1–2At Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: [n.183] This sutta differs from SN47.18 only in being a reminiscence of the events narrated there.

"Bhikkhus, on one occasion I was dwelling at Uruvela on the bank of the river Nerañjara under the Goatherd's Banyan Tree just after I became fully enlightened. Then, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind thus: ‘This is the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation … as in §18 … that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.’

3–4"Then, bhikkhus, Brahma Sahampati, having known with his own mind the reflection in my mind, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, disappeared from the brahma world and reappeared before me. He arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, extended his joined hands towards me in reverential salutation, and said to me: ‘So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One! Venerable sir, this is the one-way path for the purification of beings … sn.v.186 … that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.’

5"This, bhikkhus, is what Brahma Sahampati said. Having said this, he further said this:

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

"Ekamidāhaṁ, bhikkhave, samayaṁ uruvelāyaṁ viharāmi najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘ekāyanvāyaṁ maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ – cattāro satipaṭṭhānā.

2Katame cattāro? Kāye vā bhikkhu kāyānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu vā bhikkhu vedanānupassī vihareyya … pe … citte vā bhikkhu cittānupassī vihareyya … pe … dhammesu vā bhikkhu dhammānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ekāyanvāyaṁ maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ – cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’ti.

3Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati mama cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya – seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva – brahmaloke antarahito mama purato pāturahosi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yenāhaṁ tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā maṁ etadavoca: ‘evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata. Ekāyanvāyaṁ, bhante, maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ – cattāro satipaṭṭhānā.

4Katame cattāro? Kāye vā, bhante, bhikkhu kāyānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu vā … pe … citte vā … pe … dhammesu vā, bhante, bhikkhu dhammānupassī vihareyya ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Ekāyanvāyaṁ, bhante, maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ – cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’ti.

5Idamavoca, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati. Idaṁ vatvā athāparaṁ etadavoca:

Tatiyaṁ.