Dhamma Letter No. 134
Discover more from The Dhamma Letter
Dhamma Letter No. 134
Satipatthana 51: Cittānupassanā (Observation of mind) 마음관찰 5: Five spiritual faculties 2: Sati 5
Please refer to the definition and contents of ‘Sati’ discussed in the former Dhamma Letters No. 76, No.77, No.78, and No.79. Here, I will use ‘Sati’ as mindfulness.
This Dhamma letter, I will introduce it as a part that can be applied in practical Cittānupassanā practice.
There are two types of Sati (mindfulness):
placing Sati
being Sati
At first, it is more important to know that you have Sati, secondly, when you see this, you know what is happening in your body, and thirdly, you can know the mind that has Sati.
It is not that you have to be more mindful because you are too focused, but you have to be more aware, so you should gradually get to a state of 'mindfulness with being' rather than being mindful. When mindfulness is very good, intentions can be seen.
There are two types of intentions, and both can be known when mindfulness and wisdom improve. When I forcibly open my eyes and then close them without realizing it, the opening of my eyes has my 'intention to make it happen' by force, and the 'unknown intention' to close my eyes unconsciously.
The intention for the ‘breath’ breathes because there is a mind. Dead people don't breathe. Breathing with the intention of inhaling and breathing naturally are different in nature. A mind that wants to breathe is a rough mind.
In this way, ‘mindfulness of placing’ intentionally and ‘mindfulness of having’ naturally are different in nature. The relationship between breathing for the purpose of breathing and breathing spontaneously can be explained as the relationship between the two mindfulness above.
U Kosalla Sayadaw (Great teacher in Shwe Oo Min meditation center in Myanmar) said, “With mindfulness, you will reach Nirvana without death; without mindfulness, you will reach death. A person with mindfulness will not die, and a person without mindfulness is no different from a dead life,” he always emphasized the importance of mindfulness (Sati).
To be continued…
May you cultivate your Sati continuously (Samma-Viriya)!
May you achieve the Samma-Diṭṭhi (Right View) through Satipatthāna (vipassana meditation)!
May all practice well and reach to Magga (道, the path of enlightenment) and Phala (果, the fruit of enlightenment)!
with Metta,
Ayyā Kosallā
Edited by Euna Bonovich
If you have any questions related to dhamma & meditation, please feel free to ask. You can reach Ayya Kosalla directly at Bhikkhuni.Kosalla@gmail.com.
법에 대한 질문이 있으신 분은 위의 이메일 주소로 질문을 남겨주세요.
위빠사나명상의 마음관찰에 대한 논문을 한글 원본으로 읽고 싶으신 분은 클릭해서 다운로드 받을 수 있습니다. (네이버에 PDF 첨부)
The Korean Dhamma Letter is here 담마레터.
Buddha Sāsanaṁ Ciraṁ Tiṭṭhatu!
May the Buddha’s teachings last a long time!
Bhavatu Sabba Sotiṁ ca Maṅgalaṁ ca!!
May everyone be led on the path of peace and blessing!!
Sādhu Sādhu Sādhu!