4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

Pari-mukha

in-front

 4👑☸UPED   → pari-mukha   🔬details     (⤴)


pari-mukha = in-front

1. literal context, in vinaya, refers to spatial location in front of person, such as facial or chest hair.
* Mukha = (anatomical) mouth, entrance, opening. Examples: mouth of a river, opening entrance of a bag of grains.
2. figurative context in sitting meditation:
* pari-mukha = main priority.
* what is 'in-front' of you is the 'main priority'.
* tackle head on what's 'in-front' of you.
* move that task to the front of the line.

pari-mukha in idiomatic sense similar to these English expressions

These examples have nothing to do with physical body part or its spatial location to the "front" (mukha), unless by coincidence.
"con-front the facts."
"face your fears."
"face the facts. face reality."
"the answer is right in front of you."
"focus on the task at hand" - has nothing to do with physical spatial focus of hand, unless by coincidence, such as 'shuffle a deck of cards.'
"get your head in the game." (means: you lack samādhi, focus, undistractible-ludicity)
"the boy behaving badly made his mom lose face." (means: mom embarrassed, pride hurt)
"keep your chin up." (means: don't lose courage)
"hold your head high." (means: be proud, you did your best)
"It's no skin off my nose if you don' take my advice." (means: no harm to me if you ignore me).

pari-mukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā

✅Make sati establishment your "main priority".
⛔It does not mean focus on physical spatial area around-your-mouth, as late Theravada wrongly interprets this in 16🌬️😤‍ breath meditation context.

STED sitting meditation, remove 5niv

vivittaṃ senāsanaṃ bhajati
(a) secluded lodging (they) frequent -
araññaṃ rukkha-mūlaṃ
(the) wilderness, (a) tree-root,
pabbataṃ kandaraṃ
(a) hill, (a) ravine,
giri-guhaṃ susānaṃ
(a) mountain-cave, (a) cemetary,
vanapatthaṃ abbhokāsaṃ
(a) forest, (the) open-air,
palāla-puñjaṃ.
(a) straw-heap.
So pacchā-bhattaṃ
** After-(the)-meal,
piṇḍapāta-paṭikkanto
(from) alms-round -- (they)-return,
nisīdati pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā
sit down, (into) cross-legged-posture (they) bend,
ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya
straightened body (they) aspire (to),
pari-mukhaṃ
In-front [, making this the main priority],
satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā.
[☸Dharma]-remembrance (they) establish.
So abhijjhaṃ loke pahāya
(1) ** avarice (for the) world (they) remove,
vigat'-ābhijjhena cetasā viharati,
rid-(of)-avarice (in the) mind (they) dwell,
abhijjhāya cittaṃ parisodheti.
avarice (in the) mind (they) cleanse.
Byāpādapa-dosaṃ pahāya
(2) ill-will-&-hatred (they) remove,
a-byāpanna-citto viharati
(with a) non-ill-will-mind (they) dwell,
sabba-pāṇa-bhūtahit-ānukampī,
(for) all-living-beings-(they have)-compassion,
byāpādapa-dosā cittaṃ parisodheti.
ill-will-&-hatred (from) mind (they) cleanse.
Thina-middhaṃ pahāya
(3) sloth-&-torpor (they) remove,
vigata-thina-middho viharati
rid-of-sloth-&-torpor (they) dwell,
āloka-saññī,
luminosity-(they are)-perceiving,
sato sampajāno,
rememberful (and) lucidly-discerning,
thina-middhā cittaṃ parisodheti.
sloth-&-torpor (from the) mind (they) cleanse.
Uddhacca-kukkuccaṃ pahāya
(4) restlessness-&-remorse (they) remove,
an-uddhato viharati,
without-restlessness (they) dwell,
ajjhattaṃ vūpasanta-citto,
internally (with) peaceful-mind,
Uddhacca-kukkuccā cittaṃ parisodheti.
restlessness-&-remorse (from the) mind (they) cleanse.
Vicikicchaṃ pahāya
(5) Doubt (they) remove,
tiṇṇa-vicikiccho viharati,
gone-beyond-doubt, (they) dwell,
a-kathaṅkathī kusalesu dhammesu,
not-undecided (about what is) skillful ☸Dharma,
vicikicchāya cittaṃ parisodheti.
doubt (from the) mind (they) cleanse.

other relevant suttas

AN 3.63 establishing sati at parimukha then doing metta. So obviously you wouldn't be spreading metta to the world from your nose or upper lip.

Misc.

🔗defn. from Ab Vb, KN Ps, Vism


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