Quick search on the forum shows the term upajjhatthana mentioned
once here in 2006 hence a new post ti the past thread http://sgforums.com/forums/1728/topics/226620
All the best in every other practitioner's spiritual practice as
i happened to read the sutra at accesstoinsight today and found
myself after going thorugh the mahayana sometimes a bit more down
to earth reading a theravada sutra http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html
.....
Upajjhatthana
Sutta: Subjects for Contemplation
"There are these five facts that one should reflect on often,
whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained. Which five?
"'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' This is the
first fact that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman
or a man, lay or ordained.
"'I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness.' ...
"'I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death.' ...
"'I will grow different, separate from all that is dear and
appealing to me.' ...
"'I am the owner of my actions,[1] heir to my actions, born of
my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my
arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I
fall heir.' ...
"These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether
one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
"Now, based on what line of reasoning should one often reflect...
that 'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging'? There are
beings who are intoxicated with a [typical] youth's intoxication
with youth. Because of that intoxication with youth, they conduct
themselves in a bad way in body... in speech... and in mind. But
when they often reflect on that fact, that youth's intoxication
with youth will either be entirely abandoned or grow weaker...
"Now, based on what line of reasoning should one often reflect...
that 'I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness'? There
are beings who are intoxicated with a [typical] healthy person's
intoxication with health. Because of that intoxication with health,
they conduct themselves in a bad way in body... in speech... and in
mind. But when they often reflect on that fact, that healthy
person's intoxication with health will either be entirely abandoned
or grow weaker...
"Now, based on what line of reasoning should one often reflect...
that 'I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death'? There are
beings who are intoxicated with a [typical] living person's
intoxication with life. Because of that intoxication with life,
they conduct themselves in a bad way in body... in speech... and in
mind. But when they often reflect on that fact, that living
person's intoxication with life will either be entirely abandoned
or grow weaker...
"Now, based on what line of reasoning should one often reflect...
that 'I will grow different, separate from all that is dear and
appealing to me'? There are beings who feel desire and passion for
the things they find dear and appealing. Because of that passion,
they conduct themselves in a bad way in body... in speech... and in
mind. But when they often reflect on that fact, that desire and
passion for the things they find dear and appealing will either be
entirely abandoned or grow weaker...
"Now, based on what line of reasoning should one often reflect...
that 'I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my
actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my
arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I
fall heir'? There are beings who conduct themselves in a bad way in
body... in speech... and in mind. But when they often reflect on
that fact, that bad conduct in body, speech, and mind will either
be entirely abandoned or grow weaker...
"Now, a disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the
only one subject to aging, who has not gone beyond aging. To the
extent that there are beings — past and future, passing away and
re-arising — all beings are subject to aging, have not gone beyond
aging.' When he/she often reflects on this, the [factors of the]
path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it,
cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and
cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions
destroyed.
"Further, a disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not
the only one subject to illness, who has not gone beyond
illness.'... 'I am not the only one subject to death, who has not
gone beyond death.'... 'I am not the only one who will grow
different, separate from all that is dear and appealing to
me.'...
"A disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only
one who is owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my
actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my
arbitrator; who — whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will
I fall heir. To the extent that there are beings — past and future,
passing away and re-arising — all beings are the owner of their
actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related
through their actions, and have their actions as their arbitrator.
Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall
heir.' When he/she often reflects on this, the [factors of the]
path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it,
cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and
cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions
destroyed."
Subject to birth, subject to aging, subject to death,
run-of-the-mill people are repelled by those who suffer from that
to which they are subject. And if I were to be repelled by beings
subject to these things, it would not be fitting for me, living as
they do.
As I maintained this attitude — knowing the Dhamma without
paraphernalia — I overcame all intoxication with health, youth,
& life as one who sees renunciation as rest.
For me, energy arose, Unbinding was clearly seen. There's now no
way I could partake of sensual pleasures. Having followed the holy
life, I will not return.
Notes
1. kamma