Muni's PlayMuni's PlayMuni's Play

SN 47.35 - Sati Sutta

4 min read

SN 47.35 - Sati Sutta (Mindful)

In this discourse, the Buddha gives a concise but essential instruction on the twin qualities of Mindfulness (Sati) and Clear Comprehension (Sampajañña).

He explicitly defines:

  1. Being Mindful (Sato): Cultivating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna).
  2. Being Clearly Comprehending (Sampajāno): Having direct, conscious awareness of feelings, thoughts, and perceptions as they arise, persist, and pass away.

1. The Core Instruction

The Buddha’s opening exhortation to the monks:

Pali

“सतो, भिक्खवे, भिक्खु विहरेय्य सम्पजानो।
अयं वो अम्हाकं अनुसासनी।

Sanskrit Chaya

“स्मृतः, भिक्षवः, भिक्षुर्विहरेत् सम्प्रजन्यः।
अयं वोऽस्माकम् अनुशासनम्।

English Translation

“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell mindful and clearly comprehending.
This is our instruction to you.”

2. What is Being Mindful (Sato)?

The definition of mindfulness mapped directly to the four foundations (Satipaṭṭhāna):

Pali

कथञ्च, भिक्खवे, भिक्खु सतो होति?
इध, भिक्खवे, भिक्खु काये कायानुपस्सी विहरति आतापी सम्पजानो सतिमा, विनेय्य लोके अभिज्झादोमनस्सं;
वेदनासु …पे…
चित्ते …पे…
धम्मेसु धम्मानुपस्सी विहरति आतापी सम्पजानो सतिमा, विनेय्य लोके अभिज्झादोमनस्सं।
एवं खो, भिक्खवे, भिक्खु सतो होति।

Sanskrit Chaya

कथं च, भिक्षवः, भिक्षुः स्मृतो भवति?
इह, भिक्षवः, भिक्षुः काये कायानुदर्शी विहरति आतापी सम्प्रजानन् स्मृतिमान्, विनीय लोकेऽभिध्यादौर्मनस्ये;
वेदनासु …पे…
चित्ते …पे…
धर्मेषु धर्मानुदर्शी विहरति आतापी सम्प्रजानन् स्मृतिमान्, विनीय लोकेऽभिध्यादौर्मनस्ये।
एवं खलु, भिक्षवः, भिक्षुः स्मृतो भवति।

English Translation

And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu mindful?
Here, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, and mindful, having removed covetousness and grief regarding the world;
he dwells contemplating feelings in feelings…
he dwells contemplating the mind in the mind…
he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, and mindful, having removed covetousness and grief regarding the world.
It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is mindful.

3. What is Being Clearly Comprehending (Sampajāno)?

The definition of clear comprehension mapped to real-time awareness of the three key mental aggregates (Feelings, Thoughts, Perceptions):

Pali

कथञ्च, भिक्खवे, भिक्खु सम्पजानो होति?
इध, भिक्खवे, भिक्खुनो विदिता वेदना उप्पज्जन्ति, विदिता उपट्ठहन्ति, विदिता अब्भत्थं गच्छन्ति।
विदिता वितक्का उप्पज्जन्ति, विदिता उपट्ठहन्ति, विदिता अब्भत्थं गच्छन्ति।
विदिता सञ्ञा उप्पज्जन्ति, विदिता उपट्ठहन्ति, विदिता अब्भत्थं गच्छन्ति।
एवं खो, भिक्खवे, भिक्खु सम्पजानो होति।

Sanskrit Chaya

कथं च, भिक्षवः, भिक्षुः सम्प्रजानो भवति?
इह, भिक्षवः, भिक्षोर्विदिता वेदना उत्पद्यन्ते, विदिता उपतिष्ठन्ते, विदिता अस्तं गच्छन्ति।
विदिता वितर्का उत्पद्यन्ते, विदिता उपतिष्ठन्ते, विदिता अस्तं गच्छन्ति।
विदिता संज्ञा उत्पद्यन्ते, विदिता उपतिष्ठन्ते, विदिता अस्तं गच्छन्ति।
एवं खलु, भिक्षवः, भिक्षुः सम्प्रजानो भवति।

English Translation

And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu clearly comprehending?
Here, for a bhikkhu, feelings arise known, persist known, and pass away known.
Thoughts arise known, persist known, and pass away known.
Perceptions arise known, persist known, and pass away known.
It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is clearly comprehending.

4. Closing Reiteration

Pali

सतो, भिक्खवे, भिक्खु विहरेय्य सम्पजानो।
अयं वो अम्हाकं अनुसासनी”ति।

Sanskrit Chaya

स्मृतः, भिक्षवः, भिक्षुर्विहरेत् सम्प्रजन्यः।
अयं वोऽस्माकम् अनुशासनमिति॥

English Translation

“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should dwell mindful and clearly comprehending.
This is our instruction to you.”

Key Terms & Word Meanings

1. Sato / Smṛtaḥ (सतो / स्मृतः)

  • Pali: Sato is the nominative singular of sati (mindful).
  • Meaning: Keeping the mind anchored in the present frame of reference, not drifting into past or future concerns.

2. Sampajāno / Samprajanyaḥ (सम्पजानो / सम्प्रजन्यः)

  • Meaning: Clearly comprehending, alert, or fully aware. In this sutta, it is specifically the capacity to see mental states objectively as they move through three phases: arising, standing/persisting, and dissolving.

3. Viditā / Viditāḥ (विदिता / विदिताः)

  • Meaning: Known, understood, conscious, or clearly recognized.
  • Context: “Viditā vedanā uppajjanti” means feelings arise with full conscious knowledge (they do not slip into the mind unnoticed).

4. Abbhatthaṃ / Astam (अब्भत्थं / अस्तम्)

  • Pali: Abbhatthaṃ literally means “setting,” “disappearance,” or “extinction.”
  • Sanskrit: Astam (as in astam gacchati - to set / disappear like the sun).
  • Context: The vanishing or dissolution of mental phenomena.