Should we practice satipatthana gradually?

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I have a doubt about in which order do we should practice satipatthana?, should we start with the “contemplation of the body” then continue with the “contemplation of the feelings” to move to the “contemplation of citta” and end in the contemplation of dhammas? I mean is that the order? or that doesn’t matter ?.. and when we know that we are ready to move to the next satipatthana?

I would be grateful if you share suttas related to the topic, thank you very much in advance … please do not use abidhamma or visuddhimagga … only Ebts

metta :slightly_smiling_face:

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In the introduction (DN 22, MN 10) to the Satipatthana sutta the term ‘establishings’ is used:

“The Blessed One said: “This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of unbinding—in other words, the four establishings of mindfulness.”

In the conclusion the term ‘development’ is used:

“Now, if anyone would develop these four establishings of mindfulness in this way…”

‘Establishing’ means each of the four foundations should be studied individually and implemented. In the teaching generally the Buddha stresses the importance of the body as a meditation subject:

"In the same way, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is not developed, not pursued, Mara gains entry, Mara gains a foothold.”—-MN 119

‘Development’ means integrating the four foundations in a working relationship.

Throughout the Satipatthana sutta there is a passage repeated with each foundation and exercise:

“In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or externally on the body in & of itself, or both internally & externally on the body in & of itself.

Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to the body, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to the body, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to the body.

Or his mindfulness that ‘There is a body’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by [not clinging to] anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself.”

This describes three levels of practice, the first establishing, the second developing, and the third for arahants who are detached.

The beginner is particularly concerned with familiarization with each of the foundations and the exercises attached to them, both internally and externally.

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According to SN 47 Satipatthana Samyutta and its SA version, e.g. SN 47.2 and SA 622, satipatthana is not practiced gradually in the order from body first, and then feeling, mind, and end in dhamma. Body and mind (the four aspects of mindfulness) are closely interconnected in practice, the connection between mindfulness and awareness (sati, sampajanna).
Cf.
p. 216 in the-fundamental-teachings-of-early Buddhism_choong-mun-keat 2000.pdf (83.0 KB)

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Practically speaking it is best to approach the Satipatthana sutta from the Anapanasati sutta (MN 118). There the first tetrad central exercise is sensitivity to the whole body. The object is to begin a foundation for the experience of joy in the second tetrad, which then relates to the second foundation of mindfulness, discrimination between feelings of the flesh and not of the flesh. That connects directly to the Buddha’s awakening experience:

“So why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities?'”—MN 36

The development of that kind of joy begins with the first tetrad sensitivity to the whole body:

“Think of the whole body breathing in, the whole body breathing out, with every cell in your body bathed with breath energy. When you think of the breath in that way, what kind of breathing feels good? You might find, as you start thinking in that way, that the breath gets deeper. If that feels gratifying, fine. If it feels uncomfortable, change the rhythm. Just think, “What would be more comfortable right now?” and see what the body does in response. Think of yourself as hovering around the breath. You’re not squeezing it out; you’re not forcing it in; you’re just staying very close to it, watching it, letting it adjust in whatever way feels good. Give it some space to adjust. Sometimes you might want to nudge it a little bit and see what longer breathing would feel like, or what shorter breathing would feel like, faster, slower, deeper, more shallow, and then notice what happens.”—Thanissaro

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/meditations4.html#befriending

At the same time the practitioner should begin investigating the drawbacks of sensual desire:

"So it is, Ananda. So it is. Even I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, thought: ‘Renunciation is good. Seclusion is good.’ But my heart didn’t leap up at renunciation, didn’t grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace. The thought occurred to me: ‘What is the cause, what is the reason, why my heart doesn’t leap up at renunciation, doesn’t grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace?’ Then the thought occurred to me: ‘I haven’t seen the drawback of sensual pleasures; I haven’t pursued [that theme]. I haven’t understood the reward of renunciation; I haven’t familiarized myself with it. That’s why my heart doesn’t leap up at renunciation, doesn’t grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace.’

[1] "Then the thought occurred to me: ‘If, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I were to pursue that theme; and if, having understood the reward of renunciation, I were to familiarize myself with it, there’s the possibility that my heart would leap up at renunciation, grow confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace.’

“So at a later time, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I pursued that theme; having understood the reward of renunciation, I familiarized myself with it. My heart leaped up at renunciation, grew confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace. Then, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, I entered & remained in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.”—AN 9.41

The essential requirement of feelings not of the flesh, and the strategy requires both insight (1), and serenity (2):

“I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, but as long as I had not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, I did not claim that I could not be tempted by sensuality. But (1) when I saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and (2) I had attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, that was when I claimed that I could not be tempted by sensuality.”—MN 14

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Ah, I’m not seeing that in the excerpt. Which part is saying the four types are to be practiced simultaneously?

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In practice, e.g. watching the breathing of the body is also the feeling, the mind, and its dhamma, at the present movement. Body and mind (the four aspects of mindfulness ‘sati’) in awareness ‘sampajanna’ are closely connected, as indicated in the text regarding the connection between sati and sampajanna. One simply cannot manage well of mental states without being awareness of bodily movement (including sleeping, keeping silence).

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