37 PRODUCTS. A Compendium of the Essentials for Enlightenment.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH. chapter II The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana) The word satipatthana is defined as follows: Bhusam titthatì'ti patthanam; sati eva patthanam satipatthanam. Meaning: what is firmly established, firmly imposed, on is "mindfulness", the foundation of mindfulness; The practice of "mindfulness" is itself such a foundation of mindfulness. There are four Foundations of Mindfulness: 1. Kànupassanà-satipatthâna (Body Contemplation), 2. Vedananupassanà-satipatthâna ( Spirit Contemplation) 3. Cittânupassanà-satipatthàna (Contemplation of Mindfulness), 4. Dhammanupassanà-satipatthàna (Dharma Contemplation of Mindfulness). 1. Kànupassana-satipatthàna , Body Contemplation of Mindfulness, abbreviated as Body Mindfulness, is the solid mindfulness imposed on the phenomena of the body, such as in-breath and out-breath. 2. Vedananupassanà-satipatthàna , Life Contemplative Mindfulness, briefly called Mindfulness of Life, is the solid mindfulness imposed on feelings. 3. Cittânupassanà-satipatthàna , Mindfulness of Mindfulness, abbreviated as Mindfulness of Mind, is steady mindfulness imposed on thoughts or mental processes, such as thoughts associated with or not associated with aspiration. 4. Dhammanupassanà-satipatthâna , Dharma Contemplation of the Foundations of Mindfulness, abbreviated as Mindfulness of the Dharma, is the steadfast mindfulness imposed on phenomena such as mental obstacles (nìvaranas, dharma hindrances) etc.. Of the four foundations of mindfulness, if mindfulness, or mindfulness of noting, is firmly imposed on a part of the body, such as the out-breath and the in-breath, it implies that attention has been paid. is firmly set all over. This is because we have been able to place our attention anywhere in the body. "Fistedly established" means that if we want to focus our attention on the out-breath and the in-breath for one hour, we can rest the mind firmly on the in-breath the whole time. If we want to keep the mind fixed on the breath for two hours, we can keep the mind steady on the breath for two hours. At no time does the noting mind leave its object because the vitakka factor is unstable. For more details on satipatthàna , see "Satipatthàna Sutta" , translation in "The Wheel" no. 18. Also read the Commentary on this sutta in "The Way of Mindfulness", translation by Soma Thera (Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy ). Why do we have to firmly gather the mind to stay calm and firmly impose on objects like out-breath and in-breath, which cannot be omitted? It is because we need to concentrate our minds to watch and control the six consciousnesses ( vinnanna )[2], which are rapidly jumping and drifting uncertainly from the inconceivable distant past, in samsara ( round of rebirths ) endless. Please clarify more. The mind has a habit of roaming from one end to the other, revolving around the six sense objects, appearing in the six sense doors. [3] The monk gave an example, like the guy who lost his mind, couldn't control his mind. Even when it was time to eat, he didn't remember, but he kept wandering around from one end to the other, his parents had to find and call back to eat. Then, after eating five or six pieces, he turned the cup upside down, left, and didn't finish the meal. The guy was distracted to such an extent. Eating and drinking also do not know enough to use. When he spoke, he couldn't even finish a sentence. Talking about the beginning, forgetting the tail, this is the beginning of another story. The beginning, middle, and end of a sentence don't match. Say no one understands. He couldn't do anything useful in this world, and no one knew what he wanted. He couldn't get any work done. The lunatic could return to normal, in good spirits, if he met a skilled psychiatrist who treated him with rigorous methods. With such treatment, he can gradually return to his normal life, and can eat and drink until he is full. In other daily tasks, he can also control his mind and get it done, talking in a coherent manner as usual. That is an example. There are ordinary people in this world who are mentally stable, but just like the insane guy who can't control his mind when sitting down to meditate, samatha or vipassana meditation ( vipassana).). Just like the lunatic who couldn't eat a full meal and left after having five or six bites, so this normal-minded person sitting down to meditate also lets his mind wander from one end to the other because he can't. control it. Whenever he worships the Buddha and meditates on the holy virtues of the Buddha, he cannot focus his mind on those holy virtues but let his mind wander from one thought to another and cannot read a full text. Sutras worshiping the Three Jewels like "Iti' pi so ..." , the Virtue of the Blessed One is indeed like this ..." Just like a person suffering from rabies (fear of water), thirsty until his lips are dry, but when he sees a cool lake and lake in the distance, he is afraid to run away. Again, it is like a sick person who has to use food and medicine to treat it. His mouth feels bitter and he can't swallow, so he has to spit it all out. Likewise, there are those who find themselves unable to practice effectively the practice of contemplating the holy names of the Buddha. They cannot continue to keep the mind fixed on the object. When you start reading "Iti' pi so"then his mind wanders and is interrupted, and if he starts again, interrupted each time, he never gets to the end of the sutta, even though he reads it all day, all month, or all year. Now he tries to memorize each passage by heart, and thus can read to the end of the sutta, even though his mind is free. Likewise, in the days of precepts ( uposatha , bodhisattva), there are those who plan to find a quiet and secluded place to meditate on the thirty-two parts of the body such as kesà (hair), loma (hair), etc. or proclaimed the Buddha's name, but ended up meeting friends, having fun and chatting, forgetting about the intention to meditate. At the temple, at the time when everyone recites the sutras together, although trying to concentrate in silence, read and recite the brahma-vihàra (Four Immeasurable Minds) [4], like the recipe for spreading mettà.(Metta), but because of not being able to control the mind, the mind is scattered, the thoughts are flying around uncertainly and in the end there is only the superficial form of reading and reciting, reading the sutras but the mind is somewhere else. . Those many cases are enough to show how many people, though ordinary, have lives like the guy who lost his mind while creating good karma, kusala kamma , cultivating good causes and creating merit. "Pàpasmim ramate mano" -- The mind delights in evil. (Dhammapada, Dhammapada, verse 116) Just as the nature of water is to flow from high to low, so are the minds of sentient beings, naturally drawing closer to evil. That is the natural tendency of the mind. The monk told an example story to compare the man who couldn't control his mind with the man who lost his mind. On a fast-moving river, there was a merchant with a boat full of valuable goods, but he was not good at rowing or steering. He went downstream, through the long flowing rivers along the wild mountains, with no landing, no convenient place to pair boats. And so he continued to float incessantly with the water. At night, the boat passed through villages, towns, and places where boats could dock, but because he could not see at night, he continued to let the boat pass by without stopping at the docks. Then the day came, the boat drifted past places with urban streets, but because he did not firmly grasp the steering wheel, he could not steer the boat to the wharf and had to continue to let the boat drift, gradually setting sail, in the midst of the immense sea. . The endless cycle of existences ( samsàra ) around samsara is like a fast-flowing river. Beings who have no control over their mind are like merchants sailing a boat without knowing how to row or steer. Mind is like a boat. Sentient beings adrift in the flood currents of existences, life after life, through the Dharma-free "sunna" world cycles of a Buddha are like a merchant's boat passing through. through desolate mountainous areas with no docks or boats. Sometimes such beings are born in the world cycle with the Teaching of a Buddha ( Buddha Sàsana .).) spread widely and prospered, but did not know it because of misfortune to be reborn in one of the eight unfavorable circumstances ( atthakkhanas ) [5], just as a merchant's boat drifts through the streets or hamlets. The village has a wharf for boats to dock, but because of the dark night, he did not know. Then comes when, at other times, one is reborn as a human, as a devas or as Brahmas ( devas or Brahmas ) during the Dharma period of a Buddha ( Buddha Sàsana ) but cannot attain Path and Fruit ( magga and phala ) because it is not possible to control the mind and is not diligent enough to practice vipassanà( Vipassana ), practice satipatthana (Four Foundations of Mindfulness), should still continue to roll in the round of samsara ( samsàra ). Such beings are like merchants who have seen the streets, villages, and wharfs where their boats can dock, but cannot steer their boats to the wharf because they cannot control the rudder and thus continue to be hit by the currents. The flood dragged it out into the vast ocean. Through innumerable lifetimes of existences as numerous as the sands on the banks of the Ganges in the long cycle of samsara, those who have been liberated from the sufferings of life are those who have gained control over their minds and have able to focus their mind on the chosen topic of practice as they wish, through the practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness,Satipatthana. This indicates the tendency of beings to drift around in the circle of existences of beings who do not practice satipatthana, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, even though they are aware that they cannot control their mind while practicing serenity and vipassana meditation. samatha and vipassana) . We can also take the example of the man who trains the heifer to pull a plow or pull a cart, or the one who trains the elephant for the king's use or to use in times of war. The case of heifers. It must first be brought into the herd and used to the barn, then pierced, that is, threaded through the cow's nose and tied the end of the rope to a post. Then use the wire and control to let it get used to doing what you want. You must practice like this until the cow is mature enough to be able to put down the yoke, let it pull a cart or pull a plow. Only then will the cows be ready for use or sale. That is the example of a heifer. In this example, the benefit and success of the ox tamer depends on whether the condition of the ox can be used effectively in pulling a cart or pulling a plow, after being trained, likewise the real benefit The work of a Buddhist monk, layman or bhikkhu, living in the present Buddha's Teaching period, depends on one's diligence in cultivating serenity and insight meditation ( samatha and vipassanà ). In the present Buddha Sàsana , the practice of Virtue Purity ( sìla visuddhi ) is the same as in the practice of cow training, bringing the cows into the herd and getting them used to living in a barn. Just like heifers, if they don't join the herd and live in a stable, they will destroy and destroy crops or other people's property, and that is the responsibility of the cow owner, so a person lacking in Virtue will be unclean. uphold the three karmas [6], thereby encountering unfortunate circumstances in life and reaping bad results in the future, as the Dharma teaches. Trying to develop kayagatà satipatthana [7], the mindfulness of the body, is like putting a rope through the nose of an ox, and after tying it to a pillar, trains the cow to obey one's command. Just as an ox tied to a post must obey orders, doing whatever the owner wants to do, can't run around, so, when tied to the body with a rope of satipatthana ( satipatthana ), the mind is empty. can run around but have to stay wherever the owner wants. The mind's habit of agitating and wandering about, which was once inconceivable in the cycle of samsara, now settles down, becomes still. Practicing samatha and vipassanà without mindfulness of the body before is like an owner of an ox that has been shoved into the yoke of a cart or plowed a ox that has never been threaded. He will not be able to control the cow at will. Because the cow is still wild and because it does not have a handle to control, it will run wildly, drifting out of the way or breaking through the yoke to escape. On the other hand, the person who has trained to control and calm the mind by Mindfulness of the Body before turning to the practice of serenity and vipassana ( samatha and vipassanà ) will easily settle the mind , and he will be successful. In the case of elephant training, the wild elephant must first be taken out of the forest, taken to a large area, where the elephant training is specialized, fenced with sturdy posts, and then firmly tied the elephant to a safe place, Keep it there until it is well-trained, calm and no longer aggressive. Only then did people begin to train the elephant to do the work it would have to do for the king. Only then can elephants become useful, be used effectively in various tasks in the country, and in the battlefield when the country is in trouble. The realm of worldly pleasures is like a forest that a wild elephant enjoys. The Teaching of a Buddha ( Buddha Sàsana ) is like a spacious land where people bring wild elephants to train. Wild elephants are like the mind. Faith ( saddhà ) and desire ( chanda ) in the Dhamma ( sàsana-dhamma ) are like an elephant that needs to be trained, which is tied together with a trained elephant, and then brought out into the open air in a land wide. Precepts ( sìla visuddhi)), ie pure morality, is a solid fence around the elephant pole. The physical body or parts of the body like the out-breath and the in-breath are like strong pillars inside the fence to which the elephant is tied. The Dharma of Mindfulness of the Body ( kayagatà-sati ) [8] is like a rope that ties an elephant to a pillar. The preparatory works for training elephants are like those that lead to serenity and insight meditation ( samatha and vipassanà ). The practice of meditation, solitude or insight, is different work such as performing troops, training exercises or rushing on the battlefield. Other examples can now be easily recognized. Thus, the Master pointed out the examples of people who lost their minds, people who sailed without knowing how to steer their boat, people who train heifers, and people who train elephants. These are the key points in the practice of Mindfulness of the Body, which traditional practice considers as the first step of the practice of meditation from the stage of sila visuddhi and up, in the Teachings of all the Buddhas who have manifested in the cycle of life. lingering recollection from the inconceivable distant past. The main meaning is either mindfulness of in-breath and out-breath, or recitation of iriyàpatha (four positions -- walking, standing, sitting, lying) with sampajanna (clear mind, clear understanding) or by dhàtu-manasikàra (collecting the mind in the Four Elements ), or by atthika-sannà (bone-mindfulness), one must diligently and diligently acquire the ability to concentrate mindfulness on one's body and four postures for as long as it takes, day and night except during sleep, and thus firmly control own mind. In doing so, one escapes the unhappy state of the insane. We are now like a sailor who has mastered the helm, or the owner of a well-trained ox, or like a king wielding a tamed and subdued elephant. There are many types and degrees of mastery of one's mind. In the Buddha's Teaching ( Buddha Sàsana ), the perfect practice of Mindfulness of the Body is the first step on the road to steady mastery of one's mind. Practitioners who do not want to follow the path of samatha (quietness) but only want to follow the path of pure vipassanā (pure vipassanā ), i.e. the path of sukkha vipassaka [9], must proceed directly to vipassanà after having been persevering. try to successfully practice Mindfulness of the Body. If these people don't want to practice Mindfulness of the Body separately, but rather diligently practice Vipassana to the point where they can include mindfulness of the body, kayagatà-sati , they can also succeed, if they have enough energy and wisdom. wisdom. The Dharma of Mindfulness of the Body ( kayagatà-sati ) associated with the wisdom of arising and passing away ( udayabbaya-nana ), clearly seeing the arising and passing away of psycho-physical phenomena, is indeed very important. According to the method of quiet practice ( samatha ), by noting the in-breath and out-breath of Mindfulness of the Body, one can reach the level of rupàvacara catuttha jhāna , the Four Meditations of Formation ; by reciting vanna manasikàra [10], the thirty-two parts of the body such as kesà (hair), lolà (hair), etc.. one can attain all eight stages of jhana, samapattis [11], and by practicing patikkùla manasikàra [12] also of the Law of Mindfulness of the Body, we can attain the First Meditation. If, while meditating, develop Vipassana ( vipassanà ) one can also attain Path and Fruition. Although not fully successful in the practice of serenity and insight ( samatha and vipassanà ) but only to the point of controlling the mind and being able to keep it fixed on the object, the Buddha taught, such a person can be considered a enjoyed the taste of amatta nibbāna [13]. "Amatam tesam paribhuttam, yesam kayaagatà sati paribhuttà." [14] "Those who delight and delight in Mindfulness of the Body ( kayagatà-sati ) enjoy and delight in the Undying state (Nirvana)." Here the word Amata - for Nirvana - means a state of mind that is peaceful, peaceful and quiet. [15] In the initial state, the mind is very agitated and unstable when we want to focus on the object. Thus the primordial nature of mind is arid and hot-tempered. Like a worm in a chili, unaware of the heat of a chili pepper, a person with a craving nature ( tanha ) does not hear the heat of craving, a person with an innate anger and pride does not feel receive the heat of anger and conceit, similarly sentient beings are unaware of the heat of an agitated mind. Only when, due to the elaborate practice of Mindfulness of the Body, kayagatà-sati, the state of mind scattering ceases, we realize the temperature of the state of unrest. Having reached the state of dissolution of the agitated mind, we are afraid of the heat of that mind reoccurring. In the case of a person who has attained the first stage of jhāna or the stage of wisdom of arising and passing away ( udayabbaya nana ) through the practice of mindfulness of the body ( kayagatà-satipatthàna ), there is no need to elaborate further. From here on, the more and more sublime we achieve, the more difficult it becomes to separate ourselves from kayagatà-sati (Contemplation of the Body). The Saints ( ariya puggalas ) apply the Four Foundations of Mindfulness ( satipatthana ) to nourish their spirituality until they enter Great Nirvana ( parinibbana ). To achieve the ability to keep the mind fixed on a certain part of the body, like the out-breath and the in-breath, it may take 7 days or 15 days, or a month, 2 months, 3 months. , or 4 months, or 5 months, 6 months or a year, 2 years, or 4 years, depending on the level of diligence of each person. Regarding the method of practicing mindfulness of breathing-out and in-breath, you should read the book " Anapana Dìpanì " [16]. There are many books on the practice of mindfulness of the thirty-two parts of the body. In this practice, kesà (hair), lolà (hair), nakhà (fingernails, toenails), dantà (teeth), taco (skin) are considered taca pancaka (the group of five parts of the body, ending with taco). . If you can firmly rest your mind on these five points, then the practice of mindfulness of the body (kayagatà-sati) has been completed. For the recitations of catu dhàtu vavatthàna ( Contemplation of the Four Elements ), rùpa vipassanà (contemplation of physical phenomena, i.e. rupa), and nama-vipassanà (contemplation of mental phenomena, nama), see these the Master's books "Lakkhana Dìpanì", "Vijjà-magga Dìpanì", "Ahàra Dìpanì" , and "Anattà Dìpanì" . * * * Here ends the brief explanation of the kayagatà-sati bhàvanà , the Foundation of Mindfulness of the Body, which is one of the four "Four Foundations of Mindfulness", and which people of the Neyya and Padaparama ranks should firmly grasp in the work of training the mind ( bhàvanà ), aimed at achieving the Path and Fruition in the Teachings of a Buddha. Note: [1] For the meaning of nouns, see the Editor's Preface. [2] Six consciousnesses: six types of awareness are: eye consciousness ie known through the eyes (seeing), ear consciousness or known through the nose (smell) etc.. rate consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and consciousness. [3] That is, the eye base, the ear root, etc.. [4] Brahma-vihàra (the four immeasurable minds) are: mettà ( loving-kindness ), karuna (compassionate mind), mudità (joy mind), and upekkhā (equanimity). Watch The Wheel number 6. [5] See the notes in the Introduction. [6] The three karmas are bodily karma, verbal karma, and mental karma. These three types of kamma consist of ten (10) unwholesome actions which are: - Kayakamma , 3 body karma: killing, stealing, wrong conduct; - Vacìkamma , 4 words of karma: lying, jabbing, rude, and blasphemous talk. - Manokamma, 3 mind karma: greed, anger and wrong views. [7] Body contemplation of the base: focus the mind back on the body. Mindfulness of Body. [8] Kayagatà-sati , Body Contemplation of Mindfulness. Here, for brevity, this dharma is called "Contemplation of the Body". [9] Sukkha vipassaka , one who only practices vipassanā ( vipassanā ) without first going through serenity meditation. [10] Vanna manasikàra, focusing the mind on color or form, is part of the 32-part mindfulness of the body. [11] The eight levels of samapattis are the four levels of Formless Meditation and the four levels of Formless Meditation. [12] Mindfulness of the impure state of the body. [13] Amatta nibbāna , the Immortal state of Nibbāna -- another word for Nibbāna. [14] Anguttara , Sang Nhat A Ham , Ekaka-nipàta ; English translation in "The Wheel", no. 155/158, page 6. [15] This noun connotes kilesa-nibbana , the state that has "extinguished all defilements" in the life of the Arahant.END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=BUDDHIST DHARMA WHEEL GOLDEN MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.16/12/2021.