The sleep of the good Meditation on buddho in the Sudattasutta and its aṭṭhakathā

Abstract

This paper addresses the Sudattasutta of the Pāli Yakkhasaṃyutta and its direct commentary (aṭṭhakathā), both extremely significant in outlining meditative techniques that entail the figure of the Buddha as their object in order to arouse and cultivate wholesome factors of the path to liberation, such as faith and joy. These practices, applied to a variety of meditative techniques, have become popular in contemporary South-East Asia and, to some extent, in contemporary Theravāda worldwide. The examination of the Sudattasutta and its aṭṭhakathā— with the original translation of the latter—will shed light upon the dawn of this contemplative practice and of the cultural background behind it.