Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Sāvatthi, at Jetavana, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion Venerable Girimānanda was afflicted with a disease, was suffering physically, and was gravely ill. Then Venerable Ānanda went to the Blessed One, Paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.

As he was sitting there Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: Oh Bhante, the Venerable Girimānanda is afflicted with a disease, is suffering physically, and is gravely ill. It would be good if the Blessed One would visit the Venerable Girimānanda, out of compassion for him.

Ānanda, if you go to the monk Girimānanda and explain to him the ten perceptions, it is possible that having heard the ten perceptions, he will be cured of his illness.

Which ten perceptions? The perception of impermanence, the perception of non-self, the perception of unattractiveness, the perception of danger, the perception of abandoning, the perception of dispassion, the perception of cessation, the perception of non-delight in the entire world, the perception of the impermanence of all formations, and mindfulness of in and out breathing.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of impermanence? Herein, Ānanda, a monk having gone to the forest, to the shade of a tree, or to a secluded place, wisely reflects thus: form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, formations are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent. Thus he dwells contemplating the impermanence of the five aggregates of clinging. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of impermanence.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-self? Herein, Ānanda, a monk having gone to the forest, to the shade of a tree, or to a secluded place, wisely reflects thus: the eye is non-self, forms are non-self; the ear is non-self, sounds are non-self; the nose is non-self, smells are non-self; the tongue is non-self, flavors are non-self; the body is non-self, tangibles are non-self; the mind is non-self, thoughts are non-self. Thus he dwells contemplating non-self with regard to the six internal and external faculties. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of non-self.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of unattractiveness? Herein, Ānanda, a monk contemplates this body, upwards from the soles of the feet, and downwards from the tips of the hairs, enclosed in skin, and filled with many kinds of impurities. There are, in this body: head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungs, small intestines, large intestines, stomach, excrement, bile, phlegm, puss, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucus, oil in the joints, and urine. Thus he dwells contemplating unattractiveness in this body. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of unattractiveness.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of danger? Herein, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, to the shade of a tree, or to a secluded place, wisely reflects thus: many are the sufferings, many are the dangers associated with this body. In this body many kinds of illnesses arise, such as, eye illnesses, ear illnesses, nose illnesses, tongue illnesses, body illnesses, head illnesses, outer-ear illnesses, mouth illnesses, teeth illnesses, cough, asthma, catarrh, heart-burn, fever, stomach-ache, fainting, dysentery, gripes, cholera, leprosy, boils, scrofula, tuberculosis, epilepsy, skin diseases, itch, scab, chickenpox, scabies, jaundice, diabetes, paralysis, cancer, fistula; illnesses arising from disorder of bile, illnesses arising from disorder of phlegm, illnesses arising from disorder of wind, illnesses arising from combinations of bodily humors, illnesses arising from changes of the climate, illnesses arising from careless bodily behaviour, illnesses arising from attacks, illnesses arising from the result of kamma; cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, and urination. Thus he dwells contemplating the danger in this body. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of danger.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of abandoning? Herein, Ānanda, a monk does not tolerate an arisen sensual thought. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill-will. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of harming. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate any arisen evil, unwholesome thoughts. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, terminates them, and obliterates them. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of abandoning.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of dispassion? Herein, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, to the shade of a tree, or to a secluded place, wisely reflects thus: this is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, Nibbāna. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of dispassion.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of cessation? Herein, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, to the shade of a tree, or to a secluded place, wisely reflects thus: this is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, cessation, Nibbāna. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of cessation.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-delight in the entire world? Herein, Ānanda, a monk refrains from any engagement and clinging, mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies in regards to the world of aggregates, elements, and sense bases. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of non-delight in the entire world.

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of the impermanence of all formations? Herein, Ānanda, a monk is repelled, humiliated, and disgusted with all formations. This, Ānanda, is called the perception of the impermanence of all formations.

And what, Ānanda, is mindfulness of in and out breathing? Herein, Ānanda, a monk, having gone to the forest, to the shade of a tree, or to a secluded place, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body straight, and setting mindfulness on breathing.

Mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.

When he is breathing in a long breath, he knows, ‘I am breathing in a long breath.’ When he is breathing out a long breath, he knows, ‘I am breathing out a long breath.’

When he is breathing in a short breath, he knows, ‘I am breathing in a short breath.’ When he is breathing out a short breath, he knows, ‘I am breathing out a short breath.’

‘Conscious of the entire breathing process, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Conscious of the entire breathing process, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Calming the entire breathing process, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Calming the entire breathing process, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Experiencing rapture, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Experiencing rapture, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Experiencing pleasure, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Experiencing pleasure, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Experiencing the mental formations, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Experiencing the mental formations, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Calming the mental formations, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Calming the mental formations, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Experiencing the mind, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Experiencing the mind, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Gladdening the mind, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Gladdening the mind, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Concentrating the mind, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Concentrating the mind, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Liberating the mind from hindrances, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Liberating the mind from hindrances, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Contemplating impermanence, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Contemplating impermanence, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Contemplating detachment, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Contemplating detachment, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Contemplating cessation, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Contemplating cessation, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself.

‘Contemplating relinquishment, I shall breathe in,’ thus he trains himself. ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I shall breathe out,’ thus he trains himself. This, Ānanda, is called the mindfulness of in and out breathing.

If, Ānanda, you visit the monk Girimānanda and tell him these ten perceptions, it is possible that having heard them, the monk Girimānanda will be immediately cured of his illness.

Then the Venerable Ānanda, having learned these ten perceptions in the presence of the Blessed One, went to the Venerable Girimānanda and told these ten perceptions to him.

When the Venerable Girimānanda heard these ten perceptions, his illness was immediately cured. The Venerable Girimānanda recovered from his illness, and thus went away the illness of the Venerable Girimānanda.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!