Reply To: Validity of current interpretation of Satipatthana Sutta

#51096
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Thank you Lal, for making it very clear on how to reflect on bahiddha and ajjhatta for PUK. I fully agree on the logic and process. From there, I would like to clarify the following:

  • How is reflecting on impurities (Paṭikūlamanasikārapabbaṃ), elements (Dhātumanasikārapabbaṃ) and dead body (Navasivathikapabbaṃ) related to bahiddha and ajjhatta?

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It is easy to link from the vedana and cittanupassana sections. Eg in the vedana section we are told:

Here, monks, a monk, while experiencing a pleasant sensation, understands properly, “I am experiencing a pleasant sensation” (…words in between…)I am experiencing a pleasant sensation with attachment” (…so on and so forth)  followed by

“Iti ajjhattaṃ vā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati, bahiddhā<sub>13</sub> vā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vā vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati.”

It is then natural to think about “experiencing a pleasant sensation” as bahiddha, and “experiencing a pleasant sensation with attachment” as ajjhattam

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Same for cittanupassana 

Here, monks, a monk understands properly mind with craving as mind with craving, he understands properly mind free from craving as mind free from craving, (…so on and so forth) followed by

Iti ajjhattaṃ vā citte cittānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā citte cittānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vā citte cittānupassī viharati,

It is also natural as we can see  and “mind free from craving” as bahiddhā  mind with craving” as ajjhattaṃ

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BUT for kaya section, let’s say for the verse from Paṭikūlamanasikārapabbaṃ:

Again, monks, a monk reflects on this very body, that is covered with skin and full of impurities of all kinds from the soles of the feet upwards and from the hair of the head downwards, considering thus: “In this body, there are hairs of the head, hairs of the skin, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidney, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach with its contents, faeces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid and urine.” (…so on and so forth) followed by

Iti ajjhattaṃ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,

  • What is the ajjhattaṃ and bahiddhā here?
  • Where is the link between PUK and the body of impurities?
  • Why is it not linked so seamlessly like vedana and cittanupassana?

In the above post you shared, you talked about how to apply ajjhattaṃ and bahiddhā to any PUK in general. I agree with you fully on the logic. But I my main concern is how is this directly linked to the above contemplations. If it is not directly linked, then why isit written after every contemplation? Is there something we are missing? (same goes for Dhātumanasikārapabbaṃ and  Navasivathikapabbaṃ)

Again, I am grateful that you for your patience with my repeated questioning.

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