Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

sassata-ditthi (-váda): 'eternity-belief', is the belief in a soul or personality existingindependently of the 5 groups of existence, and continuing after death eternally, asdistinguished from the 'annihilation-belief' (uccheda-ditthi), i.e. the belief in a personalityfalling at death a prey to absolute annihilation. For more details, s. ditthi.sati: 'mindfulness', is one of the 5 spiritual faculties and powers (s. bala), one of the 7factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga, q.v.), and the 7th link of the 8-fold Path (magga, q.v.),and is, in its widest sense, one of those mental factors inseparably associated with allkarmically wholesome (kusala, q.v.) and karma-produced lofty (sobhana) consciousness (Cf.Tab. II). - For the 4 foundations of mindfulness s. foll.satipatthána: the 4 'foundations of mindfulness', lit. 'awarenesses of mindfulness'(sati-upatthána), are: contemplation of body, feeling, mind and mind-objects. - For sati, s.prec.A detailed treatment of this subject, so important for the practice of Buddhist mentalculture, is given in the 2 Satipatthána Suttas (D. 22; M. 10), which at the start as well as theconclusion, proclaim the weighty words: "The only way that leads to the attainment of purity,to the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, to the end of pain and grief, to the entering ofthe right path, and to the realization of Nibbána is the 4 foundations of mindfulness."After these introductory words, and upon the question which these 4 are, it is said that themonk dwells in contemplation of the body, the feelings, the mind, and the mind-objects,"ardent, clearly conscious and mindful, after putting away worldly greed and grief."These 4 contemplations are in reality not to be taken as merely separate exercises, but onthe contrary, at least in many cases, especially in the absorptions, as things inseparablyassociated with each other. Thereby the Satipathána Sutta forms an illustration of the wayin which these 4 contemplations relating to the 5 groups of existence (khandha, q.v.)simultaneously come to be realized, and finally lead to insight into the impersonality of allexistence.(1) The contemplation of the body (káyanupassaná) consists of the followingexercises: mindfulness with regard to in-and-outbreathing (ánápánasati, q.v.),minding the 4 postures (iriyápatha, q.v.), mindfulness and clarity of consciousness(satisampajañña, q.v.), reflection on the 32 parts of the body (s. káyagatásati andasubha), analysis of the 4 physical elements (dhátuvavatthána, q.v.), cemeterymeditations (sívathiká q.v.).(2) All feelings (vedanánupassaná) that arise in the meditator he clearly perceives,namely: agreeable and disagreeable feeling of body and mind, sensual andsuper-sensual feeling, indifferent feeling .(3) He further clearly perceives and understands any state of consciousness ormind (cittánupassaná), whether it is greedy or not, hateful or not, deluded or not,cramped or distracted, developed or undeveloped, surpassable or unsurpassable,concentrated or unconcentrated, liberated or unliberated.