Mahasatipatthana Sutta

III. Cittanupassana (Contemplation on the Mind)

And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu dwell perceiving again and again the mind (citta) as just the mind (not mine, not I, not self but just a phenomenon)?

Here (in this teaching), bhikkhus, when a mind with greed (raga) note55 arises, a bhikkhu knows, "This is a mind with greed"; or when a mind without greed note56 arises, he knows, "This is a mind without greed"; when a mind with anger (dosa) note57" arises, he knows, "This is a mind with anger"; or when a mind without anger note58 arises, he knows, "This is a mind without anger"; when a mind with delusion (moha) note59 arises, he knows, "This is a mind with delusion"; or when a mind without delusion note60 arises, he knows, "This is a mind without delusion"; or when a lazy, slothful mind (samkhittacitta) note61 arises, he knows, "This is a lazy, slothful mind"; or when a distracted mind (vikkhittacitta) note62 arises, he knows, "This is a distracted mind"; or when a developed mind (mahagattacitta) note63 arises, he knows, "This is a developed mind"; or when an undeveloped mind (amahagattacitta) note64 arises, he knows, "This is an undeveloped mind"; or when an inferior mind (sauttaracitta) note65 arises, he knows, "This is an inferior mind"; or when a superior mind (anuttaracitta) note66 arises, he knows, "This is a superior mind"; or when a concentrated mind (samahitacitta) note67arises, he knows, "This is a concentrated mind"; or when an unconcentrated mind (asamahitacitta) note68 arises, he knows, "This is an unconcentrated mind''; or when a mind temporarily free from defilements (vimutticitta) note69 arises, he knows, "This is a mind temporarily free from defilements"; or when a mind not free from defilements (avimutticitta) arises, he knows, "This is a mind not free from defilements".

Thus he dwells perceiving again and again the mind as just the mind (not mine, not I, not self but just a phenomenon) in himself; or he dwells perceiving again and again the mind as just the mind in others; or he dwells perceiving again and again the mind as just the mind in both himself and in others. He dwells perceiving again and again the cause and the actual appearing of the mind; or he dwells perceiving again and again the cause and the actual dissolution of the mind; or he dwells perceiving again and again both the actual appearing and dissolution of the mind with their causes. note70 To summarize, he is firmly mindful of the fact that only the mind exists (not a soul, self or I). That mindfulness is just for gaining insight (vipassana) and mindfulness progressively. Being detached from craving and wrong views he dwells without clinging to anything in the world. Thus, bhikkhus, in this way a bhikkhu dwells perceiving again and again the mind as just the mind.