Translation of satipattaana sutra sermon given by ven pitigala gunarathana

Namo thassa bagawatho Samma sambuddassa
(this is a translation by me of the sermon given by ven pitigala gunarathana thero on satipattaana sutra in sinhala language,please note that this is a 3hour long sermon and I would translate it little by little as and when time permits me)


Dear most venerable Maha sanga,
Dear damma friends,  
   Today is the full moon poya day of the nawam month.  
This day is a venerated day due to many important things had happened on this day in the history of budda sasana.  
This day is the first day that vinaya paatimokka was expositioned by lord Buddha.  
And this was the first day that a great gathering of sanga was taken place.  
And further there had been a sorrowful event that had occurred on this too which is giving up of age by lord Buddha on the request of the mara and lord Buddha making a statement that from three months from this date that lord Buddha will reach Parinibbana at the city of Vishala near the chapaala chethiya.  

So this great day which great things have happened in the this history of sasana, all of you good people have observed eight precepts or the ten precepts from the early morning on.  
Dear all good people if we want make this seela more meaningful then we should add more knowledge to our existing knowledge of seela.  

"Ariyassa bikkawe seelassa ananubodaa appativedaa ewamidan bikkawe deegamaddanan; sandavithan sansaritan mamanchewa thumhakancha"(a pali verse from anguttara nikaya,section 4)  
Lord Buddha preached that"Bikkus you and me have travelled in this sansara for such long time due to not knowing this aarya seela and not practising this aarya seela."(the meaning of the pali verse )  
The lord Buddha who preached that sutra and the sanga who listened to that sutra understood or came to know such aarya seela ended their existence in the sansara. But you and me who have not understood the aarya seela and not practiced aarya seela are still continuing in the existence of sansara.  
Therefore our attention should be given to that direction. And should be concerned about it. Therefore we have to search and know how to develop seela.   
The method we have understood as seela and our practice has been to take the precepts by saying that we will not commit these and these wrong things and will keep away from these wrong things. And when those precepts break we again and again take those precepts. That is all what is there; to Our seela practice and seela development.we have taken precepts for 10,20,30 or 40 years and that is all we have done.  
And if asked how much of seela had developed or if asked how seela was developed sometimes we can be without any answer for those questions. If that is the case then the aarya view or the right view regarding aarya seela may not have got added to our lifestyle and our practice. Today our objective is not to discuss about seela practice but there is point that is relevant to seela practice.Today we decided to explain the satipattana meditation and I think that its relevant to explain seela as per the satipattana sutra itself.

 Satipattana sutra is a sutra that most people know by heart and that is mostly used by most people. But a truth should be said about it that is eventhough we all discuss about satipattana or try to practice satipattana meditation, as per my knowledge as per my feeling and as per my understanding as even at today no proper explanation had been given to Satipattana Sutra.Therefor all at present should give their attention to that.

We are about the celebrate the 2600 years pass-away from lord buddhas attainment of the enlightenment. Before celebrating such 2600 years we will have to search what is attainment of sambudattawa(attainment of enlightenment by Buddha Gauthama). What was the damma that Lord Buddha gauthama realised before 2600 years.  
"Sukaa Saddamma Deshana"(a pali verse)


We are celebrating the birth of damma which is gave the biggest happiness to the world.  
What is this damma we are celebrating?  


If we did not understand correctly what are the four noble truths,what are the seven factors that need to be filled for the attainment(bojjanga), what is the eight fold path and if we did not uncover those things correctly then it will not be a real or correct celebration.


About four noble truths,about the path,about nibbana not only in our country but even in the world there are different different views that does not match to each other.  
A person says explain that this is nibbana, this is the nibbana , this is the path to nibbana, this is the four noble truths, it had not matching with another persons explanations of those.  
And another person explain those in another place very much differently. When we go to another place then it again different from other views.  


Completely different views that does not match each other with regard to same damma that lord Buddha realised. Therefore we have been compelled in this context to have a fair doubt regarding all the different views.


When lord Buddha visited kalama village, the residents of kalama reminded that every person who come to this village says that they are sarwagna or knower of all things. And he is the person who have realised everything.and they say that this is the damma and this is the path and his followers are real followers of damma. And they say that they have the correct path. But what these different people says are completely different with each other. Therefore we believe that truth cannot be two truths or facts should be one.  
So if each of these persons views are different we have a doubt as to which one which view is correct.


And lord Buddha said that doubt is fair by all means."dear kalama residents it is correct you have doubted where you have to doubt. And said that doubt is fair."  


Therefore today also we have to have such a fair doubt and before we take anything to our minds as correct, we have search and find whether what we take and what we practice is correct. And we have to start such search with this celebration of the 2600 years anniversary of the lord Buddha's enlightenment.  


Therefore you have to have balanced view about this damma and without having extreme views and inquire about damma.  


If we say that today in our country there is no Buddha srawaka, then that statement also is not completely wrong. Because today we have srawaka of different different persons. And some say that we are srawaka of that bikku or another bikku. And we listen to sermons of that bikku only.only that bikku says the correct damma. Likewise there is process that goes on in our country which is process that give up the teacher that initially preached damma andgiving up the sasana and going behind Bikkus and lay preachers.


Therefore we don't need to be disciples of any person. We all have to be srawakas of the lord Buddha. We have to become Buddha srawaka. This is the way and this is the place that we can be correct srawakas. This was explained because to give you an idea on to which direction we have to give attention to with this 2600 anniversary of attainment of enlightenment of lord Buddha.  


Therefore the damma that was realised by lord Buddha that can be actioned and a very noble course of actions was preached by way of the satipattaana sutra.


The actions that is given by the satipattaana sutra belongs to the path that lead to cessation of suffering. The satipattaana sutra can be defined or introduced as the path or the path that lead to cessation of suffering. This sutra is a very fantastic sermon.  


In this sermon initially the answers or the results that can get from the action or process stated in the satipattaana sutra.  
"Sattaanan visuddiyaa,soka pariddawaanan samathikkamaaya   
Dukkadomanassanan asthangamaaya gnaayassa adigamaaya nibbanassa sachchakiriyaaya " these results can be got if this path is followed.  


How long will it take to get this results?  
At the end of the sutra it is explained that a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of 7 years. Within 7 days and 7 years these results can be taken.
Next the lord Buddha states that if to receive these results or receive these fruits where should a person go to.  
we have to very mindful and skillful when listening to this damma. This may be a very familiar thing but there is an unfamiliar thing also is there in it.


First advice: "aranyagathowa rukkamulagathowa sunyaagaaragathowa" in here the place to go is stated. To receive the results stated initially a person should go to a place like this. To a jungle, to a root of a tree or an empty building.   
There times that a person's own house becomes a empty.  


Then second advice: its about the sitting posture. Go to a place like above stated and sit like this.  
"niseedathi pallankan aabujithwaa"  
Keeping your torso straight and legs folded. The 2nd advice was about the posture.  


3rd advice: this is the place we have missed. This is the place we have forgotten.   
"Parimukan satin upattapethwa". Be mindful about/around the mouth. This is the place that we want to emphasise today.   
3rd advice: "Parimukan satin upattapethwa" keep your mindfulness around your mouth.


4th advice : " so sathowa assasati sathowa passasati, deeganwa assasantho  deegan assasaameeti pajanathi,deeganwa passasantho deegan passasaameeti pajanathi." and accordingly it is stated.
Now in here is the place that   We have to give our attention.  
This is the evidence that we have to state that there is no proper explanation given to the satipattaana sutra yet.  

"Satin upattapethwa" being (already) mindful. So according to the sutra the lord Buddha's states about being mindful before stating about breathing in(inhaling ) and breathing out(exhaling).
After being mindful only lord Buddha states about inhaling and  exhaling.
"so sathowa " meaning already being mindful about it, ALREADY BEING MINDFUL ABOUT IT then inhales exhales.
Dear good friends think wisely. Being already mindful inhaled and exhales.   
So lord Buddha stated about being mindful in the 3rd advice."Parimukan satin upattapethwa"
But now as soon as we sit for the meditation, we try to keep our mindfulness on inhaling and exhaling. Now look at this and compare with lord Buddha's sermon. And see whether there is something missed.  
Hence this may also be the reason why we may not be getting results,isn't it?  
We have not understood the lord Buddha's advice. If we miss one place it is missed completely. We cannot go foreword by missing the most important message that is given from that missed advice.  
Satin upattapethwa" what results from keeping mindfulNess as such?  
There is only one process /procedure that is there in this whole satipattaana sermon.
That is stopping the defilements that had not arose, clearing the defilements that had arose, effecting the arising of good things that had not arose, developing the good things that had arose, this four noble efforts are the things that should be used in all these meditation objects(in satipattaana sutra)
These activities will not bear fruit if you do not carry out the process correctly. We have to do the meditation or contemplate on the objects so as to get the results that lord Buddha had preached.  
We may be able to use satipattaana in some way or anyway but doing satipattaana somehow will not give the results that is expected that is stated in the sutra.
  To get the results that is stated in the sutra we cannot practice satipattaana according to how we like or according how we want it to be done. Doing satipattaana according to another persons view will not give the results. To get the results satipattaana should be done as preached by the lord Buddha himself.  
What is the first result that is stated or expected from doing satipattaana practice?
"Sattaanan visuddiyaa""Sattaanan visuddiyaa" this satipattaana is intended to make beings pure or clean.   
Hence when we start satipattaana when we begin satipattaana it should be an activity that make us clean.   
What is the meaning of "visuddiyaa"?  
"asuddi visuddi"  
"suddi asuddi pachchattan" in here it is stated as cleanliness and uncleanliness.
  Without going to uncleanliness (asuddi) it should take us or keep us in cleanliness(visuddi). And the satipattaana meditation process should be able to bring us to cleanliness and it should keep us at clean state also.
  Dear good people if we use the words kusala(good thoughts words and deeds) and akusala (bad thoughts words and deeds) we may easily comprehend the meaning.
  How do we fall into akusala or asuddi? How do we not fall into akusala or asuddi and how do we come into kusala and visuddi? We should have already heard these and know these things.   
We reminded before that satipattaana meditation belongs to the noble truth of path(to cessation of suffering). Path means the thing that should be done. "kruthya",activity that should be done or actions.  
  We have heard and read of "satya,kruthya,krutha"(truth,action to be done, actions that's done or completed)
  "Krutha" means the state that you have ended the things that had to be done.completed. That is have seen the noble truth of suffering clearly. And have eliminated three noble truth of cause of suffering. And have realised the noble truth of cessation of suffering.and have completed the path to cessation of suffering. Everything finished. An arihat.
  We can arrive at that by seeing clearly the noble truth of suffering, and eliminating the cause of suffering and realising the cessation and developing the path to cessation of suffering. And this event is called "kruthya" activity or actions that need to be done.  
  We cannot come to the path in this sasana without the earlier knowledge of truth "satya".
  Without the knowledge of truth   
(satya gnana) we cannot come to the actions(kruthya - activity)  
Dukka satya satya gnana (true knowledge on the noble truth of suffering)  
Samudaya satya satya gnana(true knowledge on the noble truth of cause of suffering )  
Niroda satya satya gnana (true knowledge the noble truth of cessation of suffering)  
Marga satya satya gnana (true knowledge of the noble truth of path for the cessation of suffering)
  By also knowing suffering and also knowing cause for suffering also knowing the cessation of suffering also knowing the path to cessation of suffering. And for such person who knows those and who knows this is the way to end the suffering will only come to the actions or kruthya thing to be done.  
This knowledge of the suffering, cause, cessation and path is the thing that is named as right view(samma ditti). This is the place where it is explained as what is right view."Kathamanchawuso samma ditti"(in pali)
  Therefore when we come to the path we should have listened come to know and learned about association of noble friends,hearing right damma,right and wrong contemplations.  
"Jaanatho" by knowing you should be knowing about those.  
For person who does not know just because that satipattaana was in a text book such person cannot develop satipattaana.  
A detailed knowledge should be available before practice of satipattaana.  
For the person who completed that pre knowledge any of these words are are not difficult.  
  Now dear good friends think as to how the mind, words and deeds come to cleanliness without making them unclean. Why because this process of activities starts from there.   
"seele patittaaya naro sapanngo  
Chittan pangnancha bawayan   
Aathaapi nipako bikku  
So iman vijataye jatan"  
(this is a pali verse from sanyukta nikaya,jata sutra, I think in dewatha sanyukta)
  How this entanglement of existence is to be unknotted was explained that way(as given in this verse)  
Based On the seela foundation only you have to develop mind and wisdom. Hence the when we say that we develop satipattaana then seela must have already be complete. The precepts should have become complete to develop satipattaana.  
  When we say seela you good friends will be thinking of the precepts that should be protected.   
No no let the precepts be there. Don't be concerned or interested about those precepts. There is one place in this satipattaana meditation where all those precepts will be protected. That is the object of mindfulness. The object of mindfulness protects our seela or precepts.  
  You will be amazed on how this meditation object makes your seela complete.   
I will remind you on how that happens.  
  Good friends you know about akusala wrong thoughts words and actions. Volition thought words and deeds and wrong livelihood akusala seela.  
  If a person says the precepts and take the precepts that is not keeping out of akusala. To prevent akusala, then cause for akusala should be searched.  
  What is the cause or reason for akusala? The answer should be given as the mind. Reason for akusala is the mind.  
"Manasaache paduttena" the mind that is polluted. The mind that is polluted is the cause if akusala.
  What is a polluted mind?   
If the mind is with attachment(lobe) if the mind is with aversion (dosa) if the mind is with unwiseness (moha) then its a polluted mind.  
If we think speak or act(do) things with a lobe dosa moha mind then cleaning of thoughts words and deeds will not happen. You will not get cleanliness but you will only get uncleanliness. You will find only akusala in that case and you will not find or get cleanliness or kusala.
Therefore you cannot eliminate akusala without eliminating the akusala mind.
Why does our mind get unclean or akusala?
I don't like that my mind to be with lobe dosa moha.
Why does our mind becomes unclean(akusala)?
There is a cause for that too. It does not automatically happen without a cause. There is a reason or cause for that.
The cause for akusala mind is akusala thoughts(akusala kalpanaa).
"Kama vithakka, vyaapaada vithakka, vihinsa vithakka"thoughts of sensual pleasure,  
thoughts of hate and thoughts of harming.  
If these akusala thoughts arising in the mind, then the mind that give rise to those thoughts are akusala minds.
Therefore the mind becomes kusal or akusal according to thoughts that arise in the mind.
A basin of pure water becomes impure when a little dirt or dust or faeces get added and then its value diminish or valueless.
If some tasty thing or a good medicine were added to the pure water then it becomes more valuable.
As accordingly the mind also will be kusala or an akusala mind based on what get added to the mind.  
Hence only thoughts get added to the mind. There are 3 types of thoughts. Kusala , akusala and awyaakrutha.  
If akusala thoughts or akusala ideas are arising in the mind then such mind is an akusala mind.  
Now you cannot eliminate akusala without eliminating loba dosa or moha mind.
   Vvvvv  
   The akusala characteristics of loba dosa moha cannot be eliminated until akusala ideas(akusala kalpanaa )are eliminated.  
   Akusala ideas also does not arise without a cause. It does not automatically arise without a reason. There is a reason,a cause not it to arise.
   Why does akusala arise in our minds? Why does akusala kalpanaa arise in our minds? What is the reason what Is the cause for that. If we are developing seela or if we have developed seela we should already have answers for these questions. Because you cannot complete seela without knowing these.
Hence there is a cause for akusala kalpanaa  also. That cause is akusala sangna (akusala perception or akusala identifications). Those are 3 Kama sangna (things that you identify that causes desire or lust) vyaapaada sangna( things that you identify that causes anger in you) vihinsa sangna (things that you identify that causes you to harm).
If these sangna is arising in the mind until then akusala vithakka will arise in mind. If akusala vithakka arises in a mind such mind is an akusala mind.
If mind is an akusala mind
"manasache paduttena basathiwa karothiwa" all activities that are done by a polluted mind are akusala activities.
So if we want to give up akusala side and want to come to kusala side, and want to have aarya seela , just saying the precepts and giving  promises is not sufficient.He have to develop his knowledge upto this point and should go forward by knowing this cause and effect relationship and know the process of eliminating the akusala sangna(akusala identifications).
Now if we stop arising of this akusala sangna (akusala identifications) then uncleanliness or asuddi will be dropped.
If akusala sangna does not arise in the mind then akusala vithakka will not arise. If akusala vithakka does not arise then mind will not be akusala. If the mind is not akusala all volitional deeds words and livelihood also will not be akusala.
Then if you want to get rid of uncleanliness to get out from asuddi  and want to get into cleanliness to get into visuddi then this akusala sangna should be ceased.
We should have a process of ceasing akusala sangna. The primary stage of what we call meditation should at least start with this knowledge. And should start here. You should not meditate thinking that Just because every one is meditating I also should meditate.
The knowledge should at least reach here.
If these sangna if arising its a development of akusala side, and will not lead to reduction of akusala.
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If the akusala is to be reduced and the kusala to be developed the akusala sangna should be identified and these should be suppressed so as to these Will not arise anymore.(36.25)
"akusalaanan dammaanan anuppaadaaya"(36.28)
You have to take care So as to these akusala sangna perceptions or identifications will stop arising.
There should be a way to cease the akusala sangna that arises.
To effort to stop any akusala that had not arose yet and to stop any akusala that had arose, this is how the akusala side is stopped by practicing four types of effort.(sathara samyak padan viriya).
Now we should be able to stop any akusala sangna that is kama (sensual pleasure seeking identifications) vyaapaada( anger identifications ) vihinsa (harming identifications) that had not arose yet.
we have to know how to cease or stop any akusala sangna if any such arise.