Mindfulness or Sati is momentary awareness, or a state in which one is aware of what is going on at the present moment. Right Mindfulness also means, " awaken in daily life ". It is not only being mindful during one's practice of meditation as many traditional Buddhists believe at the present time, but is also the lifelong with earnestness. By engaging in gentle, steady mindfulness exercise, can build a personal practice that can lead to a more meaningful working life and way of being not necessary a life free from suffering, but one that is rich and full.
Right Mindfulness or Summasati, according to the Adhidhamma Text, derives from Summa [ the right ], and Sati [ to bear in mind, to bring to mind, the state of recollection, the state of remembering, non fading, non forgetting ]. Sati is the controller and the inspector of the stream of sense - consciousness, mentality and all one's actions, ensuring that they all lie within desired parameter.
Buddhadhamma strongly emphasizes the importance of sati at every level of ethical conduct. Conducting one's life or one's Dhamma practice constantly by sati is called heedfulness or appanada. Appamada is of central importance to progress in a system of ethics, and is defined as non - separation from sati.
Appamada is also classified as an internal factor, as is yoniso - manasikara [ skilful reflection ], and forms a pair with its external counterpart, kalyanamittat. The Buddha's word describing the significance of appamada sometime overlap those describing that of yonisomansikara, for these Dhamma are of equal importance, though differing in application. While yonisomanasikara is a member of Panna Section, appamada, on the other hand, is a member of Samadhi section in the Threefold Training.
The Buddha's teaching identifies the foundation of mindfulness - Satipatthana during meditation and introspection practice into 4 categories : contemplation of the body, contemplation of feeling, contemplation of mind and contemplation of mind objects that simply refers to the ongoing mindfulness of the body, feeling, thought and objects of thought.
The practice of Satipatthana meditation leads to the purification of the mind, the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, the complete destruction of physical pain and mental distress, the entering of the the right path and the attainment of Nibbana.
One may see from the salient points of Satipatthana summarized above that Satpatthana [ and this includes vipasana ] is not only a principle that necessarily demands for its practice either withdrawal from society into seclusion or a fixed time schedule. In essence, Satipatthana should also be applied to all lay people in their daily lives, to recognize the nature of the relationship between the individual's inner life process and social value. This is not only a passive kind of attitude and behavior, but also a truly active outlook and contribution to the common good for social purposes, as the Buddha expresses to this disciples:
" Monks, to exercise Right Mindfulness means to take care of oneself as well taking care of others, Taking care of oneself means to do so by diligent practice, by love for dhamma, by magnanimity. Taking care of others is by tolerance, by non - harming, by love and by compassion ".
On the final occasion before the Great Decease of the Buddha, the last exhortation of the Blessed One spoke of practicing Right Mindfulness as follows:
" Ananda, all conditioned things are always decay gradually. Take earnest care of yourself on the path leading to temporal and spiritual welfare and the welfare of others [ family, relatives social, environment ]."
To cultivate wisdom through practice of meditation, right mindfulness or Summasati is an enlightenment factor, which is to be practice in co - ordination with right concentration. These four elements, the 4 Satipatthana, are the rain foundation of right mindfulness as follows :
1. Kayanupassana - contemplating the body and its behavior, i.e. by focusing on the posture, clearly perceiving the present mode of disposition of the body [ Ariyapatha ], maintaining clear comprehension in every kind of action [ Sampajanna ].
2. Vedananupassana - contemplating feeling as this arises, be it pleasure, pain or indifferent, whether it is associated with sensual desires or not. One has a clear perception in its actuality at the moment of occureence.
3. Cittanupassana, mindfulness on the state of the mind at the given moment, whether sensual desired or aversion, is present in it or not. One has the clear perception of the underlying state of mind in its actuality at that present moment.
4. Dhammanupassana, mindfulness of dhamma, that means one has clear perception at that moment, of whether any of the five hindrances or nivarana is present in the mind, comprehension of the nature of each aggregate [ khanha ], how it arises and ceases. Besides, one has clear perception of each of the internal and external sense - bases and of the fetters that arise, clear perception in Ariyasacca of the Four Noble Truth.
Conducting one's life with Appamada or heedfulness, refers to the uninterrupted presence of sati, guarding over these four points of Satipatthana, the body and its behavior, the various feelings of pleasure and pain, the different states of mind and Dhamma. It will help to ensure a freedom from suffering, a life of clarity and well being, culminating in the realization of the ultimate truth.
The importance and extent of the application of appamada at various levels of practice of ethical conduct may be seen from the Buddha's own words in the following example :
" O Bhikhus. The footprints of all land - bound creatures fit within the footprint of the elephant ; the elephant's footprint is said to be the supreme footprint in terms of size. Similarly, all skilfull Dhammas have heedfulness as their base, converge within the bounds of heedfulness. Heedfulness may be said to be supreme amongst those Dhammas.
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teachings
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