Present Moment Awareness Bhaddekaratta Verses MN #131 | Ajahn Dhammasiha Discusses Fundamental Meditation Instructions of the Buddha

At the beginning of the Rains Retreat period, it is advisable to establish a firm foundation in our meditative Practice. The Buddha beautifully summarized core foundational principals for meditation in the famous verses of the "Bhaddekaratta" Sutta, Majjimanikāya/Middle Length Discourses #131. These instructions are of such primary importance, that they are repeated again in the following 3 suttas, with the verses repeated literally, and only slight variations in setting and persons in the remainder.

As it's so fundamental, here's first the full Pali text of the verses, followed by an English translation:

"Atītaṃ nānvāgameyya,

Nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṃ.

Yadatītaṃ pahīnaṃ taṃ

Appattañca anāgataṃ.

Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṃ,

Tattha tattha vipassati.

Asaṃhīraṃ asaṃkuppaṃ,

Taṃ vidvā manubrūhaye.

Ajjeva kiccamātappaṃ, 

Ko jaññā maraṇaṃ suve.

Na hi no saṅgaraṃ tena,

Mahāsenena maccunā.

Evaṃ vihāriṃ ātāpiṃ,

Ahorattamatanditaṃ.

Taṃ ve bhaddekarattoti

Santo ācikkhate muni”

One Auspicious Day

Don't keep hanging on to the past

Don't set your hopes on the future.

The past is over, gone,

The future has not yet come.

Whatever arises in the mind here and now,

Right there we wisely observe with clear awareness.

Understanding that, we persistently develop our meditation

Unshaken, indomitable.

The work has to be done today,

Who knows if we're still alive tomorrow?

You can't make a deal

With Death.

If someone lives like that, ardent,

Diligently striving all day and night,

Then the peaceful sage declares:

"They truly spent an auspicious day!"

A translation of the whole sutta, including the interpretation of the verses by the Buddha himself, can be found here:

•  https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN131.html

https://www.dhammagiri.net

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJw

https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

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