in me. That\u2019s dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on this very contact.\u2019 (Tell in full as in the previous discourse.) They understand: \u2018When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that\u2019s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.\u2019 Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn. As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to not being fed. In the same way, feeling the end of the body draw close, a mendicant understands: \u2018I feel the end of the body draw close.\u2019 Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: \u2018I feel the end of life draw close.\u2019 They understand: \u2018When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that\u2019s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.\u2019\u201d","title":"The Infirmary (2nd)","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":489}