Satipatthana
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| 37 DHAMMĀ of ENLIGHTENMENT |
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| 4 satipaṭṭhāna |
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| 4 Efforts |
4 Bases |
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5 Powers |
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| 7 Factors |
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| 8 Path Factors |
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Satipaṭṭhāna is the Pāli word for the Buddhist concept of the foundations of mindfulness. The corresponding word in Sanskrit (Skt.) is smṛtyupasthāna.
The four foundations of mindfulness (Pāli cattāro satipaṭṭhānā) are four practices set out in the Satipatthana Sutta for attaining and maintaining moment-by-moment mindfulness and are fundamental techniques in Buddhist meditation. The four foundations of mindfulness are:[1]
- mindfulness of the body;[2][3]
- mindfulness of feelings or sensations (vedanā);[4]
- mindfulness of mind or consciousness (citta);[5] and
- mindfulness of mental phenomena or mental objects (dhammā).[6]
The Buddha referred to the four foundations for establishing mindfulness as a "direct" or "one-way path" to the realisation of nirvana.[7]
These practices continue to be recognized, taught, and practiced as key techniques for achieving the benefits of mindfulness, especially in modern Theravadan Buddhism and in the Vipassana or Insight Meditation Movement.
Contents
Translation and original sources[edit]
Satipaṭṭhāna is a compound term that has been parsed (and thus translated) in two ways:
- Sati-paṭṭhāna which has been translated as "foundation of mindfulness," underscoring the object used to gain mindfulness.
- Sati-upaṭṭhāna which has been translated as "presence of mindfulness" or "establishment of mindfulness" or "arousing of mindfulness," underscoring the mental qualities co-existent with or antecedent to mindfulness.
While the former parsing and translation is more traditional, the latter has been given etymological and contextual authority by contemporary Buddhist scholars such as Bhikkhu Analayo and Bhikkhu Bodhi.[8]
Contexts[edit]
The four foundations of mindfulness are one of the seven sets of "states conducive to enlightenment" (Pāli bodhipakkhiyādhammā) identified in many schools of Buddhism as means for progressing toward Enlightenment or Awakening (bodhi).
The four foundations of mindfulness are practices for attaining and deepening the skillful mindfulness (sammā-sati) and, less directly, the skillful concentration (sammā-samādhi) parts of the Noble Eightfold Path. The four foundations (Satipaṭṭhāna) meditation practices gradually develop the mental factors of insight (vipassana) and focus samatha. The four foundations of mindfulness are regarded as fundamental in modern Theravadan Buddhism and the Vipassana or Insight Meditation Movement, and in the many traditions of Buddhism that emphasize meditation including the Sōtō Zen[9] and Mahāyānan traditions.[10]
Traditional scriptures[edit]
In the Pāli Canon, this framework for systematically cultivating mindful awareness can be found in the Mahasatipatthana Sutta ("Greater Discourse on the Foundation of Mindfulness," DN 22); the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta ("Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness," MN 10), and throughout the Satipaṭṭhāna-samyutta (SN, Chapter 47). The Satipaṭṭhāna-samyutta itself contains 104 of the Buddha's discourses on the satipaṭṭhānas[11] including two popular discourses delivered to the townspeople of Sedaka, "the Acrobat" (Thanissaro, 1997a) and "the Beauty Queen" (Thanissaro, 1997b).
Key discourses among these identify the value of this practice in this manner:
- Bhikkhus, this is the one-way path for the purification of beings,
- for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation,
- for the passing away of pain and displeasure,
- for the achievement of the method,[12]
- for the realization of Nibbāna,
- that is, the four establishments of mindfulness.[13]
Repeatedly in these discourses one finds the establishing of mindfulness explicated by the refrain:
- [One] remains focused on the body ... feeling ... mind ... mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.[14]
The aforementioned wholesome establishments of mindfulness are contrasted with the mind-ensnaring qualities of:
- The five strands of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable by the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Sounds cognizable by the ear.... Aromas cognizable by the nose.... Flavors cognizable by the tongue.... Tactile sensations cognizable by the body — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing.[15]
Contemporary exegesis[edit]
Satipatthana vs. Jhana[edit]
Bhikkhu Bodhi writes:
- ... Though there is neither canonical nor commentarial basis for this view, it might be maintained that satipatthana is called ekayaa magga, the direct path, to distinguish it from the approach to meditative attainment that proceeds through the jhanas or brahmaviharas. While the latter can lead to Nibbana, they do not do so necessarily but can lead to sidetracks, whereas satipatthana leads invariably to the final goal.[16]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Mindfulness in Early Buddhism: New Approaches through Psychology and Textual Analysis of Pāli, Chinese and Sanskrit Sources by Tse-fu Kuan. Routledge:2008 ISBN 0-415-43737-7 pgs i, 9, 81 [1]
- ^ (Pāli: kāya-sati, kāyagatā-sati; Skt. kāya-smṛti)
- ^ Salient sections of the Pāli canon on kāya-sati (kāya-gatā-sati): http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/kaaya_gata_sati.htm
- ^ (Pāli vedanā-sati; Skt. vedanā-smṛti)
- ^ (Pāli citta-sati; Skt. citta-smṛti)
- ^ (Pāli dhammā-sati; Skt. dharma-smṛti)
- ^ See the Satipatthana sutta (MN 10; DN 22); as well as SN 47.1, 47.18 and 47.43. These five discourses are the only canonical sources for the phrase, "ekāyano ... maggo" (with this specific declension).
The Pāli phrase "ekāyano ... maggo'" has been translated as:
- "direct path" (Bodhi & Gunaratana, 2012, p. 12; Nanamoli & Bodhi, 1995; Thanissaro, 2008)
- "one-way path"(Bodhi, 2000, pp. 1627-8, 1647-8, 1661)
- "the only way" (Nyanasatta, 2004; Soma, 1941/2003)
- "the one and only way" (Vipassana Research Institute, 1996, pp. 2, 3)
- ^ For the traditional use of the translation, "foundations [paṭṭhānā] of mindfulness," see, e.g., Gunaratana (2012) and U Silananda (2002). For appraisals supporting the parsing of the suffix as upaṭṭhāna, see, e.g., Anālayo (2006), pp. 29-30; and, Bodhi (2000), p. 1504. Anālayo argues from an etymological standpoint that, while "foundation [paṭṭhāna] of mindfulness" is supported by the Pāli commentary, the term paṭṭhāna (foundation) was otherwise unused in the Pāli nikayas and is only first used in the Abhidhamma; in contrast, the term upaṭṭhāna (presence or establishment) can in fact be found throughout the nikayas and is readily visible in the Sanskrit equivalents of the compound Pāli phrase satipaṭṭhāna (Skt., smṛtyupasthāna or smṛti-upasthāna). Thus Anālayo states that "presence of mindfulness" (as opposed to "foundation of mindfulness") is more likely to be etymologically correct. Like Anālayo, Bodhi assesses that "establishment [upaṭṭhāna] of mindfulness" is the preferred translation. However, Bodhi's analysis is more contextual than Anālayo's. According to Bodhi, while "establishment of mindfulness" is normally supported by the textual context, there are exceptions to this rule, such as with SN 47.42 (pp. 1660, 1928 n. 180) where a translation of "foundation of mindfulness" is best supported. Soma (1941/2003) uses both "foundations of mindfulness" and "arousing of mindfulness."
- ^ For an example of a Zen master's explicit use of this type of meditation, see Nhat Hanh (2005).
- ^ Ponlop, Dzogchen. "Tiny, Slippery Spot of Mind". http://archive.thebuddhadharma.com. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- ^ Samyutta Nikaya, Ch. 47. See Bodhi (2000), pp. 1627ff.
- ^ Bodhi (2000, SN 47 n. 123, Kindle Loc. 35147) notes: "Spk [the commentary to the Samyutta Nikaya] explains the 'method' (ñāya) as the Noble Eightfold Path...."
- ^ SN 47.1 (Bodhi, 2000, p. 1627). Also see DN 22, MN 10, SN 47.18 and SN 47.43.
- ^ Thanissaro (1997). See other suttas in this samyutta for the repetition of this refrain. What Ven. Thanissaro translates here as "alert" is the Pāli word, "sampajāno," which others translate, for instance, as "clearly comprehending" (e.g., see Bodhi, 2000, pp. 1627ff.).
- ^ SN 47.6 (Thanissaro, 1997) and SN 47.7 (Olendzki, 2005).
- ^ Nanamoli & Bodhi (1995), n. 135, Kindle Loc. 20360.
References[edit]
- Anālayo (2006). Satipatthāna: The Direct Path to Realization. Birmingham: Windhorse Publications. ISBN 1-899579-54-0.
- Bodhi, Bhikkhu (2000). The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-168-8.
- Gunaratana (2012). The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English. Boston: Wisdom Pub. ISBN 978-1-61429-038-4.
- Nanamoli, Bhikkhu and Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (1995), The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya. Somerville: Wisdom Pubs ISBN 0-86171-072-X.
- Nhat Hanh, Thich (trans. Annabel Laity) (2005). Transformation and Healing : Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness . Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press. ISBN 0-938077-34-1.
- Nyanasatta Thera (2004). Satipatthana Sutta: The Foundations of Mindfulness (MN 10). Available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html.
- Nyanaponika Thera (1954). The Heart of Buddhist Meditation.
- Olendzki, Andrew (2005). Makkata Sutta: The Foolish Monkey (SN 47.7). Available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.007.olen.html.
- Silananda (2002). The Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Boston: Wisdom Pub. ISBN 0-86171-328-1.
- Soma Thera (1941; 6th ed. 2003). The Way of Mindfulness. Kandy: BPS. ISBN 955-24-0256-5. Available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html.
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997). Sakunagghi Sutta (The Hawk) (SN 47.6). Available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.006.than.html.
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997a). Sedaka Sutta: At Sedaka (The Acrobat) (SN 47.19). Available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.019.than.html.
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997b). Sedaka Sutta: At Sedaka (The Beauty Queen) (SN 47.20). Available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.020.than.html.
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2008). Satipatthana Sutta: Frames of Reference (MN 10). Available at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html.
- Vipassana Research Institute (trans.) (1996). Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta: The Great Discourse on Establishing Mindfulness. Seattle, WA: Vipassana Research Publications of America. ISBN 0-9649484-0-0.
External links[edit]
| Wikiquote has quotations related to: Satipatthana |
- Satipaṭṭhāna-related discourses in the Pāli Canon:
- Mahā Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Digha Nikaya 22) (in Pāli)
- Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 10)
- Satipaṭṭhāna-samyutta (Samyutta Nikaya 47 [selected discourses])
- Commentary on the Satipatthana sutta
- Link to free online class on Satipaṭṭhāna given by Sayadaw U Silananda[dead link]
- "Agendas of Mindfulness," by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, a discourse on Satipaṭṭhāna
- "Satipatthana Vipassana" or "Insight through Mindfulness," by Mahasi Sayadaw
- Global Online Satipatthana Recitation
- Saddhamma Foundation Information about practicing Satipatthana meditation.
- The Four Foundations of Mindfulness - from the Satipatthana Sutta: D.22
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