Evening Satipaṭṭhāna Chants, Day Seventeen

Kāyānupassanā, Navasivathikapabbaṁ
Contemplation of the Body, the Section about the Nine Charnel Grounds

Puna ca paraṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu seyyathā pi
Moreover, monks, it’s as if a monk

passeyya sarīraṁ sivathikāya chaḍḍitaṁ,
might see a body thrown into a charnel ground,

ekāhamataṁ vā dvīhamataṁ vā tīhamataṁ vā,
dead for one day, or dead for two days, or dead for three days,

uddhumātakaṁ vinīlakaṁ vipubbakajātaṁ.
bloated, discoloured, having become quite rotten.

So imam-eva kāyaṁ upasaṁharati:
He then compares it with his very own body (thinking):

“Ayam-pi kho kāyo evaṁdhammo evaṁbhāvī evam-anatīto” ti.
“This body also has such a nature, has such a constitution, has thus not gone beyond.”

Iti ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
Thus he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself,

bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to others,

ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself and in regard to others,

samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the body,

vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of dissolution in the body,

samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and dissolution in the body,

“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness that “there is a body” is established in him

yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya,
just as far as (is necessary for) a full measure of knowledge and a full measure of mindfulness,

anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
and he dwells independent, and without being attached to anything in the world.

Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
In this way, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body.

Puna ca paraṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu seyyathā pi
Moreover, monks, it’s as if a monk

passeyya sarīraṁ sivathikāya chaḍḍitaṁ,
might see a body thrown into a charnel ground,

kākehi vā khajjamānaṁ, kulalehi vā khajjamānaṁ, gijjhehi vā khajjamānaṁ,
being eaten by crows, or being eaten by hawks, or being eaten by vultures,

kaṅkehi vā khajjamānaṁ, sunakhehi vā khajjamānaṁ,
or being eaten by herons, or being eaten by dogs,

byagghehi vā khajjamānaṁ, dīpihi vā khajjamānaṁ, sigālehi vā khajjamānaṁ,
or being eaten by tigers, or being eaten by leopards, or being eaten by jackals,

vividhehi vā pāṇakajātehi khajjamānaṁ.
or being eaten by various kinds of worms.

So imam-eva kāyaṁ upasaṁharati:
He then compares it with his very own body (thinking):

“Ayam-pi kho kāyo evaṁdhammo evaṁbhāvī evam-anatīto” ti.
“This body also has such a nature, has such a constitution, has thus not gone beyond.”

Iti ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
Thus he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself,

bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to others,

ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself and in regard to others,

samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the body,

vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of dissolution in the body,

samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and dissolution in the body,

“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness that “there is a body” is established in him

yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya,
just as far as (is necessary for) a full measure of knowledge and a full measure of mindfulness,

anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
and he dwells independent, and without being attached to anything in the world.

Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
In this way, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body.

Puna ca paraṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu seyyathā pi
Moreover, monks, it’s as if a monk

passeyya sarīraṁ sivathikāya chaḍḍitaṁ,
might see a body thrown into a charnel ground,

aṭṭhisaṅkhalikaṁ samaṁsalohitaṁ nhārusambaddhaṁà
a skeleton, with flesh and blood, bound together by tendonsà

aṭṭhikasaṅkhalikaṁ nimmaṁsalohitamakkhitaṁ nhārusambaddhaṁà
a skeleton, without flesh, smeared with blood, bound together by tendonsà

aṭṭhikasaṅkhalikaṁ apagatamaṁsalohitaṁ nhārusambaddhaṁà
a skeleton, no longer having flesh and blood, bound together by tendonsà

aṭṭhikāni apagatasambandhāni, disā vidisā vikkhittāni,
with bones no longer bound together, scattered in all directions,

aññena hatthaṭṭhikaṁ, aññena pādaṭṭhikaṁ,
with a hand-bone here, with a foot-bone there,

aññena gopphakaṭṭhikaṁ, aññena jaṅghaṭṭhikaṁ,
with a ankle-bone here, with a knee-bone here,

aññena ūruṭṭhikaṁ, aññena kaṭiṭṭhikaṁ,
with a thigh-bone here, with a hip-bone here,

aññena phāsukaṭṭhikaṁ, aññena piṭṭhiṭṭhakaṁ,
with a rib-bone here, with a bone of the back here,

aññena khandhaṭṭhikaṁ, aññena gīvaṭṭhikaṁ, aññena hanukaṭṭhikaṁ,
with a shoulder-bone here, with a neck-bone here, with a jaw-bone here,

aññena dantaṭṭhikaṁ, aññena sīsakaṭāhaṁ.
with a tooth-bone here, with a skull-bone here.

So imam-eva kāyaṁ upasaṁharati:
He then compares it with his very own body (thinking):

“Ayam-pi kho kāyo evaṁdhammo evaṁbhāvī evam-anatīto” ti.
“This body also has such a nature, has such a constitution, has thus not gone beyond.”

Iti ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
Thus he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself,

bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to others,

ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself and in regard to others,

samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the body,

vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of dissolution in the body,

samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and dissolution in the body,

“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness that “there is a body” is established in him

yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya,
just as far as (is necessary for) a full measure of knowledge and a full measure of mindfulness,

anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
and he dwells independent, and without being attached to anything in the world.

Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
In this way, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body.

Puna ca paraṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu seyyathā pi
Moreover, monks, it’s as if a monk

passeyya sarīraṁ sivathikāya chaḍḍitaṁ,
might see a body thrown into a charnel ground,

aṭṭhikāni setāni saṅkhavaṇṇapaṭibhāgāni...
having white bones, like the colour of a conch...

aṭṭhikāni puñjakitāni terovassikāni...
a heap of bones more than a year old...

aṭṭhikāni pūtīni cuṇṇakajātāni.
rotten bones that have become like powder.

So imam-eva kāyaṁ upasaṁharati:
He then compares it with his very own body (thinking):

“Ayam-pi kho kāyo evaṁdhammo evaṁbhāvī evam-anatīto” ti.
“This body also has such a nature, has such a constitution, has thus not gone beyond.”

Iti ajjhattaṁ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
Thus he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself,

bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to others,

ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body in regard to himself and in regard to others,

samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination in the body,

vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of dissolution in the body,

samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṁ viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and dissolution in the body,

“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness that “there is a body” is established in him

yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya,
just as far as (is necessary for) a full measure of knowledge and a full measure of mindfulness,

anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
and he dwells independent, and without being attached to anything in the world.

Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
In this way, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body.

Navasivathikapabbaṁ Niṭṭhitaṁ
The Section about Nine Charnel Grounds are Finished

Cuddasa Kāyānupassanā Niṭṭhitā
The Fourteen Contemplations of the Body are Finished

last updated: April 2016