The Four Guardian Meditations: where from?

[Kumara]

Any idea where this set is derived from? Is it from a sutta?

[SarathW]

https://buddhismforbeginnersgroup.wordp ... thana/amp/

[frank k]

Any idea where this set is derived from? Is it from a sutta?

Perhaps a later Theravada composition (just a guess) inspired by sutta passages like this one:
AN 9.1
(4 indispensable practices from AN 9.1 excerpt)
a-subhā bhāvetabbā
Non-beautiful [foulness perceptions] (he) should-develop,
rāgassa pahānāya,
(for) [lustful] passion's removal,
mettā bhāvetabbā
Good-will (he) should-develop,
byāpādassa pahānāya,
(for) ill-will's removal,
ānā-pānas-sati bhāvetabbā
inhale-exhale-mindfulness (he) should-develop,
vitakk-upac­che­dāya,
(for) [distractive] thinking's-cutting-off,
a-nicca-saññā bhāvetabbā
im-permanence-perception (he) should-develop,
asmi­māna­samug­ghātāya.
(for) pride-(and)-conceit's-uprooting.
A-nicca-saññino, bhikkhave,
(for one who has) Im-permanence-perception, monks,
an-atta-saññā saṇṭhāti.
not-self-perception (is) established.
An-atta-saññī
(for one who has) not-self-perception,
asmi­māna­samug­ghātaṃ pāpuṇāti
pride-(and)-conceit's-uprooting (is) attained,
diṭṭheva dhamme nibbānan”ti.
here-and-now (is) Nirvana."

[Kumara]

Perhaps a later Theravada composition (just a guess) inspired by sutta passages like this one:
AN 9.1
....

Thanks, Frank.

Yeah, likely inspired by some suttas. Can't find any sutta having just the four.
I suppose that means we needn't think there's something special about them over other practices for mental settling (cetosamatha).