The document examines the satipaṭṭhāna sutta, suggesting it may not be an authentic discourse of the Buddha but rather a compilation with sectarian bias favoring pure vipassanā practice. It discusses the evolution of mindfulness in early Buddhism, highlighting how the Buddha initially introduced kāyagatā sati and later developed it into the four satipaṭṭhānas. The document also compares the contents of satipaṭṭhāna across seven major texts using textual analysis and psychological approaches.

1. Location of Kuru
Sāvatthi
Vesālī
Bārānasī
Gāyā

2. Ajahn Sujāto’s
Five
Nikāyas
Scrutiny of Four
Āgamas
Satipaṭṭhāna
Pre-Buddhist Other Buddhist
Sources Materials Sources
Vibhaṅga Dharmaskandha Śāriputrābhidharma
Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta Smṛtyupasthāna Sūtra
Ekāyana Sūtra Prajñāpāramita Sūtra

3. Based on
● Concordance of the 7 main texts
● Internal coherence of material
● Intertextual relationship with the rest of
the scriptures
● Cultural & philosophical contexts at the
Buddha’s time
● Evolution of sectarian positions
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4. Suggests
That the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10)
● is not an authentic discourse of the Buddha,
● but a padded up discourse,
● with passages “copied and pasted” from
other discourses,
● showing a sectarian bias towards pure
vipassanā practice.
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5. Details
A History of
Mindfulness
How insight worsted tranquility in
the Satipatthana Sutta
By Bhikkhu Sujato
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6. Mindfulness
in Early Buddhism
New approaches through
psychology and textual analysis of
Pali, Chinese and Sanskrit sources
By Tse-fu Kuan
Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism
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7. Further suggests
That the Buddha
● initially introduced kāyagatā sati or
kāyasati ( 念身 ) as a general principle
of introspective self-awareness
● developed it into the 4 satipaṭṭhānas
at a late stage of his teaching career
● particularly emphasized the 4
satipaṭṭhānas as his final teaching
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8. Coming in Part 2
Comparing contents of
Satipaṭṭhāna
in the 7 major texts
Vibhaṅga Dharmaskandha Śāriputrābhidharma
Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta Smṛtyupasthāna Sūtra
Ekāyana Sūtra Prajñāpāramita Sūtra
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