Long LastingCiraṭṭhitisutta

The same setting.Taṁyeva nidānaṁ. Venerable Bhadda said to Venerable Ānanda:Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhaddo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

“What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?“ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?”Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti?

“Good, good, Reverend Bhadda!“Sādhu sādhu, āvuso bhadda. Your approach and eloquence are excellent, and it’s a good question.Bhaddako kho te, āvuso bhadda, ummaṅgo, bhaddakaṁ paṭibhānaṁ, kalyāṇī paripucchā. For you asked:Evañhi tvaṁ, āvuso bhadda, pucchasi: ‘What is the cause, Reverend Ānanda, what is the reason why the true teaching does not last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?‘ko nu kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti? What is the cause, what is the reason why the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One?’”Ko panāvuso ānanda, hetu, ko paccayo yena tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī’”ti?

“Yes, reverend.”“Evamāvuso”ti.

“It’s because of not developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.“Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. It’s because of developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.Catunnañca kho, āvuso, satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hoti.

What four?Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …vedanāsu …pe… mind …citte …pe… principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. It’s because of not developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching doesn’t last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ abhāvitattā abahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo na ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. It’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that the true teaching does last long after the final quenching of the Realized One.”Imesañca kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā tathāgate parinibbute saddhammo ciraṭṭhitiko hotī”ti.