Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.s3.t5.173

v2.c35.s3.t5.173

The third topic is discussed in the Kvu. (I. 9): sabbe dhammā satipaṭṭhānan ti?—an opinion attributed by Buddhaghosa to the Andhakas The interpretation of Buddhaghosa is that the opponents meant by satipaṭṭhāna the objects which form the basis of sati (satiyā paṭṭhāna, satigocara, satiyā patiṭṭhāna).¹ In this sense the second opinion may be explained as that the satipaṭṭhānas include all forms of meditation, i.e., an adept practising satipaṭṭhāna needs not have recourse to other meditational practices. The S. may well point to the well-known statement found in many places of the Nikāyas (vide Majjhima, I, pp. 55-6), that there is only one way to the attainment of purity and that is the practice of satipaṭṭhāna (ekāyano ayaṃ maggo sattānaṃ visuddhiyā . . . . . yadidam cattāro satipaṭṭhānā).²