Reading guide
A new setting, a direct question
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse's own opening breaks from the pattern of SN 52.1-2: instead of Anuruddha's own private reflection interrupted by Moggallāna, several mendicants approach him directly on the bank of the Sutanu and ask what he developed to attain his own “great direct knowledge.”
The same plain formula as SN 52.2
This project's own comparison: Anuruddha's own answer here uses the same plainer, generic satipaṭṭhāna formula already met at SN 52.2 (“observing an aspect of...”), rather than SN 52.1's own fuller impermanence-observing version.
A distinctive new closing claim
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse adds a closing statement not found in either SN 52.1 or SN 52.2: through developing the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, Anuruddha “directly knew the lower principle as lower, the middle principle as middle, and the higher principle as higher” — a threefold discernment of quality or level this vagga's own first two discourses did not name.
Key terms
The text
§1At one time Venerable Anuruddha was staying near Sāvatthī on the bank of the Sutanu. Then several mendicants went up to Venerable Anuruddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side, and said to him: “What things has Venerable Anuruddha developed and cultivated to attain great direct knowledge?”
§2“Reverends, I attained great direct knowledge by developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. What four? I meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. I meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. I attained great direct knowledge by developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation. And it was by developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I directly knew the lower principle as lower, the middle principle as middle, and the higher principle as higher.”
Self-check quiz
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