The Seven Factors of Enlightenment (sutra)

Ven. Piyadassi (trans.) Gilana Sutra: "Ill" (SN 46.16); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

From "The Buddha - A Documentary Story of the Buddha's Life (thirdmonk.net)

.

Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One [the Buddha] was living near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove in the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. At that time, he was afflicted with a disease, was suffering therefrom, and was gravely ill.

 

Then Venerable Maha Cunda [arising from his solitude at eventide] approached the Blessed One, respectfully saluted him, and sat down beside him.

 

To Ven. Maha Cunda thus seated, the Blessed One said:

 

"O, Cunda, let the Seven Factors of Enlightenment occur to your mind."

 

"These Seven Factors of Enlightenment, venerable sir (bhante), are well expounded and are cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. They conduce to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana. What are the seven?

 

1. "Mindfulness (sati), the factor of enlightenment, venerable sir, is well expounded by the Blessed One, and is cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. It conduces to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana.

 

2. "Investigation of the Dharma (dhamma*-vicaya), the factor of enlightenment, venerable sir, is well expounded by the Blessed One and is cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. It conduces to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana.

• *NOTE: Dharma (Pali dhamma) is a broad term best translated as "things," and here is often confused with the Dharma, the Buddha's Doctrine. Here it means "mind-body phenomena" (nama-rupa) in line with the Buddha's Teaching about the nature of these things. The context, explained in the Satipathana Sutra, clearly shows that it is the phenomena of existence -- such as the Five Aggregates of Clinging (khanda) -- that one specifically investigates as a factor of enlightenment rather than the Doctrine, which one is being generally observant of throughout one's practice toward enlightenment.

3. "Persevering effort (viriya, padhāna), the factor of enlightenment, venerable sir, is well expounded by the Blessed One and is cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. It conduces to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana.

 

4. "Rapture (pīti), the factor of enlightenment, venerable sir, is well expounded by the Blessed One and is cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. It conduces to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana.

 

5. "Calm (passaddhi), the factor of enlightenment, venerable sir, is well expounded by the Blessed One and is cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. It conduces to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana.

 

6. "Concentration (samādhi), the factor of enlightenment, venerable sir, is well expounded by the Blessed One and is cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. It conduces to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana.

 

7. "Equanimity (upekkhā), the factor of enlightenment, venerable sir, is well expounded by the Blessed One, and is cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. It conduces to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana.
 

(salnath.deviantart.com)

These Seven Factors of Enlightenment, venerable sir, are well expounded and cultivated and fully developed by the Blessed One. They conduce to perfect understanding, to full realization, and to nirvana."

 

"Most assuredly Cunda, they are factors of enlightenment. Most assuredly, Cunda, they are factors of enlightenment."

 

Thus said Ven. Maha Cunda, and the Teacher approved of it. Then the Blessed One [immediately] recovered from his affliction, and thus disappeared his illness.