Sampajañña

[alan...]

what exactly does this word mean? i've seen "clear comprehension" and "full awareness" in translations of satipatthana sutta. typically defined as multiple types of conscious awareness of ones actions in regard to suitability and other connections to the dhamma.

[daverupa]

"And how, O monks, is a monk clearly comprehending? He applies clear comprehension in going forward and going back; in looking straight on and in looking elsewhere; in bending and in stretching (his limbs); in wearing the robes and carrying the alms bowl; in eating, drinking, chewing and savoring; in obeying the calls of nature; in walking, standing sitting, falling asleep, waking, speaking and being silent — in all that he applies clear comprehension. So, monks, is a monk clearly comprehending.

"If a monk is thus mindful and clearly comprehending, ardent, earnest and resolute, and a pleasant feeling arises in him, he knows: 'Now a pleasant feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned. Conditioned by what? Even by this body it is conditioned. And this body, indeed, is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if this pleasant feeling that has arisen, is conditioned by the body which is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen; how could such a pleasant feeling be permanent?'

"In regard to both body and the pleasant feeling he dwells contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the underlying tendency to lust in regard to body and pleasant feeling vanishes.

(Here is a related sampajañña reference.)

[alan...]

"And how, O monks, is a monk clearly comprehending? He applies clear comprehension in going forward and going back; in looking straight on and in looking elsewhere; in bending and in stretching (his limbs); in wearing the robes and carrying the alms bowl; in eating, drinking, chewing and savoring; in obeying the calls of nature; in walking, standing sitting, falling asleep, waking, speaking and being silent — in all that he applies clear comprehension. So, monks, is a monk clearly comprehending.

"If a monk is thus mindful and clearly comprehending, ardent, earnest and resolute, and a pleasant feeling arises in him, he knows: 'Now a pleasant feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned. Conditioned by what? Even by this body it is conditioned. And this body, indeed, is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if this pleasant feeling that has arisen, is conditioned by the body which is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen; how could such a pleasant feeling be permanent?'

"In regard to both body and the pleasant feeling he dwells contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the underlying tendency to lust in regard to body and pleasant feeling vanishes.

(Here is a related sampajañña reference.)

thanks dave. this could lead to a slightly different interpretation of the word than is given by the commentaries which is kind of something i had noticed before.

[theY]

Hi Alan and all,

Thinking of sabhāva by Lakkhaṇādicatukka, Thinking of relationship of cause and result by paccaya-paccayuppanna, and Thinking of sabhāva by tilakkhaṇa.

Above 1st and 2st are ñātapariññā-sampajañña, and 3rd is tīranapariññā-sampajañña.

"Thinking of many real things (Lakkhaṇādicatukka, paccaya-paccayuppanna, and tilakkhaṇa) about that that sabhāva."

I summary above phase from patisambhidhāmagga, commentary and there's sub.

[robertk]

Sampajanna is one of the synonyms of panna, wisdom.

[Viscid]

Can one say there are degrees of sampajañña? That is, can some clear comprehension be 'deeper' or 'greater'? Or can someone clearly comprehend 'more' than another? Obviously there is 'more' in the sense of clearly comprehending more often-- but I mean to ask if there is a greater or lesser degree of clear comprehension at any given moment, or if it's a simple 'off' or 'on' thing?

[tiltbillings]

Can one say there are degrees of sampajañña? That is, can some clear comprehension be 'deeper' or 'greater'? Or can someone clearly comprehend 'more' than another? Obviously there is 'more' in the sense of clearly comprehending more often-- but I mean to ask if there is a greater or lesser degree of clear comprehension at any given moment, or if it's a simple 'off' or 'on' thing?

It is something that can be cultivated, strengthened and deepened by practice.

[robertk]

Can one say there are degrees of sampajañña? That is, can some clear comprehension be 'deeper' or 'greater'? Or can someone clearly comprehend 'more' than another? Obviously there is 'more' in the sense of clearly comprehending more often-- but I mean to ask if there is a greater or lesser degree of clear comprehension at any given moment, or if it's a simple 'off' or 'on' thing?

As with all mental factors there are a virtual infinite number of intensities and shades of wisdom (sampajanna).

[danieLion]

Can one say there are degrees of sampajañña? That is, can some clear comprehension be 'deeper' or 'greater'? Or can someone clearly comprehend 'more' than another? Obviously there is 'more' in the sense of clearly comprehending more often-- but I mean to ask if there is a greater or lesser degree of clear comprehension at any given moment, or if it's a simple 'off' or 'on' thing?

As with all mental factors there are a virtual infinite number of intensities and shades of wisdom (sampajanna).

Hi RobertK,
Would you please share your understanding of wisdom in terms of the five faculties? Thanks.

[robertk]

Dear Daniel
the five faculties (indriya) are saddha, viriya, sati-, samadhi, panna.
At a moment of genuine satipatthana each of these factors is present to some degree, and when they become very strong they are called bala (powers).
Also it should be known that these factors are all part of the eightfold path and indeed until nibbana is contacted the path is really a five-fold path (or sometimes 6) always including all of these indriya.
Panna(called rightview when talking about the path) is the leader.

[danieLion]

Thanks RobertK.
According to Reverend Tejaniya, awareness (wich he often but not always uses interchangeably with sati) is what we do when the five faculties are all working together. Does this conflict your (Abhidhamma) perspective?

On a related note, what do you (and the Abhidhamma) think "genuine satipatthana" is how does it comes about?

[robertk]

Thanks RobertK.
According to Reverend Tejaniya, awareness (wich he often but not always uses interchangeably with sati) is what we do when the five faculties are all working together. Does this conflict your (Abhidhamma) perspective?

On a related note, what do you (and the Abhidhamma) think "genuine satipatthana" is how does it comes about?

Dear Daniel
This is correct. Panna (rightview, sampajanna) ALWAYS arises together with sati and the other faculties, it can never arise without them.
However sati can arise without panna. And as for viriya and samadhi they can arise even with AKUSALA mindstates.
Hence for the right path the crucial element is panna..

Only if there is enough wisdom will it be known. Someone could think they are having the real thing all their life and yet have a counterfeit version. So this path is subtle and profound and needs utmost efforts over a very long time to fathom- and that is just to begin.

[tiltbillings]

Someone could think they are having the real thing all their life and yet have a counterfeit version.

counterfeit version?

[Viscid]

It is something that can be cultivated, strengthened and deepened by practice.

Yes, l imagined so. Thanks

[Sekha]

If this can be of any help:

http://www.buddha-vacana.org/gloss.html#sampajanna

http://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/angu ... sampajanna

I would agree with tilt's description. Sampajanna in my understanding covers the meditator's experience while considering the reality with appropriate attention (yoniso manasikara), that meanschiefly discerning the three lakkhanas (anicca, dukkha, anatta) in whatever one experiences at whatever degree of coarseness or refinement according to one's mind's ability.