The Numerical Discourses

Chapter 2: Ten Recollections

9. The Body

1. Thus I have heard:[1] One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.

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.

3. “Therefore, monks, you should cultivate this one thing and widely disseminate this one thing. Thus, monks, should you train.”

4. When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved.

Notes

1. 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