Sati Sutta summary

Sati Sutta summary

Vamsapala 5301201125 

The term sati has two meanings which, although apparently opposed are actually related: awareness, attention, mindfulness, fact of being clearly conscious. It is one of the seven bojjhaṅgas, said to be the most important because the other six are to be developed along with it. The standard defintion of sammā·sati. Sati is one of the five spiritual indriyas and the five balas.

These two meanings are related in the sense that an awareness supported by the collectedness of concentration is a necessary condition to get proper perception and understanding of what is happening in the present moment, which enables an easy recollection at a later time of what precisely was happening, of what was said, what was done at a prior moment, even a long time before. In one case sati is defined as per what is happening in the present moment, and in the other as per the qualities that develop in the bhikkhu when he has been endowed with this awareness of the present moment for a long time.

The monks in the Dhamma and Vinaya, are contemplating body in the body, contemplating feeling in the feeling, contemplating mind in the mind and contemplating mind-objects in the mind-objects; should eradicate abhijjhã(convetousness) domanassa (painful mental feeling) in the world. This is called “The monks remain sati”.

the Buddha said  Monks, whoever develops & pursues mindfulness immersed in the body encompasses whatever skillful qualities are on the side of clear knowing. Just as whoever pervades the great ocean with his awareness encompasses whatever rivulets flow down into the ocean, in the same way, whoever develops & pursues mindfulness immersed in the body encompasses whatever skillful qualities are on the side of clear knowing.

The monks in the Dhamma and Vinaya, are circumspect of stepping forward and stepping backward, circumspect of looking left and right, circumspect of folding and stretching, circumspect of wearing the outer robe and robes as well as taking alms-bowl, circumspect of eating, drinking and tasting, circumspect of defecating and urinating, circumspect of walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking up, talking and being still. This is called “The monks are remaining circumspection. 

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