Translating Classical Buddhism to Modern English

The Numerical Discourses

Chapter 2: The Ten Recollections

(九) 念身 9. Recollecting the Body
聞如是： 一時，佛在舍衞國、祇樹、給孤獨園。 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.
爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「當修行一法，當廣布一法。 便成神通，除諸亂想，逮沙門果，自致涅槃。 云何為一法？ 所謂念身非常。 當善修行，當廣演布。 便成神通，去眾亂想，得沙門果，自致涅槃。 2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “One should cultivate one thing and disseminate one thing. Then, they will achieve spiritual knowledge, dispel their confused ideas, win the fruits of the ascetic, and bring about nirvāṇa themselves. What’s that one thing? It’s called recollecting the body.2 One should cultivate and widely disseminate it. Then, they will achieve spiritual knowledge, dispel their confused ideas, win the fruits of the ascetic, and bring about nirvāṇa themselves.
「是故，諸比丘，當修行一法，當廣布一法。 如是，諸比丘當作是學。」 3. “Therefore, monks, you should cultivate this one thing and widely disseminate this one thing. Thus, monks, should you train yourselves.”
爾時，諸比丘聞佛所説歡喜，奉行。 4. When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved.

Notes

  1. For the source text, cf. T125.2.553b15-22. This sūtra is parallel with AN 1.304. [back]

  2. the body. C. 身非常. The Taisho edition here reads “impermanence of the body,” but this appears to be a corruption when compared to EĀ 3.9 or other instances of the ten recollections (cf. EĀ 40.5, 46.5, 46.8, and 47.1), which make no mention of impermanence. I’ve therefore omitted it from my translation. [back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 29 January 2023

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