Disciples, these seven perceptions, when developed and cultivated, are of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination. What are the seven?
The perception of unattractiveness, the perception of death, the perception of repulsiveness in food, the perception of dissatisfaction in every world, the perception of impermanence, the perception of suffering in impermanence, the perception of non-self in suffering.
These are the seven perceptions which, when developed and cultivated, are of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination.
The perception of unattractiveness when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination. Thus it has been said. Why was this said?
With frequent contemplation of the perception of unattractiveness, the mind of a disciple who dwells in it often turns away from sexual desire, does not incline toward it. Either dispassion or revulsion is present.
Just as a leaf or a piece of meat thrown into a fire draws back and does not spread, so too, with frequent contemplation of the perception of unattractiveness, the mind of a disciple who dwells in it often draws back from sexual desire and does not incline toward it.
Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.
Either dispassion or revulsion is present.
Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno asubhasaññāparicitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharato methunadhammasamāpattiyā cittaṁ patilīyati patikuṭati pativattati, na sampasāriyati upekkhā vā pāṭikulyatā vā saṇṭhāti; veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘subhāvitā me asubhasaññā, atthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, pattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti.
If, however, while dwelling frequently in the perception of unattractiveness, a disciple notices that the mind still inclines toward sexual desire, even though indifference may be present, it should be known by that disciple: My perception of unattractiveness is not yet developed.
But if, while dwelling frequently in the perception of unattractiveness, a disciple notices that the mind draws back from sexual desire and does not incline toward it, with either dispassion or revulsion present, it should be known by that disciple: My perception of unattractiveness is well developed.
There is a clear difference for me between before and after. The strength of this cultivation has been attained. Thus he is clearly aware of this.
Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno maraṇasaññāparicitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharato jīvitanikantiyā cittaṁ anusandahati appaṭikulyatā saṇṭhāti; veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘abhāvitā me maraṇasaññā, natthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, appattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti.
The perception of unattractiveness when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination, thus it was said with reference to this.
Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.
Perception of Death
Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno maraṇasaññāparicitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharato jīvitanikantiyā cittaṁ patilīyati patikuṭati pativattati, na sampasāriyati upekkhā vā pāṭikulyatā vā saṇṭhāti; veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘subhāvitā me maraṇasaññā, atthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, pattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti.
The perception of death when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination, thus it was said.
With frequent contemplation of the perception of death, the mind of a disciple who dwells in it often turns away from attachment to continued existence and does not incline toward it. Either dispassion or revulsion is present.
Just as a leaf or a piece of meat thrown into a fire draws back and does not spread, so too, with frequent contemplation of the perception of death, the mind of a disciple who dwells in it often draws back from attachment to continued existence and does not incline toward it.
If, however, while dwelling frequently in the perception of death, a disciple notices that the mind still inclines toward continued existence, even though indifference may be present, it should be known by that disciple: My perception of death is not yet developed.
upekkhā vā pāṭikulyatā vā saṇṭhāti; veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘subhāvitā me āhāre paṭikūlasaññā, atthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, pattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti.
There is no clear difference for me between before and after. The strength of this cultivation has not yet been attained.
But if, while dwelling frequently in the perception of death, a disciple notices that the mind draws back from attachment to continued existence and does not incline toward it, with either dispassion or revulsion present, it should be known by that disciple: My perception of death is well developed.
The perception of death when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination, thus it was said with reference to this.
Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno sabbaloke anabhiratasaññāparicitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharato lokacitresu cittaṁ anusandahati appaṭikulyatā saṇṭhāti; veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘abhāvitā me sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā, natthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, appattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti.
Perception of Repulsiveness in Food
The perception of repulsiveness in food when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination, thus it has indeed been said.
Disciples, with frequent contemplation of the perception of repulsiveness in food, the mind becomes devoid of craving for sensual pleasures, does not incline towards them, either indifference or repulsion stands.
Just as a leaf or a piece of meat thrown into the fire recoils, does not spread out.
Similarly with frequent contemplation of the perception of repulsiveness in food, the mind becomes devoid of craving for sensual pleasures, does not incline towards them, either indifference or repulsion stands.
The perception of dissatisfaction in every world when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination, thus it has indeed been said. Why has this been said?
Disciples, with frequent contemplation of the perception of dissatisfaction in every world, the mind becomes devoid of craving for sensual pleasures, does not incline towards them, either indifference or repulsion stands.
Just as a leaf or a piece of meat thrown into the fire recoils, does not spread out.
Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno aniccasaññāparicitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharato lābhasakkārasiloke cittaṁ patilīyati patikuṭati pativattati, na sampasāriyati upekkhā vā pāṭikulyatā vā saṇṭhāti; veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘subhāvitā me aniccasaññā, atthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, pattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti.
Similarly with frequent contemplation of the perception of dissatisfaction in every world, the mind becomes devoid of craving for sensual pleasures, does not incline towards them, either indifference or repulsion stands.
The perception of impermanence when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination, thus it has indeed been said.
Disciples, with frequent contemplation of the perception of impermanence, the mind withdraws from gain, honor, and fame, either equanimity or repulsion arises.
Just as a leaf or a piece of meat thrown into the fire withdraws, contracts, and recoils, it does not spread out.
Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘abhāvitā me anicce dukkhasaññā, natthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, appattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti. Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti. Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno anicce dukkhasaññāparicitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharato ālasye kosajje vissaṭṭhiye pamāde ananuyoge apaccavekkhaṇāya tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti, seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ukkhittāsike vadhake. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘subhāvitā me anicce dukkhasaññā, atthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, pattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti.
Similarly with frequent contemplation of the perception of impermanence, the mind withdraws from gain, honor, and fame, either equanimity or repulsion arises.
Perception of Suffering in Impermanence
The perception of suffering in impermanence, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as its culmination.
For a disciple who frequently attends to the perception of suffering in impermanence, a keen perception of danger becomes established, just as for a murderer standing with a raised sword.
But for a disciple who has seen things as they truly are, who no longer clings, that keen perception of danger does not arise.
Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dukkhe anattasaññāparicitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu na ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānāpagataṁ mānasaṁ hoti vidhāsamatikkantaṁ santaṁ suvimuttaṁ. Veditabbametaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā ‘abhāvitā me dukkhe anattasaññā, natthi me pubbenāparaṁ viseso, appattaṁ me bhāvanābalan’ti.
Perception of Not-self in Suffering
The perception of not-self in suffering when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination, thus indeed it has been said.
Because with frequent contemplation of the perception of not-self in suffering, the mind becomes devoid of egoism, conceit, and arrogance, surpassed, peaceful, and utterly liberated.
These seven perceptions when developed and cultivated, are of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as their culmination.
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