Satipaṭṭhānasutta — Rāgapeyyāla — the twenty-eighth chapter of the Fours
Setting
None stated; the Rāgapeyyāla gives no location for this discourse, and it is addressed to the mendicants directly
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
A list of four, each following the identical formula with its own object of observation
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
The four establishments of mindfulness are among the most foundational and widely attested teachings in the early collections, given fullest treatment at MN 10 and DN 22; this reading guide does not assert a specific matching sutra number for this particular framing
Difficulty
★★☆☆☆ — a famous formula, applied here to an unusually specific target
Why this discourse
A chapter opens whose own name, peyyāla, ‘abbreviation-series’, announces from the start that what follows is a template rather than a topic — the first time this series has met a chapter named after its own compositional method rather than its content. This discourse gives the template's first content: the four establishments of mindfulness, one of the most famous formulas in the entire canon, offered here for a narrower purpose than its usual full treatment — direct knowledge of greed specifically.
Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
For direct knowledge of greed, a mendicant meditates observing the body, feelings, mind, and principles — keen, aware, mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
A chapter named after its own method
Rāgapeyyāla, ‘the abbreviation-series beginning with greed’, is the first chapter title in this series that names a compositional technique rather than a subject. Every earlier chapter took its name from its first discourse’s content or protagonist — assembly, bad conduct, deeds, offenses, direct knowledge, courses of action. This chapter announces in advance that it is built from a template, cross-multiplied at a scale this reading guide will need to address directly once it reaches that material.
The four establishments, in their compressed form
Kāye kāyānupassī…vedanāsu vedanānupassī…citte cittānupassī…dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ — observing an aspect of the body, of feelings, of mind, and of principles, in each case keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. This is the four satipaṭṭhāna in the compact form the Fours give them; their fullest exposition, with each of the four broken into detailed contemplative exercises, belongs to MN 10 and DN 22, well beyond this discourse’s scope.
A familiar formula, an unusual target
What is specific to this discourse is not the formula itself but what it is said to produce: not enlightenment in general, not mindfulness as a standing quality, but rāgassa abhiññāya, direct knowledge of greed. This narrows the satipaṭṭhāna practice to a stated purpose — understanding one specific defiling quality clearly enough to know it by direct insight rather than by inference or report. The same four establishments that elsewhere in the canon serve as a comprehensive path to liberation are here aimed with precision at a single target.
What this discourse sets in motion
This is the first of three discourses in a row applying the identical ‘for direct knowledge of greed, four things should be developed’ frame to three different fourfold lists — mindfulness here, right efforts next, and the bases of psychic power after that. Together with AN 4.237’s eightfold path, AN 4.238’s seven awakening factors, and AN 4.261’s four powers, this chapter is filling in nearly the last pieces of the traditional thirty-seven qualities that contribute to awakening, the bodhipakkhiyā dhammā, this series has now touched in some form.
Key terms
satipaṭṭhāna — “establishment of mindfulness” — one of four objects of observation, given here for the first time in this series in its own right.
rāgassa abhiññāya — “for direct knowledge of greed” — the specific, narrow purpose this discourse assigns to the four establishments, rather than liberation in general.
ātāpī sampajāno satimā — “keen, aware, and mindful” — the three qualities of attention required in each of the four observations.
vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ — “rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world” — the orientation each observation must be free of to count as satipaṭṭhāna proper.
peyyāla — “repetition-series, abbreviation” — the term this chapter takes its own name from, the first chapter title in this series to do so.
The text
The discourse in full: the four establishments of mindfulness, for direct knowledge of greed. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
The four establishments
§1“For insight into greed, four things should be developed. What four? Firstly, a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. For insight into greed, these four things should be developed.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What four things does this discourse say should be developed?
Correct: B. Given here in their compressed form, for a stated narrow purpose.
Question 2 of 10
What purpose does this discourse assign to the four establishments of mindfulness?
Correct: B. Narrowing a comprehensive practice to a single, stated target.
Question 3 of 10
What is distinctive about this chapter's own name, compared to every earlier chapter in this series?
Correct: B. Announcing in advance that the chapter is built from a template.
Question 4 of 10
Where does the four establishments of mindfulness receive its fullest, most detailed treatment in the wider canon?
Correct: B. Well beyond this discourse's compact scope.
Question 5 of 10
What three qualities of attention does each of the four observations require?
Correct: B. Present identically across all four objects of observation.
Question 6 of 10
What two discourses follow this one, applying the same "for direct knowledge of greed" frame to different lists?
Correct: B. The same frame, three different fourfold lists.
Question 7 of 10
What traditional larger set does this discourse's content belong to, per the guide?
Correct: B. Joined by the eightfold path, awakening factors, and powers already met earlier in this series.
Question 8 of 10
What must each observation be free of to count as satipaṭṭhāna proper?
Correct: B. The orientation named at the end of the formula.
Question 9 of 10
What are the four objects of observation named in this discourse?
Correct: B. The four satipaṭṭhāna in their traditional order.
Question 10 of 10
What does the guide say this chapter is doing at a scale it has not yet directly addressed?
Correct: B. Flagged honestly as material requiring a different approach ahead.
