[60] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Girimānanda was afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, the Venerable Girimānanda is afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would approach the Venerable Girimānanda, out of compassion."
"If, Ānanda, you were to approach the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him the ten perceptions (saññā), it is possible that, having heard the ten perceptions, that affliction of the bhikkhu Girimānanda would subside on the spot. What ten? The perception of impermanence, the perception of non-self (anattā), the perception of foulness (asubha), the perception of danger (ādīnava), the perception of abandonment (pahāna), the perception of dispassion (virāga), the perception of cessation (nirodha), the perception of non-delight in the whole world, the perception of impermanence in all formations, and mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati).
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of impermanence? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, reflects thus: 'Form is impermanent, feeling (vedanā) is impermanent, perception is impermanent, volitional formations are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent.' Thus he dwells contemplating impermanence in these five aggregates subject to clinging. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of impermanence.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-self? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, reflects thus: 'The eye is non-self, forms are non-self; the ear is non-self, sounds are non-self; the nose is non-self, odors are non-self; the tongue is non-self, tastes are non-self; the body is non-self, tangibles are non-self; the mind is non-self, mental phenomena are non-self.' Thus he dwells contemplating non-self in these six internal and external sense bases (āyatana). This, Ānanda, is called the perception of non-self.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of foulness? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu reviews this very body, upward from the soles of the feet, downward from the tips of the head hairs, bounded by skin, as full of impurities of many kinds: 'There are in this body head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach contents, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, fluid of the joints, urine.' Thus he dwells contemplating foulness in this body. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of foulness.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of danger? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, reflects thus: 'This body has much suffering (dukkha), much danger; thus various afflictions arise in this body, namely: eye-disease, ear-disease, nose-disease, tongue-disease, body-disease, head-disease, disease of the outer ear, mouth-disease, tooth-disease, cough, asthma, catarrh, burning, fever, disease of the belly, fainting, dysentery, gripes, cholera, leprosy, boils, eczema, consumption, epilepsy, ringworm, itch, scab, scratch-sores, scabies, disorders of blood and bile, diabetes, hemorrhoids, pustules, fistula; afflictions originating from bile, afflictions originating from phlegm, afflictions originating from wind, afflictions arising from their combination, afflictions born of change of season, afflictions born of careless conduct, afflictions produced by assault, afflictions born of the ripening of kamma; cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, urination.' Thus he dwells contemplating danger in this body. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of danger.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of abandonment? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality; he abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will; he abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of harming; he abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate bad, unwholesome states whenever they arise; he abandons them, dispels them, terminates them, and obliterates them. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of abandonment.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of dispassion? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, reflects thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions (upadhi), the destruction of craving (taṇhā), dispassion, Nibbāna.' This, Ānanda, is called the perception of dispassion.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of cessation? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, reflects thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, cessation, Nibbāna.' This, Ānanda, is called the perception of cessation.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-delight in the whole world? Here, Ānanda, whatever engagement and clinging (upādāna) there are regarding the world, whatever mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies—abandoning these, a bhikkhu refrains, not clinging. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of non-delight in the whole world.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of impermanence in all formations? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is repelled by, humiliated by, and disgusted with all formations. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of impermanence in all formations.
"And what, Ānanda, is mindfulness of breathing? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, sits down; having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him, just mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out. Breathing in long, he knows, 'I breathe in long'; or breathing out long, he knows, 'I breathe out long.' Breathing in short, he knows, 'I breathe in short'; or breathing out short, he knows, 'I breathe out short.' He trains thus: 'Experiencing the whole body, I shall breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Experiencing the whole body, I shall breathe out.' He trains thus: 'Calming the bodily formation, I shall breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Calming the bodily formation, I shall breathe out.' He trains thus: 'Experiencing rapture (pīti), I shall breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Experiencing rapture, I shall breathe out.' He trains thus: 'Experiencing pleasure, I shall breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Experiencing pleasure, I shall breathe out.' He trains thus: 'Experiencing the mental formation, I shall breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Experiencing the mental formation, I shall breathe out.' He trains thus: 'Calming the mental formation, I shall breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Calming the mental formation, I shall breathe out.' He trains thus: 'Experiencing the mind (citta), I shall breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Experiencing the mind, I shall breathe out.' Gladdening the mind … concentrating the mind … liberating the mind … contemplating impermanence … contemplating dispassion … contemplating cessation … he trains thus: 'Contemplating relinquishment, I shall breathe in'; he trains thus: 'Contemplating relinquishment, I shall breathe out.' This, Ānanda, is called mindfulness of breathing.
"If, Ānanda, you were to approach the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him these ten perceptions, it is possible that, having heard these ten perceptions, that affliction of the bhikkhu Girimānanda would subside on the spot."
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having learned these ten perceptions in the presence of the Blessed One, approached the Venerable Girimānanda; having approached, he spoke these ten perceptions to the Venerable Girimānanda. Then, when the Venerable Girimānanda had heard these ten perceptions, that affliction subsided on the spot, and the Venerable Girimānanda recovered from that affliction. And in that way that affliction of the Venerable Girimānanda was abandoned.
The First Chapter: Sacitta.
Its summary (uddāna):
Sacitta and Sāriputta, Ṭhiti and with Samatha,
Parihāna, the two on Saññā, Mūla, Pabbajita, and Ābādha.
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The Second Chapter: Yamaka
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.