BS> If there is interest, i can contribute some other selections from
BS> the Chinese. I have about half the satipatthana Samyutta in
BS> translation, plus other stuff.
Would you please look for the Chinese equivalent of another sutta from
Satipatthana Samyutta,
Satisutta.m (SN 5.180)
Saavatthinidaana.m. "Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vihareyya sampajaano.
Aya.m vo amhaaka.m anusaasanii".
"Katha~nca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu
kaaye kaayaanupassii viharati aataapii sampajaano satimaa, vineyya
loke abhijjhaadomanassa.m; vedanaasu pe citte pe dhammesu
dhammaanupassii viharati aataapii sampajaano satimaa, vineyya loke
abhijjhaadomanassa.m.
Patisambhidammagga, in the section devoted to Anapanasati (1.178,
attached below), explains causal relations: vedanaa from phassa,
vitakkaa from sa~n~naa, and sa~n~naa from phassa, yet the details of
practice remain unclear.
The Chinese version may bring more light to this aspect of practice.
BS> This raises the question as to why there are discrepancies. It is
BS> quite possible that the Buddha simply taught satipatthana in
BS> different ways at different times.
In my opinion this is the most probable explanation. He has been
teaching for decades to widely different audiences, so it is unlikely
that the same text has been repeated. Some of the rote formulas of
Satipatthana were constructed latter for the convenience of
memorization.
It seems that the fourth frame of reference covers at least four
different directions of practice - tracking mental qualities, tracking
the faults of perception, tracking four noble truths, and tracking
dependent co-arising of khandhas. Hence the inclusion of different
types of dhamma's.
However the 'insight into the skilful mental qualities' (prerequisites of
their arising and ceasing) seems to be the essential core of fourth
frame of reference practice.