***According to the Buddha, what is samsara made of?*** 1. Karma? 2. All the Buddhist realms of existence? 3. You're momment by moment mind and body experiencial arisings as they happen? 4. Isn't samsara what arises when you meditate satipatthana?

> "In this way he remains focused internally on the mind in & of itself, or externally on the mind in & of itself, or both internally & externally on the mind in & of itself. (Thanissaro) How should the fragment above be understood and practiced in detail, in particular, considering the last two alternatives: externally and internally/externally?

Is being mindful of feelings in-and-of-themselves according to the triad of pleasant, unpleasant, neutral the Middle Way? Is is also auto-suggestion? Is it normalization of a distribution? Does it attempt to root out the extremes by placing us in the context of three categories? I really like the simplicity of Buddha’s model but what then about agony and ecstasy or rapture? I am happpy to do away with them, but I’m not sure how beyond lifestyle overhaul

I ask a similar question here , but why is it that dependent origination is not part of the Satipathanasutta ? There are a few references to the origin of the body in section 1 (considering the body) but not section 4 (teachings & techniques)...would it be useful if it were?

studying the two, and reading the list of the 4 tetrads, in the Anapanasati - first breathe and body, second studying the two, and reading the list of the 4 tetrads, in the Anapanasati - first breathe and body, second feelings. third mind, fourth dhammas. in the Satipatthana it is the same. I have read Analayo's book on Sati a number of times as well as many other books - sat contemplating both practices, is it the fact that in the Ana they suggest which dhammas to sit with? where in Sati it is much greater? 4nt 8fp, awakening factors....

I want to put this book to practise and use in real life. I want to be able to apply this book in three ways: (Reading Analayo's version ) a. How can I practise a specific part of the SS when I'm meditating **on the cushion**?
OR
Which meditations align with sharpening a specific skill from the SS? b. How can I practise a specific part of the SS when I'm meditating **off the cushion**?
OR
What actions can I perform in everyday life to practise these skills from the SS? c. How can I **reflect over a specific part** of the SS each day/week/month?
OR
What questions can I answer each day/week/month to reflect over my practise from the SS? How can I get in touch with someone who can help me to this? :) Metta. :) Thank you. :)

What is the interpretation of parimukham in the context of Buddhist Meditation? This seems to have different interpretation and translations? What are the different interpretations and translations and what might be the most correct interpretation according to different line of practice? How is the particular interpretation rationalised?

When I talk of sankharas, I mean the pattern of the mind and the way in which the sanna recognizes an object. After prolonged Vipassana and remaining equanimous to the body sensations, Many of my thought patterns have changed and I can practically see a link there. But theoretically I am still unaware as to how remaining equanimous to body sensations has anything to do with the deepest habit patterns of the mind. Now my question is if one stops Vipassana meditation for a sufficient period of time. Is there a way for these sankharas to develop again?

I'm trying to practice Satipatthana meditation according to the book [Satipatthana Meditation - A Practice Guide](https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/satipatthanapracticeguide.pdf) . In the book, Bhikkhu Anālayo teaches the contemplation of anatomical parts by body scan (Chapter 3, p. 53). > The mode of practice I recommend to get started takes the form of body scans. One body scan to become aware of the skin, another to become aware of the flesh, and a third to become aware of the bones. During each body scan, one scans through major body parts (hair, face, neck, shoulders, arms, and so on, to feet) sequentially. And for each body part, one turns attention to the fact that it's "just skin/flesh/bones" and "impure/dirty/not beautiful/not sexually attractive" (p. 58, 59). > If we already tend to feel frustrated or even depressed because our body does not meet current standards of physical beauty and attractiveness, it would be unwise to employ the evaluation. Instead we might turn attention just to the fact that the body is made up of skin, flesh, and bones, which perform their function independent of what society considers to be good looks. > Based on such an assessment, some of us might feel ready to confront a tendency to sensual obsession in relation to the body. In such a case, it would be appropriate to bring in the element of evaluation. We might decide to use the terminology found in the discourse, “impure” or “dirty”, or else “not sexually attractive”. There's also [a guided meditation recording](https://www.windhorsepublications.com/satipatthana-meditation-audio/) provided by the book publisher that illustrates the process. I have following questions: 1. Am I supposed to verbalize the body scan process in my head? During my practice, I would move my attention to the next body part by mentally naming it (e.g., mentally saying "upper arm", "lower arm", etc.), then examine it by mentally saying "just skin/flesh/bones", "not beautiful", and try to contemplate on that at the same time. 2. Related to the 1st one, am I supposed to visualize each body part in my mind during body scan? Specifically, am I supposed to visualize the skin/flesh/bones of each body part? During my practice, it became quiet natural for me to imagine each body part's skin/flesh/bones since I needed to mentally say its name & focus on "it's just skin/flesh/bones". 3. Related to the 2nd one, can I really *physically feel* every major body part? For example, is it possible to feel skull bones, or bowels, spleen (which is even hard to imagine)? So in practice, I guess I had just imagined my skull or some other body part that is not very perceptible and contemplated based on that mental image rather than actual sensation. Is this the right approach? Thanks in advance.

Meditation and cultivating awareness is the heart of Buddhism. You need meditation for attaining jhanas and also for doing Vipassana, metta bhavana... So as far as I've discovered, the only meditation that Lord Buddha taught was sitting and watching the breath. But nowadays many masters and mystic have very different techniques for different kind of people. Because not all people has the same temperament and cannot go into trance by just one single method. And as tathagata also had so many different disciples, did anapana worked for all of them and all of them attained jhanas, stillness of mind, etc. by practicing anapana alone or there was other meditation techniques, if so what are these techniques? P.s. I know about walking meditation, loving-kindness and other awareness meditations explained in satipatthana but they are not specifically techniques. What I'm looking for is the sitting meditation techniques when anapana does not work.

In MN 44 is found an explanation of the terms 'kaya, vaci & citta sankhara' (which are terms also found in Anapanasati steps 4, 7 & 8 and in the 2nd nidana of Dependent Origination). Bhikkhu Thanissaro's translation is: > *Now, lady, what are fabrications (sankhara)?* > >*These three fabrications, friend Visakha: bodily fabrications (kaya sankhara), verbal fabrications (vaci sankhara) & mental > fabrications (citta sankhara).* > >*But what are bodily fabrications? What are verbal > fabrications? What are mental fabrications?* > >*In-&-out breaths are > bodily fabrications. Directed thought & evaluation are verbal > fabrications. Perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications.* > >*But > why are in-&-out breaths bodily fabrications? Why are directed thought > & evaluation verbal fabrications? Why are perceptions & feelings > mental fabrications?* > >*In-&-out breaths are bodily; these are things > tied up with the body. That's why in-&-out breaths are bodily > fabrications.* > >***Having first directed one's thoughts and made an > evaluation, one then breaks out into speech. That's why directed > thought & evaluation are verbal fabrications.*** > >*Perceptions & feelings > are mental; these are things tied up with the mind. That's why > perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications.* The explanation about the 'vaci sankhara' (which is bolded) clearly states thought is the **cause** of speech. If this is true, how can thought be the "verbal fabrication" when it is obvious that: (a) speech is the verbal fabrication and (b) thought is that which fabricates (or causes) the speech? Similarly, in MN 10, contemplating the 'citta' means observing to see whether the citta ('the mind-heart') has greed or not, hatred or not, delusion or not, etc. Therefore, how can perception & feeling be the "mental (citta) fabrication" when many suttas state it is feelings & perceptions that are the **cause** of mental states of greed, hatred & delusion (as shown below)? > *If, when touched by a feeling of pleasure, one relishes it, welcomes > it or remains fastened to it, then one's lust-obsession gets > obsessed. If, when touched by a feeling of pain, one sorrows, grieves, > & laments, beats one's breast, becomes distraught, then one's > hatred-obsession gets obsessed. If, when touched by a feeling of > neither pleasure nor pain, one does not discern, as it actually is > present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback or escape > from that feeling, then one's ignorance-obsession gets obsessed. MN > 148* In the English language, the term "fabrication" refers to something that is 'fabricated' (such as a 'building'). Therefore, should not the translation here of 'sankhara' mean something that fabricates (such as a 'builder')?

Sampajana is observing mental object(dharma) and associated perception and feeling.and its part of all 4 foundation. It seems there are two different types of dhamma.One is for Sampajana and other is for dhammanupassana. So what is the dhamma in dhammanupassana and what is dhamma in sampajana.

If a meditation teacher is not enlightened, is there any point in learning from him/her? According to [Satipatthana Sutta](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wayof.html) , the awakening should usually take some time between 7 days and 7 years. If somebody who devoted his life to teaching meditation still hasn't got enlightened, there must be something wrong with his method, then? Or am I missing something? The question is general, but to give some context: I have been to a meditation retreat using S.N. Goenka's method, and what I learnt seems to have some merits. But if I assumed a Buddhist point of view that the awakening is the ultimate goal, there is no reason to follow his advice, since Goenka has stated that he is not enlightened. Is there any point in using his techniques?

Considering the definition of dhamma as given in this answer . What does it mean by '...arising and passing away of dhamma...'in the satipatthana sutta? Also, else where I read, 'all dhamma are also anicca' i.e. impermanent. Does the Buddha here mean that 'after few centuries the Buddha dhamma will be forgotten'? In what way does impermanence apply in regard to dhamma?

In short, if i practice Vipassana meditation does it means i practice Satipatthana?

I read the following on the internet: > If having a little wisdom one would not see any different between > "staying right focused" and "watch closely", but the fool seeks to > accumulate knowledge just for gain and to pave his way downwardly. From the Pali suttas, the word "**anupassi**" is translated as follows: > On that occasion the monk remains **focused** on the body in & of > itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress > with reference to the world. Thanissaro > > on that occasion a bhikkhu abides **contemplating** the body as a body, > ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away covetousness and > grief for the world. Bodhi > > That’s why at that time a mendicant is meditating by **observing** an > aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and > aversion for the world. Sujato > > a monk lives **contemplating** the body in the body, ardent, clearly > comprehending and mindful, having overcome, in this world, > covetousness and grief Nyanasatta Thera > > a bhikkhu lives **contemplating** the body in the body, ardent, clearly > comprehending (it) and mindful (of it), having overcome, in this > world, covetousness and grief... Soma Thera > > a monk fares along **contemplating** the body in the body, ardent, > clearly conscious (of it), mindful (of it) so as to control the > covetousness and dejection in the world... Horner > > that bhikkhu is considered one who lives **constantly contemplating** body > in bodies, strives to burn up defile­ments, comprehends readily, and > is mindful, in order to abandon all liking and disliking toward the > world... Buddhadasa > > in regard to the body a monk abides **contemplating** the body, diligent, > clearly knowing, and mindful, free from desires and discontent in > regard to the world. Analayo > > **Contemplates** the body in the body with effort, sampajañña and sati, > eradicating covetousness and distress with regard to the world... > Payutto > > These unpleasant feelings are dukkha-vedana and the contemplation of > these feeling is vedananupassana, **contemplation** of feeling... > Mahasi Sayadaw It appears, from the ten translators above, the American Geoffrey DeGraff (also named Bhikkhu Thanissaro) has uniquely translated "anupassi" as "focused". Questions: 1. Is Thanissaro's translation accurate? Is the English word "focused" synonymous with the other translations of "contemplating", "observing", "watching closely", etc? 2. Is there a possible downward path, misguidance &/or confusion in adhering & attaching to Thanissaro's translation? Why? 3. Is there a possible downward path in rejecting, admonishing &/or even ridiculing Thanissaro's translation? Why? 4. Is there a possible upward & even Noble path in rejecting, admonishing &/or even ridiculing Thanissaro's translation? Why?

In saccapabba of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta:

1. Jāti is "khandhānaṃ patubhāvo" and "āyatanānaṃ paṭilābho".
2. Khandhānaṃ patubhāvo included viññāṇa-khandha.
1. Viññāṇa-khandha is viññāṇa-paṭiccasamuppāda.
2. Rūpa-paṭiccasamuppāda is rūpa-khandha.
3. Nāma-paṭiccasamuppāda is vedanā-, saññā-, saṇkhāra-khandha (cetana, phassa, manasikāra; see: sammādiṭṭhisuttaṃ).
3. Those nāma- and rūpa-paṭiccasamuppāda are piyarūpa/sātarūpa.
1. 60 piyarūpa/sātarūpa: 6 outer āyatana, 6 āyatana-paṭiccasamuppāda, 6 viññāṇa-paṭiccasamuppāda, and 42 nāma-paṭiccasamuppāda (6 vedana-paṭiccasamuppāda, 6 saññā-khandha, 6x5 saṇkhāra-khandha [phassa-paṭiccasamuppāda, cetanā-paṭiccasamuppāda, vitakka, vicāra, taṇhā-paṭiccasamuppāda]).

So jāti-paṭiccasamuppāda is viññāna-paṭiccasamuppāda. The difference is: Jāti-paṭiccasamuppāda is 5 khandha. So jāti is a conclusion of viññāna, nāma+rūpa, āyatana, phassa, vedanā, taṇhā, upādāna and bhavā-paṭiccasamuppāda. But viññāṇa-paṭiccasamuppāda is an explanation of jhāti. So sacca-pabba is the reason that commentary commented "Viññāṇa Is Jāti And Paṭisandhi", right?

I know that the Pali word for mindfulness is sati as in the Satipatthana Sutta but I've also heard that there is more than one word for mindfulness that is used throughout the Pali Canon . Can anyone give a list of the different words used and perhaps point out the differences in emphasis or exact meaning? For instance, do all the words mean exactly the same or do particular ones emphasise a different quality of mindfulness?

In oral study system (reciting and memorizing)... I definitely sure according to Mahasatipatthanasutta's structure "aparam" means "next step". For an example, after the practitioner meditated the previous body (breath) in (entire) body (in sitting posture), next step when the practitioner is going, he is clearly understanding "I am walking (with clearly understanding in breath, 32 organs, 4 elements, etc.)" ***In the blanket is omitted as understood from the previous Pabba in oral study tradition***. Niddharana (list) is the meaning of the sattamii vibhatti of kaaye (entire body), kaayaanupassi and kaayasmim (body's part), vedanaasu, citte, cittasmim, dhammesu. "Puna ca" means another Pabba. Vasi (practice to be professional) is objective of internal, external, internal&external, iriyaapathapabba, and sampajaanapabba which next step from sitting-iriyaapatha in aanapanapabba (and other Pabba). So, I am not sure of "and further", "again" meaning in all translations. According to each Sutta's context and history, MahasatipatthanaSutta is for no-unawesome-mind-practitioner or attained jhana practitioner (vipassanayaanika), and KaayagatasatiSutta is for newbie jhana practitioner (samathayaanika) and Anapanassati is samatha, so I quoted from KaayagatasatiSutta ... > Kathaṃ bhāvitā ca bhikkhave kāyagatā sati kathaṃ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā . idha bhikkhave bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā nisīdati pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā . so satova assasati sato passasati . dīghaṃ vā assasanto dīghaṃ assasāmīti pajānāti dīghaṃ vā passasanto dīghaṃ passasāmīti pajānāti . Rassaṃ vā assasanto rassaṃ assasāmīti pajānāti rassaṃ vā passasanto rassaṃ passasāmīti pajānāti . sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmīti sikkhati sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmīti sikkhati . Passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmīti sikkhati passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ passasissāmīti sikkhati . tassa evaṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato ye gehasitā sarasaṅkappā te pahīyanti . Tesaṃ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṃ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati **ekodibhoti** 1- samādhiyati evampi bhikkhave bhikkhu kāyagataṃ satiṃ bhāveti. > > **Puna caparaṃ** bhikkhave bhikkhu gacchanto vā gacchāmīti pajānāti ṭhito vā ṭhitomhīti pajānāti nisinno vā nisinnomhīti pajānāti sayāno vā sayānomhīti pajānāti . yathā yathā vā panassa kāyo paṇihito hoti tathā tathā naṃ pajānāti . Tassa evaṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato ye gehasitā sarasaṅkappā te pahīyanti . tesaṃ pahānā ajjhattameva Cittaṃ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati **ekodibhoti samādhiyati** evampi bhikkhave bhikkhu kāyagataṃ satiṃ bhāveti. > >@Footnote: 1 Ma. Yu. ekodi hoti. Thaanissaro translation... >"There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out. > >"Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.' And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body. > >"''Furthermore'', when walking, the monk discerns, 'I am walking.' When standing, he discerns, 'I am standing.' When sitting, he discerns, 'I am sitting.' When lying down, he discerns, 'I am lying down.' Or however his body is disposed, that is how he discerns it. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body. Do "and further", "again", surely mean "next step"?

Could the 4th satipatthana or dhammanupassana be, among other things, to remember Satipatthana in both heart and mind? Shouldn't viriya be focused on the focus towards satipatthana when worldly matters have distracted one down a wrong turn on the path? Do anything Buddhist scriptures talk about this?