Ten Perceptions (saññā) to Heal from a Sickness (Girimānanda Sutta: AN 10.60)| Bhante Dr. G. Chandima for dCRADLE (Centre of Research and Dhamma Leadership Enhancement) (August 22, 2024)

 Ten Perceptions (saññā)

1. The perception of impermanence (anicca saññā)
2. the perception of not-self (anatta saññā)
3. the perception of unattractiveness (asubha saññā)
4. the perception of danger (ādīnava saññā)
5. the perception of abandoning (pahāna saññā)
6. the perception of dispassion (virāga saññā)
7. the perception of cessation (nirodha saññā)
8. the perception of non-delight in the entire world (sabbaloke anabhirata saññā)
9. the perception of impermanence in all conditioned phenomena (sabbasaṅkhāresu anicca saññā) 
10. mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānassati)

1. The Perception of Impermanence (anicca saññā)

Reflect on how the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—are inherently transient and impermanent, and how clinging to these fleeting aspects of experience leads to suffering.

2. The Perception of Not-self (anatta saññā)

Reflect on the six senses and sense objects (eye and sights, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and touches, and mind and ideas) as not being a permanent self. 

3. The Perception of Unattractiveness (asubha saññā)

Examine the following 32 body parts as needed.

4. The Perception of Danger (ādīnava saññā)

Reflecting that his body is the source of much pain and danger; for all sorts of afflictions ( arise in this body.

1. eye-disease (cakkhurogo)
2. disease of the inner ear (sotarogo)
3. nose-disease (ghānarogo)
4. tongue-disease (jivhārogo)
5. body-disease (kāyarogo)
6. head-disease (sīsarogo)
7. disease of the external ear (kaṇṇarogo)
8. mouth-disease (mukharogo) 
9. tooth-disease (dantarogo)
10. lip-disease (oṭṭharogo)
    
11. cough (kāso)
12. asthma (sāso)
13. catarrh (pināso)
14. inflammation/heart-burn (ḍaho)
15. fever (jaro)
16. stomach ache (kucchirogo)
17. fainting (mucchā)
18. dysentery (pakkhandikā)
19. gastric pain/swelling (sūlā)
20. cholera (visūcikā)
21. leprosy (kuṭṭhaṁ)
22. boils (gaṇḍo)
23. eczema (kilāso)
24. tuberculosis (soso)
25. epilepsy (apamāro)
26. ringworm (daddu)
27. itch (kaṇḍu)
28. scab (kacchu)
29. chickenpox (rakhasā)
30. scabies (vitacchikā)
31. diabetes (madhumeho)
32. hemorrhoids (aṁsā)
33. cancer (piḷakā)
34. fistula (bhagandalā)
35. illnesses originating from bile (pittasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā)
36. phlegm (semhasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā)
37. wind (vātasamuṭṭhānā ābādhā)
38. their combination (sannipātikā ābādhā)
39. illnesses produced by the change in climate (utupariṇāmajā ābādhā)
40. illnesses produced by careless behaviour (visamaparihārajā ābādhā)
41. illnesses produced by assault (opakkamikā ābādhā) 
42. illnesses produced as the result of kamma (kammavipākajā ābādhā)
43. cold (sītaṁ)
44. heat (uṇhaṁ)
45. hunger (jighacchā)
46. thirst (pipāsā)
47. defecation (uccāro)
48. urination (passāvo)

5. The Perception of Abandoning (pahāna saññā)

And what is the perception of giving up? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t tolerate a sensual, ill-will, or harmful thought that has arisen, and they don’t accept any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. This is called the perception of giving up.

6. The Perception of Dispassion (virāga saññā)

And what is the perception of fading away? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all acquisitions, the ending of craving, dispassion, nibbāna.’ This is called the perception of fading away.

7. The Perception of Cessation (nirodha saññā)

And what is the perception of cessation? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, cessation, nibbāna.’ This is called the perception of cessation.

8. The Perception of non-delight in the entire world (sabbaloke anabhirata saññā)

And what is the perception of dissatisfaction with the whole world? It’s when a mendicant lives giving up and not grasping on to the attraction and to the world, the mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendencies. This is called the perception of dissatisfaction with the whole world.

Katamā cānanda, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu ye loke upādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā, te pajahanto viharati anupādiyanto. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā.

9. The perception of impermanence in all conditioned phenomena ( sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā)

Here, a monk is repelled, humiliated, and disgusted by all conditioned phenomena. This is called the perception of impermanence in all conditioned phenomena.

Katamā cānanda, sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā? Idhānanda, bhikkhu sabbasaṅkhāresu aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati. Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, sabbasaṅkhāresu anicchāsaññā.

10. Mindfulness of Breathing (ānāpānassati)

And what is mindfulness of breathing? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and establishes mindfulness in their presence. Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. Breathing in heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing in heavily.’ Breathing out heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing out heavily.’ When breathing in lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing in lightly.’ Breathing out lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing out lightly.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the whole body.’They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing rapture.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing rapture.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing bliss.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing bliss.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing mental processes.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing mental processes.’They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling mental processes.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling mental processes.’They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in gladdening the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out gladdening the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in immersing the mind in samādhi.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out immersing the mind in samādhi.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in freeing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out freeing the mind.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing impermanence.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing impermanence.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing fading away.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing fading away.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing cessation.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing cessation.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’ This is called mindfulness of breathing.