Purport of Anāthapiṇḍikovāda Sutta (M.N) A Discourse on an Exhortation to Anāthapiṇḍika

By Satiman

Introduction

Sāripuatta, accompanied by Ānanda, once paid a visit to Anāthapiṇ̣ḍika afflicted with a severe illness causing him enormous physical and mental pains. Sāriputta exhorted Anāthapiṇḍika on the mindfulness of the various components of the human personality in order to reduce his mental pains. Of course, Sāriputta was clearly aware that the last thought moments of a dying person do determine the destination of rebirth to a certain extent. It is of paramount importance that the mind of a dying person must be appeased or calm moments before demise.Sāriputta, one of the foremost and immediate disciples of Gotama Buddha, most prominent in attainment of Wisdom, prescribed the practice of Satipaṭṭhāna (four foundations of mindfulness) to Anāthapiṇḍika to fulfill the aforementioned objectives. The objectives are summarized as firstly, the reduction of mental pains, and secondly the insurance of a good rebirth through mental calmness or appeasement.

Non-grasping

Sāriputta exhorted to Anāthapiṇḍika lying painfully on his death bed thus :

You must not grasp upon seeing.
You must not grasp upon hearing.
You must not grasp upon smelling
You must not grasp upon tasting.
You must grasp upon tasting.
You must not grasp upon the body.
You must not grasp upon the mind.

Before Anāthapiṇ̣ḍika was afflicted with illness, he had already received the instructions on the practice of Satipaṭṭhāna from the master Gotama Buddha himself. Sāriputta came to visit him just to remind him not to abandon the practice even though he was assailed by severe illness and pains when he saw Anāthapiṇḍika glooming and struggling with intense physical and mental pains.
 
Sāriputta enjoined Anāthapiṇḍika not to grasp upon the six sense faculties or organs, the corresponding six sense objects of perception and the corresponding six sense consciousness. Besides, he also reminded him not to  cling upon the five aggregates of Form, Feelings, Perceptions, Volitions and Consciousness. Alternatively, he was also reminded not to cling upon the six Elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Space and Consciousness. Neither should he cling upon the four basic mental absorptions (jhānas) and the four higher attainments, namely, the plane of Infinite Space,the plane of Infinite Consciousness, the plane of Nothingness and the plane of Neither Perception nor Non-perception. Without grasping upon anyone of these phenomena, he attained the liberation of the first stage sainthood - Sotāpatti.

Cessation of Grasping

How does the grasping cease in the practice of Satipaṭṭhāna? Grasping ceases when the Anattā (Insubstantiality) View or Wisdom is applied. When Anattā View or Wisdom is exercised , the practitioners ceases regarding any sense faculty or organ or any one of the five aggregates to be He, His or Belonging to him. In short, the practitioner ceases claiming his ownership or proprietorship over any portion of the human personality. When ownership or proprietorship is renounced or abandoned mentally, right mindfulness and clear awareness arise and operate spontaneously without any mental obstruction. In this manner, the practitioner is delivered from grasping. Being delivered from grasping, the cognition, which arises, is pure cognition or consciousness. Pure consciousness is non-manifestative consciousness (anidassana-viññāṇa) which is undefiled consciousness leading to the cessation of suffering (dukkha-nirodha). Pure consciousness is cankerless. It is the highest fruit (paramatthaphala) of the total annihilation of illusive self or ego (ahaṃ̣kāra-ppahānạ) superimposed or falsely constructed by the ignorant worldlings (puthujjanas).

Mindfulness and Awareness

Anāthapiṇḍika applied his mindfulness and clear awareness of all the physical and mental phenomena both internally and externally. Consequently, he did not grasp upon the acute pains experienced bodily and mentally. Owing to the clarity and non-obsessions of his mind , he was reborn in to the world of Tusita Heaven as a young deva. Furthermore, he attained Sotāpannaship moments before his demise. Having become a deva in the heaven of Tusita, he returned to earth to pay homage to Gotama Buddha at night. His arrival at the Jeta Grove monastery illuminated the entire monastery and its surrounding compound. He met the Blessed One respectfully and extolled Ven. Sāriputta by reciting a poem in praise of Ven. Sāriputta in aiding his liberation (vimutti) before his death on earth. The Blessed One informed his disciples in the monastery that the young deva was the former Anāthapiṇḍika who was the great Dhamma protector of the Saṅgha community in his previous birth on earth.

Conclusion

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness of the Body, Feelings, Mind and Phenomena are effectively and fruitfully applied to purify the actions of the body, speech and mind through the insightfully wise application of the Anattā formula of three-fold negation of This not I; This is not Mine; This does not belong to me. Anattā Formula is aimed at annihilating the illusive self or ego superimposed by the worldlings. Satipaṭṭ̣hāna is definitely more powerful and assuring than the utility of external chanting aids, either human or machine for the dying person. It is most powerful and effective as it destroys the illusive self or ego. Of course, if Satipaṭṭhāna is not practised habitually and skillfully before death, its application moments before death is by no means an easy exercise. If one did not genuinely take refuge in the Dhamma in daily life before demise, it would be futile to embrace the two feet of the Buddha for an external aid from the Blessed One moments before one’s demise. Habitually diligent, resolute and ardent Buddhist practices while living before death are crucial and determinitive. Efforts must be invested before the rainy days. Emancipation is sought inwardly but not outwardly. One ought to take refuge in one’s own mind of liberation effected from self-realization of Wisdom or self-awakening. The practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is the vehicle or expedient device to such a Self-awakening.