10.
The Discourse to Girimānanda
60.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Now at that time the Venerable Girimānanda was sick, afflicted, severely ill.
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One -
"The Venerable Girimānanda, venerable sir, is sick, afflicted, severely ill. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would approach the Venerable Girimānanda, out of compassion." "If you, Ānanda, were to speak ten perceptions to the monk Girimānanda, there is the possibility that having heard the ten perceptions, the monk Girimānanda's illness would be allayed on the spot.
"What ten? Perception of impermanence, perception of non-self, perception of foulness, perception of danger, perception of abandoning, perception of dispassion, perception of cessation, perception of discontent with the whole world, perception of non-desire in all activities, mindfulness of breathing.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of impermanence? Here, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, or having gone to the root of a tree, or having gone to an empty house, considers thus - 'Materiality is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, activities are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent.' Thus he dwells observing impermanence in these five aggregates of clinging. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of impermanence.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-self? Here, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, or having gone to the root of a tree, or having gone to an empty house, considers thus - 'The eye is non-self, forms are non-self, the ear is non-self, sounds are non-self, the nose is non-self, odours are non-self, the tongue is non-self, flavours are non-self, the body is non-self, tangible objects are non-self, the mind is non-self, mental phenomena are non-self.' Thus he dwells observing non-self in these six internal and external sense bases. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of non-self.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of foulness? Here, Ānanda, a monk reviews this very body, upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the top of the hair, bounded by the skin, as full of many kinds of impurity - 'There are in this body head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spittle, snot, synovic fluid, urine.' Thus he dwells observing foulness in this body. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of foulness.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of danger? Here, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, or having gone to the root of a tree, or having gone to an empty house, considers thus - 'This body is full of suffering, full of danger. Thus in this body various illnesses arise, as follows - eye disease, ear disease, nose disease, tongue disease, body disease, head disease, outer ear disease, mouth disease, tooth disease, lip disease, cough, asthma, catarrh, burning, fever, stomach disease, fainting, dysentery, griping, cholera, leprosy, boils, eczema, consumption, epilepsy, ringworm, itch, scab, scratches, scabies, blood disease, bile disease, diabetes, haemorrhoids, blisters, ulcers, illnesses arising from bile, illnesses arising from phlegm, illnesses arising from wind, illnesses arising from the combination of humours, illnesses arising from change of climate, illnesses arising from improper care, illnesses arising from assault, illnesses arising from the result of action, cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, urination.' Thus he dwells observing danger in this body. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of danger.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of abandoning? Here, Ānanda, a monk does not accept an arisen sensual thought, he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, brings it to obliteration. He does not accept an arisen thought of anger, he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, brings it to obliteration. He does not accept an arisen thought of violence, he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, brings it to obliteration. Whatever evil unwholesome mental states have arisen, he does not accept them, he abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, brings them to obliteration. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of abandoning.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of dispassion? Here, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, or having gone to the root of a tree, or having gone to an empty house, considers thus - 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, Nibbāna.' This, Ānanda, is called the perception of dispassion.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of cessation? Here, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, or having gone to the root of a tree, or having gone to an empty house, considers thus - 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, cessation, Nibbāna.' This, Ānanda, is called the perception of cessation.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of discontent with the whole world? Here, Ānanda, a monk dwells abandoning and not clinging to whatever clingings, mental standpoints, adherences and underlying tendencies there are in the world. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of discontent with the whole world.
"And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-desire for all activities? Here, Ānanda, a monk is troubled, ashamed and disgusted with all activities. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of non-desire for all activities.
"And what, Ānanda, is mindfulness of breathing? Here, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, or having gone to the root of a tree, or having gone to an empty house, sits down, folding his legs crosswise, directing his body upright, having established mindfulness in front of him. He, mindful, breathes in; mindful, he breathes out. Breathing in long, he understands: 'I breathe in long.' Breathing out long, he understands: 'I breathe out long.' Breathing in short, he understands: 'I breathe in short.' Breathing out short, he understands: 'I breathe out short.' He trains: 'Experiencing the whole body, I shall breathe in.' He trains: 'Experiencing the whole body, I shall breathe out.' He trains: 'Calming the bodily activity, I shall breathe in.' He trains: 'Calming the bodily activity, I shall breathe out.' He trains: 'Experiencing joy, I shall breathe in.' He trains: 'Experiencing joy, I shall breathe out.' He trains: 'Experiencing happiness, I shall breathe in.' He trains: 'Experiencing happiness, I shall breathe out.' He trains: 'Experiencing mental activity, I shall breathe in.' He trains: 'Experiencing mental activity, I shall breathe out.' He trains: 'Calming mental activity, I shall breathe in.' He trains: 'Calming mental activity, I shall breathe out.' He trains: 'Experiencing the mind, I shall breathe in.' He trains: 'Experiencing the mind, I shall breathe out.' Gladdening the mind... etc. concentrating the mind... etc. Releasing the mind... etc. Observing impermanence... etc. observing dispassion... etc. observing cessation... etc. He trains: 'Observing relinquishment, I shall breathe in.' He trains: 'Observing relinquishment, I shall breathe out.' This, Ānanda, is called mindfulness of breathing.
"If you, Ānanda, were to speak these ten perceptions to the monk Girimānanda, there is the possibility that having heard these ten perceptions, that illness of the monk Girimānanda would subside on the spot."
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having learnt these ten perceptions in the presence of the Blessed One, approached the Venerable Girimānanda; having approached, he spoke these ten perceptions to the Venerable Girimānanda. Then, having heard the ten perceptions, that illness of the Venerable Girimānanda subsided on the spot. And the Venerable Girimānanda recovered from that illness. And thus that illness of the Venerable Girimānanda was abandoned. The tenth.