Mahâ-Parinibbâna-Suttanta: The Book of the Great Decease

13. Now there the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said: 'Let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and thoughtful; this is our instruction to you.' 14. 'And how does a brother become mindful?' 'Herein, O mendicants, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from bodily craving--while subject to sensations, let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief arising from the craving--which follows our sensation-and so also p. 29 as he thinks or reasons or feels let him overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas, or reasoning, or feeling.' 15. 'And how does a brother become thoughtful?' 'He acts, O mendicants, in full presence of mind whatever he may do, in coming out and coming in, in looking and watching, in bending in his arm or stretching it forth, in wearing his robes or carrying his bowl, in eating and drinking, in consuming or tasting, in walking or standing or sitting, in sleeping or waking, in talking and in being silent. 'Thus let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and thoughtful; this is our instruction to you[1].' [1. This doctrine of being 'mindful and thoughtful'--sato sampagâno--is one of the lessons most frequently inculcated in the Pâli Pitakas, and is one of the 'Seven jewels of the Law.' It is fully treated of in each of the Nikâyas, forming the subject of the Mahâ Satipatthâna Sutta in the Dîgha Nikâya, and the Satipatthâna Sutta of the Magghima Nikâya, and the Satipatthâna Vaggo of the Samyutta Nikâya, as well as of various passages in the Anguttara Nikâya and of the work called Vibhanga in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. I am glad to learn that Dr. Morris intends to collect and compare all these passages in his forthcoming work on the 'Seven jewels of the Law.' These sections of the Mahâparinibbâna Sutta and the treatment in the Vibhanga have preserved, in Dr. Morris's opinion, the oldest form of the doctrine. Compare Chap. II, § 34.