Dmytro wrote:Hi Dhamma Follower,
dhamma follower wrote:While I totally agree with all of the above, I still think that "to remember to abandon the unskillful and remain in skillful" is only one aspect of sati. Otherwise, how would you make sense of the way sati is described in sati patthana?
Unfortunately, sati itself isn't described in Satipatthana sutta, which describes only the four sati-upatthana, the ways of establishing sati.
Best wishes, Dmytro
In this sutta, this is how samma sati is defined:
"And what, monks, is right mindfulness? (i) There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to the world. (ii) He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to the world. (iii) He remains focused on the mind in & of itself — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to the world. (iv) He remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, aware, & mindful — putting away greed & distress with reference to the world. This, monks, is called right mindfulness."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Buddha seemingly taught the Maha Satipatthana sutta for a larger purpose than you presumed (establishing sati):
373. Bhikkhus,[1] this is the one and only way for the purification[2] of beings, for overcoming sorrow and lamentation, for the complete destruction of pain[3] and distress,[4] for attainment of the Noble Path,[5] and for the realization of Nibbāna. That[6] is the practice of the four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness.[7]
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .bpit.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Sati as attending to the working of the five khandas is clearly also as important."
Would you please give a reference?
Maha-Satipatthana sutta.
Kaya, Vedana, Citta, Dhamma (part of) belong to the five khandas.
Also, in vipassana stages, skillful and unskillful don't apply anymore, as there is only perception of paramatha, rise and fall, the three marks etc..., what is the role of sati then ?
Why the skillful and unskillful don't apply anymore? The ability to distinguish them is the essence of dhamma-vicaya factor of Awakening. And the fourfold Right Effort is based on abandoning the unskillful and developing the skillful.
because at this stage, both the wholesome and unwholesome dhammas reveal their universal characteristics, be it good or bad, they all arise and pass away.
My understanding is this: sati as remembering to distinguish the skillful and unskillful apply to the first stages, where one has to remember what has been taught, or understood intellectually about the wholesome and unwholesome. As one follows the instruction given in the Mahasatipatthana, one turns attention inward to Kaya - Vedana- Citta- Dhamma, sati starts to "remember" reality as they arise instead of learnt concepts, although concepts are still much involved. When sampajana becomes stronger and stronger, it can see sati "remembers" details of reality (sabhava) then gradually the tilakkhana becomes predominant, Tilakkhana is not remembered, but understood by panna. This remembering of reality as they arise is not the same than remembering learnt concepts where sanna is involved.
Regards,