At Sālā

At one time the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario was staying in the land of the Kosalans near the brahmin village of Sālā.*This village is possibly connected to the Śālagrāma famed in later years as the origin of the ammonite stones found on the Gaṇḍakī river and worshiped as aniconic forms of Vishnu. Against this theory is that Śālagrāma is too far to the north-east, although in truth we do not know the exact extent of Kosala. The feminine ending of the Pali form suggests that the name means “hall”, but Sanskrit sources trace Śālagrāma to the sal trees that grow abundantly in the Himalayan foothills. | The same framing narrative recurs at MN 60, where the topic of rebirth is also discussed.There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati sālāya brāhmaṇagāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi …pe… etadavoca:

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans near the brahmin village of Sālā.*This village is possibly connected to the Śālagrāma famed in later years as the origin of the ammonite stones found on the Gaṇḍakī river and worshiped as aniconic forms of Vishnu. Against this theory is that Śālagrāma is too far to the north-east, although in truth we do not know the exact extent of Kosala. The feminine ending of the Pali form suggests that the name means “hall”, but Sanskrit sources trace Śālagrāma to the sal trees that grow abundantly in the Himalayan foothills. | The same framing narrative recurs at MN 60, where the topic of rebirth is also discussed.Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati sālāya brāhmaṇagāme. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi …pe… etadavoca:

“Mendicants, those mendicants who are junior—recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training—should be encouraged, supported, and established by you in the four kinds of mindfulnesssatiAtención plena, memoria, poderes de referencia y retención. En algunos contextos, la palabra sati cuando se usa sola cubre también la alerta (sampajañña).Ver en el glosario meditation.*Traditionally, new monastics are taught the meditation on parts of the body (MN 10:10.1, Kp 3:1.1). See too AN 5.114.What four?Please, reverends, meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhisamādhiConcentración o estabilidad unificada de la mente. En meditación, samādhi reúne y estabiliza la atención sobre un objeto hasta distintos grados de profundidad, pudiendo culminar en jhāna. Es uno de los cinco indriya, una de las cinco fuerzas, uno de los siete bojjhaṅgas y el octavo factor del Noble Sendero Óctuple.Ver en el glosario, and unified, so as to truly know the body.Meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know feelings.Meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know the mind.Meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know principles.

“Ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, te vo, bhikkhave, bhikkhū catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Etha tumhe, āvuso, kāye kāyānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; citte cittānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; dhammesu dhammānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya.

“Mendicants, those mendicants who are junior—recently gone forth, newly come to this teaching and training—should be encouraged, supported, and established by you in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.*Traditionally, new monastics are taught the meditation on parts of the body (MN 10:10.1, Kp 3:1.1). See too AN 5.114.“Ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū navā acirapabbajitā adhunāgatā imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, te vo, bhikkhave, bhikkhū catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvanāya samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā. What four?Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Please, reverends, meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know the body.Etha tumhe, āvuso, kāye kāyānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; Meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know feelings.vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; Meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know the mind.citte cittānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya; Meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know principles.dhammesu dhammānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya.

Those mendicants who are trainees—who haven’t achieved their heart’s desire, but live aspiring to the supreme sanctuary from the yoke—also meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand the body.*Through the practice of mindfulness meditation they have attained jhāna and now seek to deepen understanding.They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand feelings.They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand the mind.They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand principles.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, tepi kāye kāyānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa pariññāya; vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanānaṁ pariññāya; citte cittānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittassa pariññāya; dhammesu dhammānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammānaṁ pariññāya.

Those mendicants who are trainees—who haven’t achieved their heart’s desire, but live aspiring to the supreme sanctuary from the yoke—also meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand the body.*Through the practice of mindfulness meditation they have attained jhāna and now seek to deepen understanding.Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sekhā appattamānasā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānā viharanti, tepi kāye kāyānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa pariññāya; They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand feelings.vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanānaṁ pariññāya; They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand the mind.citte cittānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittassa pariññāya; They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to fully understand principles.dhammesu dhammānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammānaṁ pariññāya.

Those mendicants who are perfected—who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—also meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from the body.*The arahants continue to meditate, not in order to achieve anything, but simply because it is a pure and blissful abiding.They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from feelings.They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from the mind.They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from principles.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tepi kāye kāyānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyena visaṁyuttā; vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanāhi visaṁyuttā; citte cittānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittena visaṁyuttā; dhammesu dhammānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammehi visaṁyuttā.

Those mendicants who are perfected—who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—also meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from the body.*The arahants continue to meditate, not in order to achieve anything, but simply because it is a pure and blissful abiding.Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tepi kāye kāyānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyena visaṁyuttā; They meditate observing an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from feelings.vedanāsu vedanānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, vedanāhi visaṁyuttā; They meditate observing an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from the mind.citte cittānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, cittena visaṁyuttā; They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, detached from principles.dhammesu dhammānupassino viharanti ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, dhammehi visaṁyuttā.