i. Of Great Fruit

1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, when the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated, it is of great fruit and benefit. [n.117] The skeleton (aṭṭhika) is one of the ten meditation subjects on foulness (asubhakammaṭṭhāna) mentioned at Vism 178–79 (Ppn 6:1‒11). So too the corpses listed below at 46:58–61: the worm-invested (puḷuvaka), the livid (vinīlaka), the fissured (vicchiddaka), and the bloated (uddhumātaka). Each becomes associated with the enlightenment factors when the concentration it induces is made a basis for developing insight and arriving at the supramundane path.

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"And how, bhikkhus, is the perception of a skeleton developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and benefit? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness accompanied by the perception of a skeleton … he develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity accompanied by the perception of a skeleton, based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. It is in this way that the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated so that it is of great fruit and benefit."

ii. One Of Two Fruits

"Bhikkhus, when the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated, one of two fruits is to be expected: either final knowledge in this very life or, if there is a residue of clinging, [n.118] Sati vā upādisese. Spk glosses: gahaṇasese upādānasese vijjamānamhi; "(if there is) a remainder of grasping, a remainder of clinging, existing." Upādisesa is found in two technical senses: (i) when contrasted with aññā, final knowledge, it means a residue of defilements, the minimum residue that the nonreturner must eliminate to attain arahantship; and (ii) in relation to Nibbāna, it denotes the five aggregates, which persist until the arahant expires. Nibbāna as experienced by the arahant during life is called the anupādisesanibbānadhātu, "the Nibbāna element with a residue (= the five aggregates) remaining"; as attained at his death it is the anupadisesanibbanadhātu, "the Nibbāna element without residue remaining." The commentaries take upādi in this context to mean what is clung to (upādīyati).
Although I translate upādisesa in the present passage as "residue of clinging," I do so simply for the sake of clarity, not because I am convinced that upādi actually stands for upādāna. The whole expression may simply be an idiom meaning "an (unspecified) residue." At MN II 257,1 foll., saupādisesa and anupadisesa are used in relation to the noxious matter left behind in a wound, and in that context "clinging" in any sense is irrelevant. It is possible the expression was a current medical idiom to which the Buddha simply ascribed a new meaning. the state of nonreturning.

"And how, bhikkhus, is the perception of a skeleton developed and cultivated so that one of two fruits is to be expected: either final knowledge in this very life or, if there is a residue of clinging, the state of nonreturning? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness accompanied by the perception of a skeleton … he develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity accompanied by the perception of a skeleton, based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. It is in this way that the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated so that one of two fruits is to be expected: either final knowledge in this very life or, if there is a residue of clinging, the state of nonreturning." sn.v.130

iii. Great Good

"Bhikkhus, when the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated, it leads to great good.

"And how, bhikkhus, is the perception of a skeleton developed and cultivated so that it leads to great good? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness accompanied by the perception of a skeleton … he develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity accompanied by the perception of a skeleton, based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. It is in this way that the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated so that it leads to great good."

iv. Security From Bondage

"Bhikkhus, when the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated, it leads to great security from bondage.

"And how, bhikkhus, is the perception of a skeleton developed and cultivated so that it leads to great security from bondage? … " All as above.

v. Sense Of Urgency

"Bhikkhus, when the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated, it leads to a great sense of urgency.

"And how, bhikkhus, is the perception of a skeleton developed and cultivated so that it leads to a great sense of urgency? … " All as above. sn.v.131

vi. Dwelling In Comfort

"Bhikkhus, when the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated, it leads to dwelling in great comfort.

"And how, bhikkhus, is the perception of a skeleton developed and cultivated so that it leads to dwelling in great comfort? … " All as above.

Each of the following suttas, §§58–76, is to be elaborated in accordance with the sixfold method of §57.

 

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. "Aṭṭhikasaññā, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā.

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Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, aṭṭhikasaññā kathaṁ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aṭṭhikasaññāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ … pe … aṭṭhikasaññāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. Evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhikasaññā evaṁ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā"ti.