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6.7. Ten Fetters

Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta analysis of saḷāyatana

puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati chasu ajjhattikabāhiresu āyatanesu. kathañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati chasu ajjhattikabāhiresu āyatanesu. idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhuñca pajānāti, rūpe ca pajānāti, yañca tadubhayaṃ paṭicca uppajjati saṃyojanaṃ tañca pajānāti, yathā ca anuppannassa saṃyojanassa uppādo hoti tañca pajānāti, yathā ca uppannassa saṃyojanassa pahānaṃ hoti tañca pajānāti, yathā ca pahīnassa saṃyojanassa āyatiṃ anuppādo hoti tañca pajānāti.

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-- MN10 mahāsatipaṭṭhānasuttaṃ, dhammānupassanā āyatanapabbaṃ

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Now we're finally in a position to understand the compact presentation of saḷāyatana found in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta.

The fetters are a traditional list of ten things which bind root to the endless cycle of existence. The very first is sakkāyadiṭṭhi. This translates literally as the diṭṭhi view or belief in sat kāya, an existing body or being. It's the belief that this mind and body is I me mine, mine me I, belief in self-identity; the view that this mind-body complex is an independent entity.

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