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Satipatthana Sutta Study
Overview and Contents
Sutta Summary
Outline and Text
Audio
Introduction
Preliminaries
Direct Path
Definition
Body
Breathing
Insight Refrain
Postures
Activity/Clear Comp
Anatomical Parts
Elements
Decay/death
Feeling
Feeling Text
Mind or Mind States
Mind Text
Dhammas, Phenomena, Truth
Hindrances
Aggregates
Sense-Spheres
Awakening Factors
Noble Truths
Conclusion
Contemplative Study Course

Satipatthana Sutta Overview

The Satipatthana Sutta is a valuable resource for deliniating the teaching of the Buddha. It can serve as a curriculum guide to the arry of instructional lenses offered by the buddha, as opposed to a linear developmental processes. One can dip into the whole of the teaching, like giant sphere of possibility, lift out any element and find a useful instructional theme and/or some means or other of developing the mind, of accessing its greatest capapcities.

Though these teachings are those of the Buddha, it is unlikely that he wrote or spoke this teaching just as the sutta is written. It is more likely a compilation of his teachings to help those following in his footsteps, a practical guide including a wide range of investigative possibilities.

To mention only one of its great benefits: When we begin investigating the mind, it may feel like there is not so much to notice, but if you venture into the collection of practices in this sutta, more subtle levels of experinece begin to emerge. Like moving from recognizing the forest, to studying the plants in the forest and beginning to see the detail of specific kinds of trees.

I have been working with and teaching from this sutta for many years and find that it beomes continually more interesting as more layers of consciousness are explored. It is with great pleasure that I invite you into this investigation. You are welcome to explore these teachings on your own as I build them or join in one or more of our periodic group investigations of particular elements of the sutta.

What this course contains:
text versions of the sutta | audio versions of the sutta | summary of the sutta | summaries of sections of the sutta | elements of contemplative study | practice suggestions by category of experience

Text of the Sutta in Short Passages for Practice and Study

Audio versions of each passage

Elements of the Contemplative Study Course

A Summary of Sutta

Summaries of Subsections


Conclusion





Satipatthana Sutta Study - © 2005 Mary Rees
Sutta text modified from translation by Analayo. Please see his original translation and excellent commentary: Satipatthana : The Direct Path to Realization. Birmingham, UK: Windhorse Publications, 2003.