Direct Path

Thus have I heard. On one occasion, the Buddha addressed a gathering of monks, "Friends," he began. "Venerable, Sir," they replied. And the Buddha said:

“Friends, this is a direct path that leads to the purification of hearts and minds, for the overcoming of unhealthy stress, depression and anxiety, for the transformation of suffering and discontentment, for attaining the noble path, for the realization of health, well-being, freedom, and awakening; specifically, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.”

Definition

“What are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness?

Here, friends, regarding the body: we abide, contemplating the body, diligent, clearly knowing, and mindful, free from desires and discontent concerning the world.

Regarding feelings: we abide, contemplating feelings, diligent, clearly knowing, and mindful, free from desires and discontent concerning the world.

Regarding the mind: we abide contemplating the mind, diligent, clearly knowing, and mindful, free from desires and discontent concerning the world.

Regarding dhammas: we abide contemplating dhammas, diligent, clearly knowing, and mindful, free from desires and discontent concerning the world.”

[...]

Impermanence of the Body

"Also, friends, we contemplate the impermanence and inevitable passing away of the life of this body, through the nine stages of bodily break-down after death:

1. The body is bloated, blue, and beginning to deteriorate.
2. The body becomes food for insects and animals.
3. The body becomes a skeleton with some flesh and blood still clinging to it.
4. The body becomes a skeleton with some blood stains, but no more flesh.
5. The body becomes a skeleton with no more blood stains.
6. The body becomes a collection of scattered bones—here an arm, there a shin, here a skull, and so forth.
7. The body becomes a collection of sun-bleached bones.
8. The body becomes a collection of dried bones.
9. And all that is left, after the bones have decomposed, is a pile of dust subject to scattering by the winds.
   

We contemplate, our body too is of the same nature, it will be like that, it too will pass through the same stages.”

Refrain

“In this way, regarding contemplating the body in the body,

• We abide contemplating the body internally, we abide contemplating the body externally, and we abide contemplating the body both internally and externally.
• We abide contemplating the nature of arising in the body, we abide contemplating the nature of passing away in the body, and we abide contemplating the nature of both arising and passing away in the body.
• And, mindfulness that 'there is a body' is established in us to the extent necessary for bare knowledge and continuous mindfulness.
• And we abide independently, without clinging to anything in the world.
  

That is how we abide, contemplating the body in the body.”

[...]

Prediction

"Friends, if we develop these four satipatthanas in such a way for seven years, one of two fruits could be expected for us:

1. Either we realize full awakening here and now,
2. Or, if there is a trace of clinging left, we enter 'never returning', having established the necessary conditions leading to full awakening.

Let alone seven years ... six years ... five years ... four years ... three years ... two years ... one year ... seven months ... six months ... five months ... four months ... three months ... two months ... one month ... half a month ... if we develop these four satipatthanas in such a way for seven days, one of two fruits could be expected for us:

1. Either realize full awakening here and now,
2. Or, if there is a trace of clinging left, enter 'never returning', having established the necessary conditions leading to full awakening.

And so, with reference to these things, it was said:

Direct Path

“Friends, this is a direct path that leads to the purification of hearts and minds, for the overcoming of unhealthy stress, depression and anxiety, for the transformation of suffering and discontentment, for attaining the noble path, for the realization of health, well-being, freedom, and awakening; specifically, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.”

That is what the Buddha said. The monks were satisfied and delighted by his words.