The Four Focuses of Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Yesterday we had a great meditation session followed by an excellent discussion.  After an hour of sitting we discussed the chapter 8 of the book, "Mindfulness bliss and beyond," The Four Focuses of Mindfulness. This is a well known sutta called "Maha-satipatthana Sutta: The Great Frames of Reference (also translated as The Four Foundations of Mindfulness). The simplest definition for mindfulness is "to keep something in the mind" or "remembering." We discussed the components of contemplation of body, feeling, mind, and mental qualities in detail (Please see the above figure in the-handout given).

The five spiritual faculties

The five spiritual faculties were also a subject of discussion. Thery are faith (conviction), effort (vigor/energy), mindfulness, concentration and wisdom.   We used a simile of a hand (see the figure above) and we discussed how the strongest digit is the thumb and that it should be like the faith in the ptactice. The role of mindfulness in the center as the middle finger balancing the other four factors were discussed. It is important to have some amount of faith about the path to arrive at  wisdom one day.  The difference between investigative faith (Akarawathi saddha) and blind faith (Amulika saddha) were also discussed.  The goal of the Buddhist partitioner is to develop faith through investigation and direct knowledge as a result of the practice.  We also discussed the differences between Faith follower and Dhamma follower and the stream enterer.  The faith follower has strong faith on the path and its results.  He is the one who knows the arising and falling away of the five aggregates. The Dhamma follower has developed more wisdom than the faith follower.  He sees the arising and passing away of the five aggregates.  One who  both knows and sees the arising and passing away of the five aggregates is a stream enterer.  The stream enterer  also has all the components of all the five faculties well developed.  The advantages of being a stream enterer  and how attaining this level  avoids lower realms were discussed.

Wisdom (paññā)
We also discussed three levels of wisdom (paññā) and it is shown in the figure below.

• Study (Pali: sutamayā paññā,)
• Reflection (Pali: cintāmayā paññā)
• Meditation (Pali: bhāvanāmayā paññā)

  Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism#cite_note-13

We collected $950 from voluntary donations and it was rounded up to $1000 and a money order will be posted to The Sati Saraniya Buddhist Hermitage from the meditation group.

We decided to visit the Sati Saraniya Buddhist Hermitage as a group in the summer.
Much merit to all who participated in this meritorious deed.

The next meeting will be in April and the members will receive a email notification soon.