The Practical Aspects of Establishing Mindfulness
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 6:24 am
The Practical Aspects of Establishing Mindfulness — Part One
What Is Mindfulness?
Of all the instruction passed on to us by Siddhattha Gotama recorded in the Pali suttas that is aimed at diminishing our sense of suffering and dissatisfaction with life, if there were one piece of advice he could give and emphasize as being the fundamental key in this process, there is no doubt in my mind that it would entail the advice to develop sati. As is recorded in the Samyutta Nikaya (SN 46.53; v 115) he said, "But sati (mindfulness), bhikkhus, I say, is always useful." And from the Anguttara Nikaya (AN 8.83): "All things can be mastered by mindfulness." All of which begs the question: what does it mean to be mindful? In what way, Gotama, do you mean: "Be mindful!"
Having a clear understanding of the definition of this term is essential if one is to correctly apprehend the enormous gravity of what Gotama was pointing at. Where the history of sati's translation in the English language is concerned, it has been suggested by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, among others, that the British scholar who coined the term "mindfulness" to translate the word sati "was probably influenced by the Anglican prayer to be ever mindful of the needs of others — in other words, to always keep their needs in mind. But even though the word 'mindful' was probably drawn from a Christian context, the Buddha himself defined sati as the ability to remember, illustrating its function in meditation practice with the four satipatthanas, or establishings of mindfulness."
In terms of "being mindful of the breath" during anapanasati meditation, sati can be defined using the very simple concept of "keeping the breath in mind" as one is meditating. Which simply means being aware of the present moment actuality of the breath on in-breathing and on out-breathing. Yet when we look at the etymological derivation of the Pali word "sati" we find, as Ven. Thanissaro has suggested, that sati is related to the verb sarati which means "to remember" or "to recall or recollect."
And while sati does have this connotation with regard to memory, there is evidence in the suttas to suggest that it also has to do with "that which facilitates and enables memory." As Ven. Analayo has written, "What this definition of sati points to is that, if sati is present, memory will be able to function well. Understanding sati in this way facilitates relating it to the context of satipatthana, where it is not concerned with recalling past events, but functions as awareness of the present moment. In the context of satipatthana meditation, it is due to the presence of sati that one is able to remember what is otherwise only too easily forgotten: the present moment.
"Sati as present moment awareness is similarly reflected in the presentation of the Patisambhidamagga and the Visuddhimagga, according to which the characteristic quality of sati is 'presence' (upatthana), whether as a faculty (indriya), as an awakening factor (bojjhanga), as a factor of the noble eightfold path, or at the moment of realization."
Therefore if mindfulness is present (upatthitasati) it can be understood to imply presence of mind, in as far as the direct opposite of this is absent mindedness (mutthasati). Having a presence of mind implies that, endowed with sati, one is wide awake in regard to the present moment. Such presence of mind with regard to whatever one does or says will be clearly comprehended by the mind, and thereby more easily remembered later on.
From this brief examination of the way in which the word sati is used in the discourses, it becomes apparent that the breadth of its application carries a gravity of meaning that is vital to our comprehension if we are to correctly interpret the use of this word translated as "mindfulness." From this presentation, then, it seems reasonable to assume that sati combines both "present moment awareness" as well as "recollection," as in, for example, recollecting what the Buddha has taught. Although based on this nuance of what is recollected this could refer to almost anything that is relevant to the present moment circumstance which adds to one's knowledge in being able to act in a skillful manner.
In some Buddhist quarters sati has also been translated as "attention," which also gives credence to its translation as "present moment awareness." There is a story in the Zen tradition which illustrates this point very succinctly. A monk once asked his teacher, "What is the fundamental teaching in Buddhism?" The Master replied "Attention." The student, dissatisfied with the answer said, "I wasn't asking about attention, but I want to know the essential teaching in Buddhism." The Master retorted again, "Attention. Attention. Attention." So, whether it carries the inference of "presence of mind," "recollection," or "attention," it seems certain that the universal essence of Buddhist practice is to be appreciated and found in this singular word: mindfulness! Which, in Zen parlance, is basically telling us to: "Wake up, and pay attention!" Be here now in this moment! Don't let your mind go wandering off the present subject.
What Is Mindfulness?
Of all the instruction passed on to us by Siddhattha Gotama recorded in the Pali suttas that is aimed at diminishing our sense of suffering and dissatisfaction with life, if there were one piece of advice he could give and emphasize as being the fundamental key in this process, there is no doubt in my mind that it would entail the advice to develop sati. As is recorded in the Samyutta Nikaya (SN 46.53; v 115) he said, "But sati (mindfulness), bhikkhus, I say, is always useful." And from the Anguttara Nikaya (AN 8.83): "All things can be mastered by mindfulness." All of which begs the question: what does it mean to be mindful? In what way, Gotama, do you mean: "Be mindful!"
Having a clear understanding of the definition of this term is essential if one is to correctly apprehend the enormous gravity of what Gotama was pointing at. Where the history of sati's translation in the English language is concerned, it has been suggested by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, among others, that the British scholar who coined the term "mindfulness" to translate the word sati "was probably influenced by the Anglican prayer to be ever mindful of the needs of others — in other words, to always keep their needs in mind. But even though the word 'mindful' was probably drawn from a Christian context, the Buddha himself defined sati as the ability to remember, illustrating its function in meditation practice with the four satipatthanas, or establishings of mindfulness."
In terms of "being mindful of the breath" during anapanasati meditation, sati can be defined using the very simple concept of "keeping the breath in mind" as one is meditating. Which simply means being aware of the present moment actuality of the breath on in-breathing and on out-breathing. Yet when we look at the etymological derivation of the Pali word "sati" we find, as Ven. Thanissaro has suggested, that sati is related to the verb sarati which means "to remember" or "to recall or recollect."
And while sati does have this connotation with regard to memory, there is evidence in the suttas to suggest that it also has to do with "that which facilitates and enables memory." As Ven. Analayo has written, "What this definition of sati points to is that, if sati is present, memory will be able to function well. Understanding sati in this way facilitates relating it to the context of satipatthana, where it is not concerned with recalling past events, but functions as awareness of the present moment. In the context of satipatthana meditation, it is due to the presence of sati that one is able to remember what is otherwise only too easily forgotten: the present moment.
"Sati as present moment awareness is similarly reflected in the presentation of the Patisambhidamagga and the Visuddhimagga, according to which the characteristic quality of sati is 'presence' (upatthana), whether as a faculty (indriya), as an awakening factor (bojjhanga), as a factor of the noble eightfold path, or at the moment of realization."
Therefore if mindfulness is present (upatthitasati) it can be understood to imply presence of mind, in as far as the direct opposite of this is absent mindedness (mutthasati). Having a presence of mind implies that, endowed with sati, one is wide awake in regard to the present moment. Such presence of mind with regard to whatever one does or says will be clearly comprehended by the mind, and thereby more easily remembered later on.
From this brief examination of the way in which the word sati is used in the discourses, it becomes apparent that the breadth of its application carries a gravity of meaning that is vital to our comprehension if we are to correctly interpret the use of this word translated as "mindfulness." From this presentation, then, it seems reasonable to assume that sati combines both "present moment awareness" as well as "recollection," as in, for example, recollecting what the Buddha has taught. Although based on this nuance of what is recollected this could refer to almost anything that is relevant to the present moment circumstance which adds to one's knowledge in being able to act in a skillful manner.
In some Buddhist quarters sati has also been translated as "attention," which also gives credence to its translation as "present moment awareness." There is a story in the Zen tradition which illustrates this point very succinctly. A monk once asked his teacher, "What is the fundamental teaching in Buddhism?" The Master replied "Attention." The student, dissatisfied with the answer said, "I wasn't asking about attention, but I want to know the essential teaching in Buddhism." The Master retorted again, "Attention. Attention. Attention." So, whether it carries the inference of "presence of mind," "recollection," or "attention," it seems certain that the universal essence of Buddhist practice is to be appreciated and found in this singular word: mindfulness! Which, in Zen parlance, is basically telling us to: "Wake up, and pay attention!" Be here now in this moment! Don't let your mind go wandering off the present subject.