At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Now at that time Venerable Girimānanda was sick, suffering, gravely ill. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā girimānando ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, Venerable Girimānanda is sick, suffering, gravely ill. “Āyasmā, bhante, girimānando ābādhiko hoti dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Sir, please go to Venerable Girimānanda out of sympathy.” Sādhu, bhante, bhagavā yenāyasmā girimānando tenupasaṅkamatu anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti.

“Ānanda, if you were to recite to the mendicant Girimānanda these ten perceptions, it’s possible that after hearing them his illness will die down on the spot. “Sace kho tvaṁ, ānanda, girimānandassa bhikkhuno dasa saññā bhāseyyāsi, ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati yaṁ girimānandassa bhikkhuno dasa saññā sutvā so ābādho ṭhānaso paṭippassambheyya.

What ten? Katamā dasa? The perceptions of impermanence, not-self, ugliness, drawbacks, giving up, fading away, cessation, dissatisfaction with the whole world, impermanence of all conditions, and mindfulness of breathing. Aniccasaññā, anattasaññā, asubhasaññā, ādīnavasaññā, pahānasaññā, virāgasaññā, nirodhasaññā, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā, sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā, ānāpānassati.

And what is the perception of impermanence? Katamā cānanda, aniccasaññā? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness are impermanent.’ ‘rūpaṁ aniccaṁ, vedanā aniccā, saññā aniccā, saṅkhārā aniccā, viññāṇaṁ aniccan’ti. And so they meditate observing impermanence in the five grasping aggregates. Iti imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu aniccānupassī viharati. This is called the perception of impermanence. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, aniccasaññā.

And what is the perception of not-self? Katamā cānanda, anattasaññā? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘The eye and sights, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and touches, and mind and ideas are not-self.’ ‘cakkhu anattā, rūpā anattā, sotaṁ anattā, saddā anattā, ghānaṁ anattā, gandhā anattā, jivhā anattā, rasā anattā, kāyā anattā, phoṭṭhabbā anattā, mano anattā, dhammā anattā’ti. And so they meditate observing not-self in the six interior and exterior sense fields. Iti imesu chasu ajjhattikabāhiresu āyatanesu anattānupassī viharati. This is called the perception of not-self. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, anattasaññā.

And what is the perception of ugliness? Katamā cānanda, asubhasaññā? It’s when a mendicant examines their own body up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hairs, wrapped in skin and full of many kinds of filth. Idhānanda, bhikkhu imameva kāyaṁ uddhaṁ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā tacapariyantaṁ pūraṁ nānāppakārassa asucino paccavekkhati: ‘In this body there is head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.’ ‘atthi imasmiṁ kāye kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco, maṁsaṁ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṁ vakkaṁ, hadayaṁ yakanaṁ kilomakaṁ pihakaṁ papphāsaṁ, antaṁ antaguṇaṁ udariyaṁ karīsaṁ, pittaṁ semhaṁ pubbo lohitaṁ sedo medo, assu vasā kheḷo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttan’ti. And so they meditate observing ugliness in this body. Iti imasmiṁ kāye asubhānupassī viharati. This is called the perception of ugliness. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, asubhasaññā.

And what is the perception of drawbacks? Katamā cānanda, ādīnavasaññā? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘This body has much suffering and many drawbacks. For this body is beset with many kinds of affliction, such as the following. ‘bahudukkho kho ayaṁ kāyo bahuādīnavo. Iti imasmiṁ kāye vividhā ābādhā uppajjanti, seyyathidaṁ—Diseases of the eye, inner ear, nose, tongue, body, head, outer ear, mouth, teeth, and lips. Cough, asthma, catarrh, inflammation, fever, stomach ache, fainting, dysentery, gastric pain, cholera, leprosy, boils, eczema, tuberculosis, epilepsy, herpes, itch, scabs, smallpox, scabies, hemorrhage, diabetes, piles, pimples, and ulcers. Afflictions stemming from disorders of bile, phlegm, wind, or their conjunction. Afflictions caused by change in weather, by not taking care of yourself, by overexertion, or as the result of past deeds. Cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, and urination.’ cakkhurogo sotarogo ghānarogo jivhārogo kāyarogo sīsarogo kaṇṇarogo mukharogo dantarogo oṭṭharogo kāso sāso pināso ḍāho jaro kucchirogo mucchā pakkhandikā sūlā visūcikā kuṭṭhaṁ gaṇḍo kilāso soso apamāro daddu kaṇḍu kacchu nakhasā vitacchikā lohitaṁ pittaṁ madhumeho aṁsā piḷakā bhagandalā pittasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā semhasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā vātasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā sannipātikā ābādhā utupariṇāmajā ābādhā visamaparihārajā ābādhā opakkamikā ābādhā kammavipākajā ābādhā sītaṁ uṇhaṁ jighacchā pipāsā uccāro passāvo’ti. And so they meditate observing drawbacks in this body. Iti imasmiṁ kāye ādīnavānupassī viharati. This is called the perception of drawbacks. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ādīnavasaññā.

And what is the perception of giving up? Katamā cānanda, pahānasaññā? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t tolerate a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought that has arisen, and they don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. Idhānanda, bhikkhu uppannaṁ kāmavitakkaṁ nādhivāseti, pajahati, vinodeti, byantīkaroti, anabhāvaṁ gameti. Uppannaṁ byāpādavitakkaṁ nādhivāseti, pajahati, vinodeti, byantīkaroti, anabhāvaṁ gameti. Uppannaṁ vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ nādhivāseti, pajahati, vinodeti, byantīkaroti, anabhāvaṁ gameti. Uppannuppanne pāpake akusale dhamme nādhivāseti, pajahati, vinodeti, byantīkaroti, anabhāvaṁ gameti. This is called the perception of giving up. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, pahānasaññā.

And what is the perception of fading away? Katamā cānanda, virāgasaññā? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, extinguishment.’ ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhippaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nibbānan’ti. This is called the perception of fading away. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, virāgasaññā.

And what is the perception of cessation? Katamā cānanda, nirodhasaññā? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, cessation, extinguishment.’ ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhippaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo nirodho nibbānan’ti. This is called the perception of cessation. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, nirodhasaññā.

And what is the perception of dissatisfaction with the whole world? Katamā cānanda, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā? It’s when a mendicant lives giving up and not grasping on to the attraction and grasping to the world, the mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendencies. Idhānanda, bhikkhu ye loke upādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā, te pajahanto viharati anupādiyanto. This is called the perception of dissatisfaction with the whole world. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā.

And what is the perception of the impermanence of all conditions? Katamā cānanda, sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā? It’s when a mendicant is horrified, repelled, and disgusted with all conditions. Idhānanda, bhikkhu sabbasaṅkhāresu aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati. This is called the perception of the impermanence of all conditions. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā.

And what is mindfulness of breathing? Katamā cānanda, ānāpānassati? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and establishes mindfulness in their presence. Idhānanda, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā nisīdati pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā. Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. So satova assasati satova passasati. Breathing in heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing in heavily.’ Breathing out heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing out heavily.’ Dīghaṁ vā assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti. Dīghaṁ vā passasanto ‘dīghaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti. When breathing in lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing in lightly.’ Breathing out lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing out lightly.’ Rassaṁ vā assasanto ‘rassaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti. Rassaṁ vā passasanto ‘rassaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti. They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the whole body.’‘Sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the physical process.’ ‘Passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing rapture.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing rapture.’ ‘Pītipaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Pītipaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing bliss.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing bliss.’ ‘Sukhapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Sukhapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the mental process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the mental process.’ ‘Cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the mental process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the mental process.’ ‘Passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Passambhayaṁ cittasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the mind.’ ‘Cittapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Cittapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in gladdening the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out gladdening the mind.’ Abhippamodayaṁ cittaṁ …pe… They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in immersing the mind in samādhi.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out immersing the mind in samādhi.’ samādahaṁ cittaṁ …pe… They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in freeing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out freeing the mind.’ vimocayaṁ cittaṁ …pe… They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing impermanence.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing impermanence.’ aniccānupassī …pe… They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing fading away.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing fading away.’ virāgānupassī …pe… They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing cessation.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing cessation.’ nirodhānupassī …pe… They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’ ‘paṭinissaggānupassī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati. ‘Paṭinissaggānupassī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati. This is called mindfulness of breathing. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ānāpānassati.

If you were to recite to the mendicant Girimānanda these ten perceptions, it’s possible that after hearing them his illness will die down on the spot.” Sace kho tvaṁ, ānanda, girimānandassa bhikkhuno imā dasa saññā bhāseyyāsi, ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ vijjati yaṁ girimānandassa bhikkhuno imā dasa saññā sutvā so ābādho ṭhānaso paṭippassambheyyā”ti.

Then Ānanda, having learned these ten perceptions from the Buddha himself, went to Girimānanda and recited them. Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato santike imā dasa saññā uggahetvā yenāyasmā girimānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmato girimānandassa imā dasa saññā abhāsi. Then after Girimānanda heard these ten perceptions his illness died down on the spot. Atha kho āyasmato girimānandassa dasa saññā sutvā so ābādho ṭhānaso paṭippassambhi. And that’s how he recovered from that illness. Vuṭṭhahi cāyasmā girimānando tamhā ābādhā. Tathā pahīno ca panāyasmato girimānandassa so ābādho ahosīti.

Dasamaṁ.

Sacittavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sacittañca sāriputta, ṭhiti ca samathena ca; Parihāno ca dve saññā, mūlā pabbajitaṁ girīti.