The introductory verse to the passage on the foundations of mindfulness, calling it the one way.
- When chanted
- Chanted immediately before the Satipaṭṭhāna passage, introducing it.
Historical background
The book gives this printing no English title of its own, so the name used in the app is supplied.
The phrase the verse turns on is เอกายะนอ — the one way, or the only way — and it is repeated in the passage that follows and again at its close.
Meaning and purpose
The purposes are listed exactly as the discourse lists them: for beings of defiled mind, for the purifying of the mind's defilements, for the wholly going beyond sorrow and lamentation, for the ending of pain and grief.
That list is not general. Each item names a specific thing the practice is supposed to end, and the verse gives them before naming the practice at all.
Only then the name — famous in this dispensation under the name of the foundations of mindfulness — and the handover. What is introduced is presented as a remedy identified by what it cures.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 126 →
page 126สัมพุทโธ ทิปะทัง เสฏโฐ มะหาการุณิโก มุนิ
Sambuddho dipadaṃ seṭṭho mahākāruṇiko muni
The Awakened One, best of the two-footed, the Sage of great compassion,
เอกายะนัง มัคคัง นามะ เวเนยยานัง อะเทสะยิ.
Ekāyanaṃ maggaṃ nāma veneyyānaṃ adesayi.
taught to those who could be led the path called the one way.
กิลิฏฐะจิตตะสัตตานัง จิตตะเก๎ลสะวิสุทธิยา
Kiliṭṭhacittasattānaṃ cittakelsavisuddhiyā
For beings of defiled mind, for the purifying of the mind's defilements,
โสกานัง ปะริเทวานัง อะติกกะมายะ สัพพะโส.
Sokānaṃ paridevānaṃ atikkamāya sabbaso.
for the wholly going beyond sorrow and lamentation.
ทุกขานัง โทมะนัสสานัง อัตถังคะมายะ อัฏฐิตัง
Dukkhānaṃ domanassānaṃ atthaṅgamāya aṭṭhitaṃ
Set forth for the ending of pain and grief,
ญายัสเสวาธิคะมายะ นิพพานัสสาภิปัตติยา.
Ñāyassevādhigamāya nibbānassābhipattiyā.
for the attaining of the method, for the reaching of Nibbana.
สะติปัฏฐานะนาเมนะ วิสสุตัง วิธะ สาสะเน
Satipaṭṭhānanāmena vissutaṃ vidha sāsane
Famous in this dispensation under the name of the foundations of mindfulness,
จิตตะเก๎ลสะวิสุทธัตถัง ตัง มัคคันตัมภะณามะ เส.
Cittakelsavisuddhatthaṃ taṃ maggantambhaṇāma se.
for the purifying of the mind's defilements — let us recite that path.