BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY UNDERLYING MINDFULNESS

BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY UNDERLYING MINDFULNESS

The concept of mindfulness as a core technique in meditation has been part of the Buddhist philosophy and practices since the early traditions of the Satipa??hāna Sutta—The Discourse of the Establishment of Mindfulness—almost 2,500 years ago. From those times, the concept of mindfulness was understood to yield a pure cognition that is free from the discrimination that proceeds from deluded world and self-views, aspects that were concluded to lead us to suffering and unsatisfactoriness as the prevailing human condition. By objectively looking at all things as they are now, including ourselves, our thoughts and feelings, and everything around us, the mind is predisposed and opened up to impressions of truth without dependence or judgment.

The state of mindfulness can be described as an acute awareness of experiences and sensations in the present moment, without attaching meaning or identity to it, and without judgment. Thoughts and feelings are allowed to ebb and flow without any reserve. The traditional Four Foundations of Mindfulness—mindfulness of the body, of feelings, of mind or consciousness, and of mental objects—are the four frames of reference for attaining and maintaining mindfulness by looking into our existing state of mind.

We are involved in a continuous struggle to survive, to maintain our status, and grasp onto an ideal image of our self. In the process, we have created a world with duality, conflict, and confusion, which we attempt to resolve by a constant clinging or craving to what we believe has permanent value.

Mindfulness is one of the most basic practices and philosophy of Buddhism. It is part of the Eightfold Path (as the definition of right mindfulness) and one of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. The four references in the Satipa??hāna Sutta for establishing mindfulness is viewed not as a cause of suffering, but a practice as a path to its ending through focus and insight, and therefore, embodies the practical aspect of the Fourth Noble Truth—the prescription of the way that leads to the cessation of suffering. The Four Noble Truths are:

1.           The truth of suffering (dukkha): The nature of life is suffering as it is temporary, conditional, and compounded of other things. It is commonly associated with three categories, namely ordinary suffering (e.g. illness and death), change (e.g. trying to hold onto concepts of situations, people, and things that are always changing), and conditioning (an unsatisfactoriness with things as they never meet our expectations).

2.           The truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya): The cause of suffering is craving or clinging as we continually search for satisfaction and to get a sense of security about ourselves. However, we never achieve what we expect or feel entitled to. Craving is commonly associated with three types, namely sense-pleasures (e.g. craving for pleasant feelings), being (e.g. craving for the self to be stable, permanent, prevail, and dominate), and not being (e.g. craving to avoid painful feelings and undesirable experiences).

3.           The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha): Through diligent practice, we can reach an enlightened state and put an end to suffering. The removal of all unsatisfactory experiences that they do not occur again is the goal of the Buddhist practice. It is achieved by a real understanding of the nature and causes of suffering.

4.           The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga): The treatment of suffering lies in practicing the Eightfold Path. As the essence of Buddhist practice, it is the path to the cessation of suffering. The path consists of eight interconnected conditions that are to be developed together.

It can be seen that the core principle of the Buddhist philosophy and practice relies on the concept of mindfulness. It connects with Western psychology in the sense that only mindfulness enables a person to become aware of and accept their true predicament as a deceiving and inaccurate perception of the self in the context of all other things.

According to Brown, Ryan, and Creswell (2007), the term mindfulness derives from the Pali language word meaning to remember, but commonly signifies the presence of mind. As a practice, it aims to achieve clear, non-conceptual, nonjudgmental, and flexible awareness and attention by seeking accurate knowledge of the self and all things through an active engagement with the mindful state in the present moment. But, mindfulness always co-arises with other wholesome mental qualities such as feeling, perception, volition, contact, desire to act, wisdom, attention, decision, and concentration (Cullen, 2011).

In Buddhist teachings, five aspects constitute the human entity, referred to as Skandhas, or the Five Aggregates. The nature of suffering is linked to a clinging to these phenomena—things, events, and states—as if they were permanent instead of temporary and elusive concepts. Therefore, the attentional processes that are centered on mindfulness are aimed at a diminished dependence on and distraction by impermanent things by revealing the true nature and reality of everything (Weick & Putnam, 2006).

According to Buddhist teachings, the natural process of the five aggregates leads to an eventual condition of suffering that is linked to a distorted view of the world and ourselves. The sutras describe five aggregates (skandhas), as follows:

1.           Form or matter (rupa): The physical world and material body that is made up of the four elements, earth, water, fire, and wind.

2.           Sensation or feeling (vedana): Sensing an object as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral by sight, sound, odor, taste, touch, and experiences of the mind. The paired set of organs and functions is known as the Twelve Bases of Consciousness.

3.           Perception or cognition (samnja): Registers whether an object is recognized or not as a product of the individual’s senses and processing of the twelve bases.

4.           Mental formations, impulses, or volition (samskara): All types of mental habits, thoughts, ideas, opinions, prejudices, compulsions, and decisions that are triggered by an object. As such, it represents the reaction of the will to the experience and interpretation of objects—the feeling as the basis for emotion.

5.           Consciousness or discernment (vijnana): Rapidly changing, interconnected, and discrete acts of cognizance that discern and support all experience. It is linked to apperception by creating a visual consciousness, auditory consciousness, etc.

Although the Five Aggregates are conditioned and contextual, and therefore continually arising, enduring, changing, and disappearing, it is the natural condition to cling and attach to them as an ultimate and eternal part of our self. According to the Buddhist philosophy, it is this misconception that causes all suffering.