Re: sati meditation

Ole Holten Pind wrote:

> Dear Alan,
>
> Than you very much for this reference and extract.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Ole Pind
>
>

Dear Dr. Pind,

No problem at all. Actually, I started to do a bit more research into
this and then realized that Dmytro had already compiled together the
various commentary sections relevant to the topic in one thread at the
E-Sangha pali forum. I'll post everything below and hopefully it will be
useful to you. Also, I know that you are a member of E-Sangha, so if you
wish to continue the conversation, then it is still open here:
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showtopic=21109&view=findpost&p=290882
Howver, even people who are not members can still view it.

Dmytro wrote:
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"An article by Bhikkhu Sona
http://my.tbaytel.net/arfh/dhamma/nimitta.html
inspired me to research this term

Here's a quote from the early text, Vibhanga:

537. "Parimukha.m sati.m upa.t.thapetvaa"ti tattha katamaa sati? Yaa
sati anussati pa.tissati …pe… sammaasati - aya.m vuccati "sati".
Aya.m sati upa.t.thitaa hoti supa.t.thitaa naasikagge vaa
mukhanimitte vaa. Tena vuccati "parimukha.m sati.m
upa.t.thapetvaa"ti.

Vibhangapali .252

In the passage above Vibhanga clearly explains 'parimukha.m' as 'the tip
of the nose (naasikagge) or mouth-lip (mukha-nimitta)'.

This is confirmed by Atthakatha:

"parimukha.m sati.m upa.t.thapetvaati kamma.t.thaan'aabhimukha.m sati.m
.thapayitvaa. mukhasamiipe vaa katvaati attho. teneva vibha'nge
vutta.m - "aya.m sati upa.t.thitaa hoti suupa.t.thitaa naasikagge vaa
mukhanimitte vaa, tena vuccati parimukha.m sati.m upa.t.thapetvaa"ti
(vibha. 537). athavaa pariiti pariggaha.t.tho. mukhanti
niyyaana.t.tho. satiiti upa.t.thaana.t.tho. tena vuccati- "parimukha.m
satin"ti. eva.m pa.tisambhidaaya.m vuttanayenapettha attho
da.t.thabbo. tatraaya.m sa'nkhepo- "pariggahitaniyyaanasati.m
katvaa"ti.

Silakkhandhavagga-Atthakatha 1.211

Dr. Rhys Davids, quoting Buddhaghosa's commentary 'ure
loma-samhara.nam' on the phrase 'parimukham kaaraapeti',
from Vin. II.134, suggests the translation 'in front', explaining it as
'set up his memory in front of the object of thought'.

The only support for this I've found is the Buddhaghosa's commentary
(Culavagga-Atthakatha 6.1211) 'Parimukhanti ure lomasa.mhara.na.m'
(cutting off the hair on the breast) to the passage (Culavagga 2.134
5.Khuddakavatthuuni)

“Na, bhikkhave, massu kappaapetabba.m …pe… na massu
va.d.dhaapetabba.m… na golomika.m kaaraapetabba.m… na caturassaka.m
kaaraapetabba.m… na parimukha.m kaaraapetabba.m… na a.d.dhaduka.m
kaaraapetabba.m… na daa.thikaa .thapetabbaa… na sambaadhe loma.m
sa.mharaapetabba.m".

In approximate translation:
(Bhikkhu, the beard should not be trimmed, the beard should not be
enlarged, should not be cut into a ball- or cluster-shape, should
not be cut into quadrangular shape, should not be cut around the
mouth, should not be cut in 'half-dyad', should not be arranged in
whiskers, the hair should not be made grown at pudendum.)

Sorry, but there seem to be occasional inexact places in highly
venerable Buddhaghosa's commentary. Vibhanga's and Patisambhidamagga's
interpretation 'around the mouth' is far more credible, and quite fits
here.

Probably the quoting of Ven. Buddhaghosa's commentary in PED made many
people accept 'breast' interpretetion."

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With metta,

Alan