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Class 10 Mindfulness Practice and Working With Memory

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Class 10 Mindfulness Practice and Working With Memory

Uploaded by

shumchristy4
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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B STC 2006

B u d d h i st Psyc h o l o g y a n d M e nta l C u l t i vat i o n


L e c t u re N o te s 10

Mindfulness
Practice and
Working with
G.A. Somaratne
The University of Hong Kong
Memory
2024
1/4/2024 1
We will learn:
What is reflection? What is reflexion?

Why did the Buddha’s teaching promote the practice of right mindfulness?

What are the four approaches to setting up of right mindfulness?

How does mindfulness relate to memory?

How does mindfulness help remember things as they are?

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 2


Reflection
Reflection
• Reflection is conceptual and abstract thinking.
• It deals with concepts or ideas of things that are now not present.
• It has much to do with memory.
• It is remote from and separated from the existence of the thing being thought of.
In reflective thinking, error is possible and admissible. Why?
• The concepts being used are built up of various individual experiences such as past
observations, discussions, and readings.
• It is easy for the conceptual thinker to build up misleading and erroneous ideas about
his or her own existence.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 3


Reflexion = sati-sampajañña
Reflexion

• To think about a thing while the thing is present in one’s own experience.
• The Buddhist word for reflexion is sati-sampajañña (mindfulness and
awareness).

Sati means ‘calling to mind’. In two senses:

• (1) When it is the past that is being called to mind, then sati refers to
‘memory’ (of the past).
• (2) When it is the present that is being called to mind, then sati refers to
‘mindfulness’ (of the present).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 4


Recollected-ness (sati) <> scatter-brained (muṭṭha-
sati)
Mindfulness is general recollected-ness.
• It is opposite to being scatter-brained.
• The mundane person tends to be not recollected in mind.
• Without any deliberation to do so, the mind keeps moving from this to that with great rapidity.

“Just as a monkey journeying along a forest slope


• catches hold of one branch, having let it go catches hold of another, having let that go catches hold
of another,
• even so, this thing called thinking (citta), mind (mana), or knowing/consciousness (viññāṇa), day and
night, springs up as one thing, and ceases as another.” (SN).
To understand a thing, the mind must concentrate on it.
• For the mind to concentrate, it must get recollected.

4/1/24 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 5


Awareness (sampajañña) is

• a special aspect of mindfulness, a particular mode of recollection,


keeping oneself under constant observation.
• One does not let one’s actions pass unobserved or unnoticed. One
observes, for example: A feeling has arisen, it persists, and it is
passing away. Feelings are known as they arise, endure and vanish.

What is “And again, a monk

Sampajañña •

in going forward and in going back, he is aware;
in looking straight on and in looking elsewhere, he is aware;
(awareness)? •

in bending and in stretching, he is aware;
in carrying his outer cloak, alms-bowl and robe, he is aware;
• in eating, drinking, chewing, and savoring, he is aware;
• in excreting and urinating he is aware;
• in walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking and being
silent, he is aware.
• Thus, he abides seeing the body in the body internally. Or his
mindfulness that ‘there is body’ is established in him to the extent
necessary for knowledge and mindfulness.” (DN 22).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 6


The practice of the Buddha’s teaching is
carried out
• in a state of mindfulness-and-awareness (sati-
sampajañña) or reflexion.

The kind of mindfulness implied is right


Right mindfulness (sammā-sati).
reflexion Right mindfulness of the Noble Eightfold
Path:
• right view, right thought,
• right speech, right action, right livelihood,
• right effort, right mindfulness, and right
concentration.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 7


(1) The normal condition of the uninstructed
mundane person:
• mindfulness forgotten (muṭṭha-sati)
• unaware (asampajāna)

Two Mental •

not-recollected (asamāhita)
scatter-brained (vibbhanta-citta)

States or • senses uncontrolled (pākatindriya).

(2) The condition necessary for


Conditions understanding:
• mindfulness set up (upaṭṭhita-sati)
• aware (sampajāna)
• recollected (samāhita)
• mind one-pointed (ekagga-citta)
• senses controlled (saṃvutindriya).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 8


In reflexion:
• Mistakes are minimized.
• There is always direct contact with the actual.
Two Right reflexion
advantages of • leads to knowledge-and-seeing (ñāṇa-dassana).

right reflexion • It leads to calm and tranquility (samatha).


• Hence, it is the more pleasant.
(mindfulness- Right reflexion
and-awareness) • is the more difficult type of mental application.
• It demands a higher degree of deliberate effort.
• Right reflexion is required if one is to solve the
problem of existence, and thereby ensure welfare
and happiness.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 9


The culmination of the Buddhist path is

Mindfulness: • ‘Awakening’ (bodhi) that consists in full


wisdom or liberating knowledge.
A key to The keys to unlock this liberating
unlock the knowledge are
liberating • ‘mindfulness’ and ‘concentration’.

knowledge Mindfulness is a certain quality of


‘presence of mind’
• with regard to the body, feelings, mind and
dhammas (mental factors).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 10


The fourfold setting up of mindfulness
constitutes essentials of Buddhist practice,
• a path that leads to concentration and to Nibbāna.
The fourfold
setting up of It is the direct path (ekāyana-magga) for
mindfulness • the purification of beings
(satipaṭṭhāna) • passing beyond sorrow and lamentation
• the disappearance of pain and grief
• the attainment of the progressive way
• the realization of nibbāna. (DN II 290; MN I 55/ MN
10)

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 11


What are the four satipaṭṭhānas?
“There are four approaches to setting up of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna):

(1) Regarding the body, one dwells watching being ardent, fully aware, possessed of mindfulness and overcoming
body, both desire for and discontent with the world.

(2) Regarding feelings, one dwells watching being ardent [...].


feeling,

(3) Regarding the mind, one dwells watching being ardent [...].
mind,

(4) Regarding dhammas (mental factors/states), being ardent, fully aware, possessed of mindfulness and overcoming
one dwells watching dhammas, both desire for and discontent with the world.” (DN II 290; MN I 55)

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 12


Satipaṭṭhāna (setting up of mindfulness)
= Act of Watching

The body, feelings, mind and dhammas are four objects for establishing mindfulness.

Satipaṭṭhāna is
• the actual activity of observing or watching or contemplating the body, feelings, mind and dhammas.
• It is the activity of detached watching/ observation/ contemplation.
The four satipaṭṭhānas are four varieties of sustained watching (anupassanā):
• watching the body
• watching feelings
• watching mind
• watching dhammas

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 13


Satipaṭṭhāna:
Satipaṭṭhāna:

• < sati (mindfulness) + upaṭṭhāna (‘to stand near’, ‘placing near’, ‘to be present’, ‘to
manifest’, ‘to serve’, a particular way of ‘being present’, or ‘attending’)

Sati is a quality of mind that ‘stands near’ or ‘serves’ the mind.

• It watches over the mind.


• It is a form of ‘presence of mind’, ‘attending with mindfulness’.
• It is a quality that the practitioner must develop always, for it manifests as
‘guarding’.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 14


Satipaṭṭhānas are four practices of watching
the body, feelings, mind and dhammas.

The purpose of these watching activities is to


The purpose of bring ‘mindfulness’ into ‘service’.

the Four
Practices In the process of this watching, ‘mindfulness’
stands near, manifests, and is established.

The four practices of watching are ‘causes for


the standing near of mindfulness’.
In the sense of remembering
Sati also means remembering and upaṭṭhāna means standing near. A satipaṭṭhāna
is nothing but mindfulness itself. It is simply the ‘standing near’ of mindfulness.

Watching the body, feelings, mind or dhammas is what supports mindfulness, what
causes mindfulness ‘to stand near’.

But at the same time, the very nature of mindfulness is ‘to stand near’ or ‘to
support’.

Mindfulness is that which stands near, supports and guards the mind.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 16


What is sati (Pāli) or smṛti (Sanskrit)?

In Buddhist literature,
The Sanskrit word smṛti
sati (smṛti) is the bare
[from the root smṛ, ‘to
aspect of ‘remembering’
remember’ and ‘to have
or ‘having in mind’ that is
in mind’] can mean
focused:

(1) an act of or memory in the sense


memory as the act of
‘remembering’ or (2) what is remembered. of remembering
remembering,
‘bearing in mind’, (saraṇaṭṭhena sati).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 17


“And what is the faculty of mindfulness?
• Here the noble disciple has mindfulness, he is endowed
with perfect mindfulness and intellect,
• he is one who remembers, who recollects what was
done and said long before.”
Sati as • (SN 48.9, satimā hoti paramena sati-nepakkhena samannāgato cirakatampi
cirabhāsitampi saritā anussaritā)

remembering Thus ‘remembering’ means


• more than simply the ability to recall
information from the distant past.
• The actual practice of satipaṭṭhāna is seen as the
method by which mindfulness naturally comes
into its own.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 18


The Dhammasaṅganī definition

Mindfulness (sati) is

• a faculty (satindriya) • ‘remembering’ • ‘bearing in mind’


• a power (sati-bala) • ‘sustained (dhāraṇatā)
• a factor of the noble remembering’ • ‘the state of not
eightfold path (sammā- • (sati anussati paṭissati forgetting’ or ‘the state
sati). sati saraṇatā). of not being distracted’
(asammussanatā)
• apilāpanatā (calling to
mind).

4/1/24 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 19


Calling to mind (apilāpana) and taking hold
(upagaṇhana)

The monk Nāgasena once introduced


to King Milinda two characteristics of
mindfulness:
•“calling to mind” (apilāpana)
•“taking hold” (upagaṇhana).
4/1/24 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 20
Sati as (1) calling to mind the dhammas
“Just as, Your Majesty, the treasurer of a wheel-turning
king (cakka-vattin) causes the king to remember his glory
in the evening and morning saying:
• ‘So many, lord, are your elephants, so many your horses,
so many your chariots, so many your foot soldiers, so
much your gold, so much your wealth, so much your
property; may my lord remember.’
• Thus he ‘calls to mind’ the king’s property.

4/1/24 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 21


Sati as (1) calling to mind the dhammas
“Even so, Your Majesty, mindfulness, when it arises, calls to mind dhammas

• that are skillful and unskillful, with faults and faultless, inferior and refined, dark and pure, together with their
counterparts:
• these are the four approaches to setting up of mindfulness,
• these are the four right endeavors,
• these are the four bases of success,
• these are the five faculties,
• these are the five powers,
• these are the seven awakening-factors,
• this is the noble eightfold path,
• this is calm, this is insight, this is knowledge, this is freedom.

"Thus, one who practices meditation

• resorts to dhammas that should be resorted to and does not resort to dhammas that should not be resorted to;
• embraces dhammas that should be embraced and does not embrace dhammas that should not be embraced.
• Just so, Your Majesty, does sati have the characteristic of calling to mind.”

4/1/24 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 22


Sati as (2) taking hold (upagaṇhana)
“Just as, Your Majesty, the adviser-treasurer of the cakka-vattin king knows those things that are beneficial and
unbeneficial to the king and thinks:
‘These things are beneficial, these things unbeneficial; these things are helpful, these things unhelpful.’
He thus removes the unbeneficial things and takes hold of the beneficial.

Even so, Your Majesty, mindfulness when it arises, follows the courses of beneficial and unbeneficial dhammas:
these dhammas are beneficial, these unbeneficial; these dhammas are helpful, these unhelpful.
“Thus, one who practices meditation removes unbeneficial dhammas and takes hold of beneficial dhammas;
removes unhelpful dhammas and takes hold of helpful dhammas.
Just so, Your Majesty, does mindfulness have the characteristic of taking hold.”

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 23


Awareness of things in relation to things
Mindfulness is what allows awareness of the full range and extent of dhammas.

It is an awareness of things in relation to things. Hence, it provides an awareness of the relative


value of things.
Applied to the satipaṭṭhānas, what does this mean?

Mindfulness is what causes the meditator to ‘remember that

any feeling he may experience exists in relation to a whole variety or world of feelings that may be
skillful or unskillful, with faults or faultless, relatively inferior or refined, dark or pure.
[The same is to be applied to the body, mind and dhammas.]

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 24


Remembering one body in relation to
a world of different bodies
It is only by ‘remembering’ the full range and extent of dhammas that the meditator can come to know:

‘These are the four approaches to setting up of mindfulness,

these are the four right endeavors,

these are the four bases of success,

these are the five faculties,

these are the five powers,

these are the seven awakeningfactors,

this is the noble eightfold path.’

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 25


Sati is in wholesome mind (citta);
Sati remembers properly
Mindfulness is present as a mental factor (cetasika) in wholesome
mind (kusala-citta).
If there is mindfulness, there is wholesome mind.

If there is wholesome mind, there is mindfulness.

Mindfulness is thus seen as a particular kind of ‘remembering’—


when developed, it ‘remembers’, as it were, properly.
1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 26
Four perversions
G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006

When we set up mindfulness, we


remember things well.

1/4/2024
As a result, we see things in
relation to things.
Hence, we remember things well.

Hence, there is no opportunity


for distorted perceptions.

27
Abandoning perversions
“One who dwells watching body with regard to body abandons the
perversion of seeing loveliness (subha) in the foul (asubha).

One who dwells watching feeling with regard to feelings abandons the
perversion of seeing pleasure (sukha) in suffering (dukkha).

One who dwells watching mind with regard to minds abandons the
perversion of seeing permanence (nicca) in the impermanent (anicca).

One who dwells watching dhamma with regard to dhammas abandons the
perversion of seeing self (atta) in what is not-self (anatta).” (Nett 83-4)

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 28


Seeing things as they truly are
Because mindfulness ‘remembers’, it knows the full variety of dhammas, skillful
and unskillful, and so on.
It knows how things stand in relation to one another; it, as it were, opens up one’s
view.
In this way it tends towards a seeing of things as they truly are (yathābhūta).

This is why mindfulness is also so intimately bound up with wisdom (paññā).

Such terms as anupassin (one who watches) and sampajañña (awareness)


technically connote insight and wisdom.
1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 29
Further benefits of contemplation
Free of covetousness, free of ill will, unconfused, clearly
comprehending, mindful, with a heart full of loving-kindness (SN
42.8; AN 10.219).
For one who abides contemplating a body in the body, his desire for
the body is abandoned; with abandoning desire, the deathless is
witnessed (SN 47.37).
He crushes evil unwholesome qualities (SN 54.10). His mind fades
away and releases from the defilements without grasping (SN
47.11).
1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 30
Further benefits of contemplation
I abide contemplating a body in the body; ardent, clearly
comprehending, mindful, I understand: ‘I am blissful’… (SN 47.10)

For one who abides contemplating a body in the body, the mind
enters concentration, the taints are abandoned (SN 47.8).

When one abides contemplating a body in the body, there one


gains right concentration, right clarity (DN 18.26).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 31


Mindfulness
It remembers or does not lose what is before the mind.

It is a natural ‘presence of mind’.

It stands near and hence serves and guards the mind.

It ‘calls to mind’: it remembers things in relationship to things and thus tends to know their value
and widen the view.
It removes desire and brings in concentration.

It is closely related to wisdom. It naturally tends to seeing things as they truly are.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 32


Progression
The four satipaṭṭhānas represent a progressive refining of
mindfulness.
• The progression from watching body (watching feeling, watching
mind) to watching dhammas seems to indicate a movement from
clear awareness of the more immediately accessible realms of
experience to an awareness of subtler and deeper realms.

The watching body is considered the common basis for


the subsequent development of all mindfulness.
1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 33
The basic satipaṭṭhāna formula
One dwells watching body, feeling, mind and dhammas, “being ardent, fully aware
and possessed of mindfulness, having overcome desire and discontent for the world.”

The practitioner watches them, being ardent (=energy; right effort), fully aware (=
wisdom; right view), and possessing mindfulness (=right mindfulness).

Energy, wisdom and mindfulness are faculties/powers.

Right effort, right view, and right mindfulness belong to the Noble Eightfold Path.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 34


Through mindfulness practice,
• the “desire for and discontent with the world
are repeatedly dispelled, stilled, ended, dried
up; an end is put to them” (Vibh 195).
Through • One overcomes desire and discontent with the
world.
mindfulness
One can abandon any adverse dhamma
practice
• (1) by substituting it with its opposite (e.g.,
hate with loving-kindness);
• (2) by abandoning it by suppression (e.g.,
hindrances);
• (3) by cutting it off (e.g., fetters).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 35


Abandoning by cutting off
The first two types of abandoning abandon defilements only temporarily,
principally in meditation (Serenity meditation or Insight meditation).

The third, the “abandoning by cutting off” can be done by one who
develops the “supramundane path” (lokuttara-magga).

One destroys taints and fetters etc., by means of the knowledge of the
“noble path”.

This type of abandoning abandons defilements finally and absolutely, for


once and for all.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 36


Pre-requirement for the practice of satipaṭṭhānas

The satipaṭṭhānas are only properly practiced


• when the mind is at least temporarily free from the five hindrances.
• (sensual desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, flurry and worry, and doubt)

It is only when the mind has been made


• still, calm, happy and lucid that the body, feelings, mind and
dhammas can truly be ‘watched’.

4/1/24 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 37


Abandoning of the five hindrances
“He sits down, bending his legs into a cross-legged position;

• holding his body straight he causes mindfulness to stand near around the face.

(1) Abandoning desire for the world

• he dwells with a mind from which desire has been removed;


• he purifies his mind from desire.

(2) Abandoning the stain of aversion

• he dwells with a mind without aversion, compassionate and friendly towards all
creatures and beings;
• he purifies his mind from the stain of aversion and hatred.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 38


Abandoning tiredness and lethargy

• he dwells with tiredness and lethargy removed,


observing brightness, mindful and aware;
• he purifies his mind from tiredness and lethargy.

Abandoning of Abandoning agitation and depression


the five • he dwells unagitated with his mind stilled within;
hindrances • he purifies his mind from agitation and depression.

Abandoning doubt

• he dwells as one who has crossed over doubt, not


wondering about wholesome/skillful dhammas;
• he purifies his mind from doubt.

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 39


Practicing satipaṭṭhānas

Abandoning these five hindrances that defile the mind and weaken wisdom,

one dwells watching the body in the body, ardent, fully aware, with mindfulness, having
overcome desire for and discontent with the world;
one dwells watching the feeling in the feeling, […];

one dwells watching the mind in the mind, […];

one dwells watching the dhammas in the dhammas, ardent, fully aware, with mindfulness,
having overcome desire for and discontent with the world.

4/1/24 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 40


“Just as an elephant tamer plants a great stake in the
earth and tethers a wild elephant to it by the neck
• in order to subdue in him the ways and thoughts of the wild, the
distress, strain and discomforts of the wild;
Satipaṭṭhānas • in order to make him pleasing to villagers;
• in order that he should adopt ways that are agreeable to humans.
are tethers for Just so, these four satipaṭṭhānas are tethers for the
the mind mind
• for the abandoning of the ways and thoughts of the world,
• for the abandoning of the distress, strain and discomforts of the
world,
• for the obtaining of the right way, for the realization of nibbāna.”
(MN III 135-6)

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 41


Progression
As one applies mind to a sign that brings about composure, gladness is born;
• for the one who is gladdened, joy is born;
• the body of one whose mind is joyful becomes tranquil;
• one whose body is tranquil feels happiness;
• the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated.

Thus, one reflects:


• ‘The purpose for which I applied my mind is accomplished in me; now let me withhold my mind.’

One withholds and has neither initial thought nor sustained thought.
• He knows: ‘I am without initial thought and sustained thought; mindful within, I am at ease.’ (SN V
155-6)

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 42


Practicing satipaṭṭhānas at Two Levels
The effective practice of the setting up of mindfulness
presupposes a certain degree of concentration/calm.
• This concentration is the outcome of the preparatory practice of the setting up
of mindfulness.

To practice satipaṭṭhānas it requires concentration; to acquire


concentration, one practices the satipaṭṭhānas.
• This means, there is a distinction between the initial stages of the setting up of
mindfulness, which are preparatory in nature, and the setting up of
mindfulness proper.
1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 43
The essential unity of the four
satipaṭṭhānas
“Suppose, Ananda, there were a great pile of dirt at the junction of four highways.
• A cart or chariot coming from the eastern direction would destroy that pile of dirt;
• a cart or chariot coming from the western direction […];
• a cart or chariot coming from the northern direction […];
• a cart or chariot coming from the southern direction would destroy that pile of dirt.

Just so, Ananda, when a monk


• in regard to the body dwells watching body, he too destroys bad unwholesome dhammas […];
• in regard to feelings […];
• in regard to the mind […];
• in regard to the dhammas [….]” (SN V 325).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 44


Satipaṭṭhānas guard and protect the
monk
“Therefore, Ananda, you should dwell
• with yourself as lamp, with yourself as refuge, not with some other refuge;
• with Dhamma as lamp, with Dhamma as refuge, not with some other refuge.

And how, Ananda, does a monk dwell with himself as lamp […]?
• In this connection a monk in regard to the body dwells watching body […];
• in regard to feelings […];
• in regard to the mind […];
• in regard to the dhammas [….]” (DN II 100; SN V 154).

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 45


“Thinking, ‘I shall protect myself,’ establishing/setting up of
mindfulness is to be practiced;

thinking, ‘I shall protect others,’ establishing/setting up of


mindfulness is to be practiced.

Protecting Protecting oneself, one protects others; protecting others, one


oneself protects oneself.

and others How does one protect others by protecting oneself? By


continued practice, by development, by making great …

How does one protect oneself by protecting others? By


patience, by absence of cruelty, by friendliness, by kindness.”
(SN V 169)

1/4/2024 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 46


Prescription for the practice of the Buddhist
Path

“Those for whom you have compassion, those who


judge that there is something to be heard—whether
friends, companions, relatives or kinsmen—
they should be caused to undertake, directed
towards, established in the development of the four
satipaṭṭhānas.” (SN V 189)

4/1/24 G.A. Somaratne - Lecture Notes 10, BSTC2006 47


Conclusion

It presents a
The satipaṭṭhāna practice comprehensive set of
contemplations that The mental qualities
constitutes an important
required for this practice
component in the path to progressively reveal ever
are:
Nibbāna. subtler aspects of
subjective experience.

a detached state of mind,


free from desires and
a balanced and sustained the presence of clear discontent, the automatic
application of effort awareness
habitual reactions and
evaluations.

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(1) One breathes in and breathes out mindfully.

(1) How to (2) One understands when one changes bodily postures such as walking,
standing, sitting and lying down.

practice
watching the
(3) One walks up and down, looks at and around, bends and stretches limbs,
handles robes and bowl, eats, drinks, chews and tastes, walks, stands, sits, lies
down, sleeps, wakes, speaks and remains silent with awareness.

body (14 (4) One reflects the body as it is full of different kinds of impurity (hair, nails,

sections) – teeth, flesh etc. 31 parts of the body).

Satipaṭṭhāna (5) One reflects on the body by way of the elements of earth, water, fire and
wind.

Sutta
(6)-(14) One compares one’s body to a corpse in nine different states of
putrefaction (decomposition), thinking, ‘This body too is of such a nature, it will
be such, it has not passed beyond this.’

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Each of the 14 practices is appended
with the formula:
• Thus, in regard to the body, one dwells
watching body within; without; or within and
without.
Extended • Or in regard to the body, one dwells watching
the nature of arising; fall; or both arising and
formula fall.
• Or again, one’s mindfulness that there is body
is established just for the sake of a degree of
knowledge and a degree of recollection.

And one dwells being free, not clinging


to anything in the world.

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Whatever kind of feeling (out of nine types) one
feels or experiences, one knows that one feels it.
• pleasant feeling; unpleasant feeling; neutral feeling;
• pleasant feeling associated with sensuality; unpleasant
(2) watching feeling associated with sensuality; neutral feeling
associated with sensuality;
feelings (1 • pleasant feeling dissociated with sensuality; unpleasant
feeling dissociated with sensuality; neutral feeling
section) dissociated with sensuality.

To this the expanded formula is added:

• Thus, in regard to the feeling one dwells watching feeling


within; without; or within and without. […].

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One knows the particular mind one experiences
(sixteen kinds in eight pairs):
• the mind with passion/lust; without passion/lust;

(3) • the mind with hatred; without hatred;


• the mind with delusion; without delusion;

watching
• the mind that is composed; that is scattered;
• the mind that has become great; that has not become
great;
the mind (1 • the mind that is surpassable; that is not surpassable;
• the mind that is concentrated; that is not concentrated;

section) • the mind that is freed; that is not freed.

Extended formula follows:

• Thus, in regard to the mind one dwells watching mind


within; without; or within and without. […].

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One dwells watching dhamma(s):
• One knows the presence or absence of the five hindrances
(sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and
worry, and doubt).

(4) • One knows the arising and the disappearance of the five-
clinging-aggregates (matter, feeling, perception, mental
formations, and consciousness).
watching • One knows the workings of the six internal and external
sense spheres (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; sight,

dhammas
sound, smell, taste, touch and dhammas),
• One knows the presence or the absence of the seven factors
of awakening (mindfulness, dhamma-discrimination,

(5 sections) strength, joy, tranquility, concentration, equanimity).


• One knows the four noble truths (dukkha, cause, cessation,
path).
The extended formula follows:
• Thus, in regard to the dhammas one dwells watching
dhammas within; without; or within and without. […].

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When a monk breathing in long, knows: ‘I
breathe in long; breathing out long […];
• breathing in short […];
• breathing out short […].
Mindfulness When he trains himself: ‘I shall breathe in
of Breathing experiencing the whole body […];
• I shall breathe out […];
in and out I shall breathe in tranquilizing the forces of the
(1) body […];
• I shall breathe out […]’

– at that time in regard to the body he dwells


watching the body […].

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When a monk trains himself: ‘I shall breathe
in experiencing joy […]; I shall breathe out ….

I shall breathe in experiencing happiness […];


Mindfulness I shall breathe out […];

of Breathing I shall breathe in experiencing the forces of


mind […]; I shall breathe out […];
in and out
(2) I shall breathe in tranquilizing the forces of
mind […]; I shall breathe out […].’

—at that time in regard to feelings he dwells


watching feeling […].

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When a monk trains himself: ‘I shall breathe in
experiencing the mind […]; I shall breathe out […];

I shall breathe in gladdening the mind […]; I shall


Mindfulness breathe out […];

of Breathing I shall breathe in concentrating the mind […]; I


shall breathe out […];
in and out
(3) I shall breathe in feeling the mind […]; I shall
breathe out […]’

– at that time in regard to mind he dwells watching


mind …

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When a monk trains himself: ‘I shall breathe in watching
impermanence […]; I shall breathe out […];

I shall breathe in watching dispassion […]; I shall breathe out […];

Mindfulness I shall breathe in watching cessation […]; I shall breathe out […];
of Breathing
in and out I shall breathe in watching letting-go […]; I shall breathe out […]’

(4) – at that time in regard to dhammas he dwells watching dhamma


[…].

Developed in this way, made great in this way, mindfulness of


breathing in and out brings the four ways of establishing of
mindfulness to fulfilment. (MN III 83-5; SN V 329-31)

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