Meditation Teachings- Library
Introduction, mindfulness practice has two main parts.
What happens: The mind will constantly go off the intended object of attention (body sensations, emotional feelings an mental thoughts) again & again. It goes to another object of experience, (usually a perception conditioned by a past memory or to a expectation of the future) sometimes these are stressful. This is, "just what the human mind does". To reduce this reactive habit of the mind locking into a unhealthy emotional thought loops. We train in with awareness and caring. Setting a gentle intention to bring the minds attention back into the bare experience of the body, heart and mind in this present moment. The clearly understanding it.
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
The Buddha's teaching on The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which is outlined in Sutta Satipatthana, is of great significance. According to the text, it is 'the direct path to the attainment of purity, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the end of pain and grief...for the realization of nibbana'. Mindfulness is also the seventh factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. The word 'mindfulness' can be explained as a combination of 'bare attention' and 'clear comprehension'. The purpose pf practicing
mindfulness it is to see things as they really are, unswayed by aversion or attraction. The four categories from within which mindfulness can be approached are: 1. contemplation of the body 2. contemplation of feelings 3. contemplation of the mind 4. contemplation of mental objects.
Contemplation of the Body
The most widely practiced technique in this category is the breathing meditation known as anapanisati. This involves the meditator watching over the in and out breathing: 'When making a long inhalation, he knows: "I make a long inhalation"...when making a long exhalation, he knows: "I make a long exhalation". This process is conducive to calm, but this isn't the primary objective. The aim to come to a realization of the impermanence of the body and the absence of a permanent self. Another technique is to bring attention to one's postures: 'when walking, he understands: "I am standing"; 'when standing, he understands: "I am standing"; 'when sitting, he understands: "I am sitting"; 'when lying down, he understands: "I am lying down"'. Other practices include focusing on the 32 parts of the body (and their foulness) and on corpses in various stages of decay and corruption. These last two practices are less morbid than they might appear. Again, the aim is to see the body objectively, as something prone to change and to decay and ultimately lacking a permanent self.
Contemplation of Feelings
The process of watching and noting is the principal activity. Here the meditator focuses on his feelings and determines whether the feeling is pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. The idea is to observe feelings objectively, in a detached manner - to see them as fleeting and passing and not part of what could be considered a permanent self.
Contemplation of Mind
Here the meditator observes his state of mind, whether it is affected by lust/attraction, by hatred/aversion or by delusion. Again, just like feelings, these states of mind are seen as transient, features not permanently embedded in one's psychological make up.
Contemplation of Mental Objects
This category covers the meditator's ability to become aware of the five hindrances within him. These are obstacles - namely sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness, and doubt - which are obstructive to the attainment of blissful states known as jhanas. He will also note that what we normally designate 'the self' is made up of five 'aggregates' or khandhas - corporeality, perception, feelings, mental formations, and consciousness. He will come to an understanding of the senses, factors which are conducive to enlightenment (such as energy and rapture) and the four noble truths.
The sutta on The Four Foundations of Mindfulness is unequivocal in the importance it assigns to these practices: 'If anyone should develop these four foundations of mindfulness in such a way for seven years...six years, five years.. four years...three years...two years...one year... seven months... six months, five months...four months...three months...two months...one month...half a month...seven days, one of two fruits could be expected for him: either final knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left, non return [to the human realm]