At 06:55 06.02.2005 +0000, Bhante Sujato wrote:

>It seems, from the fact that the 32 parts + simile are mentioned,
>that this is in fact a version of 'the' satipatthana sutta, ie, a
>detailed exposition of the 4 satipatthanas, based on a recension of
>the early sutta from one school. For that reason it would be very
>interesting for me to see some more details. I wonder whether you or
>Stephen might be able to do, if not a transcription into romanized
>Skt, at least a brief summary outlining the specific meditation
>exercises mentioned? Of the 7 versions i have so far consulted, the
>32 parts are the only consistent feature in all the sections on
>kayanupassana. It seems as if the Arthaviniscaya, too, supports this.
>
>in Dhamma
>
>Bhante Sujato

Bhante,

The Arthavinishcayasutra is in Sanskrit, but it is pre-Mahayana, probably
originally a Sautrantika-Vaibhashika Sutra. It is almost like a short
encyclopaedia of Buddhist teachings. It is a very condensed text,
containing mostly definitions of central Dhamma-terms, and most of the
contents is stock phrases that are very easy to recognize for anyone who is
a little familiar with the Pali texts. That is why this sutra is of
interest for those who study Pali - it can work like a bridge from Pali
into Sanskrit.

The Sutra explains 27 topics (I'll use the terminology of the Introduction
to the Sutra here): 1) five aggregates (skandhas), 2) five aggregates of
clinging to existence (upaadaanaskandhas), 3) eighteen elements (dhaatus),
4) twelve bases (aayatanas), 5) twelvefold law of dependent origination
(pratiityasamutpaada), 6) four noble truths (aaryasatyas), 7) twenty-two
faculties (indriyas), 8) four trances (dhyaanas), 9) four formless
attainments (aaruupyasamaapattis), 10) four sublime states
(brahmavihaaras), 11) four courses (to the acquirement of knowledge)
(pratipads), 12) four states (of cultivation) of meditation
(samaadhibhaavanas), 13) four fields of mindfulness (sm.rtyupasthaanas),
14) four right efforts (samyakprahaa.nas), 15) four bases of psychic powers
(.rddhipaadas), 16) five faculties (indriyas), 17) five powers (balas), 18)
seven contituents of enlightenment (bodhyangas), 19) noble eightfold path
(aryaa.s.taangamaarga), 20) sixteenfold mindfulness of inbreathing and
outbreathing (aanaapaanasm.rti), 21) four factors of attaining the stream
(srotaaapattyangas), 22) ten powers of the Tathagata (tathaagatabalas), 23)
four grounds of selv-confidence (vai"saaradyas), 24) four kinds of detailed
and special knowledge (pratisa.mvids), 25) eighteen special characteristics
of the Buddha (aave.nikabuddhadharmas), 26) thirty-two marks of a great man
(mahaapuru.salak.sa.nas), 27) eighty minor marks (of the Buddha)
(anuvyañjanas).

Chapter 13 only gives a short list of mindfulness of kaya, vedana, citta og
dharma. Many of the more detailed instructions from the
Mahasatipatthanasutta are found in chapter 12, where the parts of the body
also are described.

Yours,

Kåre A. Lie
http://www.lienet.no/