17th Issue (September, 2010)

Editor's Preface

Right Mindfulness (Sammā Sati) is the complete Awareness of all the six sense activities occurring internally as well externally without grasping upon them. Non-grasping (anupādāna) is freedom from being directed and empowered by the illusively superimposed self-centric ego (attā; ahaṃkāra). The six sense activities encompass bodily activities performed, feelings experienced, mental objects perceived and external environmental stimuli contacted. Bodily activities, feelings, mental objects and external stimuli are the five aggregates (body, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness). They constitute the human personality of mind and body (nāmarῡpa). Devoid of Right Mindfulness, the ‘Rightness or Perfection’ (Sammā-ness) of human character formulated Gotama Buddha in the Noble Eight Fold Path (Ariyo Atthaṅgiko Maggo) can not be actualized or realized. The actualization or realization is effected through purified human external conduct. Most importantly, without right view conditioning right thought, Right Mindfulness of clear awareness of the true nature of human personality cannot be executed. The Awareness of the True Self of Man makes Man grow in spiritual growth. The growth culminates in human character maturity in wisdom and compassion.

Gotama Buddha prescribes tranquility-insight meditation (samatha-vipassanā-bhāvanā) to help us develop right mindfulness of Selflessness or Egolessness (Anattā) of the human personality and everything else in the world. Buddhist development and self-cultivation should commence with the agenda of the noble aspiration to discover one’s True Self. Knowing and seeing one’s True Self, the Wise abandons grasping directed and empowered by the self-centric ego. Self-centric ego is self-centredness with a primary focus on obedience to self (attā) and feeding on self-interest. Such attitude and character are harmful to society. Spiritual wisdom of Anattā removes self-centredness.

Right Mindfulness is letting go the human ego to avoid self-centred life. Self-centred life is primary focus self-concern or self interest. Letting go the ego or self, the Mindful One exercises altruistic outgoing concerns for others. To live in the Truth of Anattā is to have altruistically compassionate outgoing concerns for others. The altruistic compassion of outgoing concerns for others is exercised through abiding in the Four Sublime States or Abodes (Brahma-vihāra-s). The Four Sublime States or Abodes are the four wholesome mental states of human selfless and caring consciousness of boundless lovingkindness, compassion, appreciative joy governed by the power of equanimity. Equanimity is the spiritual power of letting go attachment aroused by the external temptations driven by conveteousness and aversion evoked by anger or hatred. The first three sublime states produce supreme virtue and the last one is wisdom of mindfulness of non-clinging.

 Whoever intuitively discerns Anattā develops the insightful Wisdom of Right Mindfulness of complete clear awareness of the insubstantiality of the human personality. Insubstantiality is the organic systemic Whole of the human personality. The Whole is the Unity of the five aggregates not directed and empowered by self-centric ego. The organic Whole is the organic Whole of Anattā. Right Mindfulness is complete awareness of this organic Whole in every empirical phenomenon. Every phenomenon is to be seen as the Unity of contigent causes and conditions. The Mindful One is completely aware that nothing exists independently and everything thing exists interdependently.

Dependently co-arisen Unity of existence is the Absolute Truth of Anattā. Right Mindfulness is the complete awareness of the Unity of the five aggregates. Awareness of the Unity of Five Aggregates is mindfulness of the Truth of Anattā. The Truth of Anattā is mirrored in the harmonious unity of human interrelationship. The harmony of Society is the Spirit of Anattā.

The mindfulness of the Truth of Anattā is expounded by Gotama Buddha thus: The form is not yours; neither are the feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness yours. The five aggregates are not owned by Man because Iness, Mineness or Menesd of self ownership does not exist ultimately. The five aggregates are the five systematic parts of the systemic Whole of Anattā of human personality. The human self does not own the five aggregates . Only Unity of Existence of Anattā owns the five aggregates. In the first place, the individual self or ego does not exist. How can the non-existing self or ego own things if it does not exist? The notion of self or ego is mentally fabricated by Man due to ignorance of the Truth of Anattā.

The Awareness of Anattā is the central practice of Right Mindfulness. It is the sole way to enter the mentally appeased state of Nibbāna. Nibbāna is the complete appeasement of the human volitions or dispositions. The appeasement of human volitions or dispositions is the spiritual maturity of Right Mindfulness of a liberated Buddhist. Spiritual maturity leads to character maturity. The execution of the Four Sublime States or Abodes is Buddhist spiritual maturity perfecting human character. These Four Supreme States of human mind help the wise one of mindfulness obliterate self-centredness in Man. Consequently, the wise thereby abandons grasping upon the five aggregates. Non-grasping purifies human mind and thus protects Man from the attack of satan (māra). Any evil thought and malevolent character are considered the influence and work of satan.

We see that Anattā is the void of self-centredness. Void of self-centreness is selflessness. Selflessness is the systemic Unity of the five aggregates. The systemic Unity of the five aggregates is expounded by Gotama Buddha in termed of the ultimate Truth of Dependent Co-arising . The five aggregates do not exist separately. They are necessarily interconnected and integrated innately into one. The oneness is the Absolute Reality of Anattā. To be mindful of Anattā is let go self-centric ego of grasping upon the five aggregates as this I; This is Mine; This belong to me.

Such Right Mindfulness of the Absolute Reality of Anattā of the human personality and the world purifies the human mind so that satan (māra) lose its power to attack and deplete human morality. Right Mindfulness of Anattā brings forth human alertness or vigilance to avoid evil, do good and purify the mind. Right Mindfulness is an effective warfare to defeat satan that influences Man to commit evils and harm others. Satan is the evil spirit that destroys the spirit of Anattā. The destruction of the spirit of Anattā destroys or sours good human relationships. The most practical agenda of Right Mindfulness is to maintain harmonious dentotological ethical relationship between Man and Man, and between Man and the natural environment. Right Mindfulness helps Man unites with other fellow men and do good. Doing good is righteousness.

Right Mindfulness is the undertaking of the dhamma that it is happiness in the present that results happiness in the future (Cῡladhammasamādāna Sutta.MMN45). The dhamma to be undertaken in the present life by the lay Buddhists is to maintain six-fold harmonious reciprocal deontological relationships between the parents and the child, between husband and wife, between the teacher and the pupil, between the employer and employee, between friend and companion, and between guru and disciple (Sigālaka Sutta. DN31). Yes, we ought to walk the talk of Right Mindfulness of deontological duties and responsibilities . The deontological ethics of human obligations and good relationships are expounded by Gotama Buddha in the Sigālaka Sutta. The are effected by the mindfulness of non-transgression of the Ten Superior Precepts (Dasasῑla-s: Sevitabba-asevitabba Sutta MN114).
Not only Buddhism but also all world’s great religions teach Right Mindfulness as the central practice of Truth. Right Mindfulness is the complete awareness of the Lord of Aanttā. The communal watchfulness is thus: Obedience to self motivates Man to compete and outwit others. Obedience to Anattā (No ‘self’ or ‘ego’) encourages Man to co-operate among themselves. The communal religious warfare or holy war is not to kill fellow human beings but to kill one’s self or ego. Killing the self or ego is to cease becoming a Laodicean – self-centered person.

A Laodicean is like a missing goat who has drifted from the right path on the way home. We ought to be like the sheep following the leadership of the shepherd. The shepherd of the Buddhist disciples is the Buddha or Tathāgata. The Buddha and all Tathāgatas teach us mindfulness, watcfulness, alertness or vilgilance so that we do not fall into the dark pit of moral fallabilities and vulnerabilities. To worship the Buddha is to worship the Spirit of Mindfulness and live in Unity of fellowship with others. Do not pray to the external Buddha to bless you. The Buddha wants us to bless ourselves by becoming like him wisdom and love. To be like him is to develop human character through mindfulness or alertness in the likeness or image of the Buddha. Take heed and live mindfully.

 This Spirit of complete Awareness is not found in the Head (intellectual reasoning) ) but in the inner Heart (intuitive Wisdom of Anattā). The Spirit of Buddha is found within and not without. The application of this Noble Spirit of Anattā is Wisdom (Paññā) of great compassion (mahākarunā). We take inner refuge in the resort of our inner Heart - the pure, infinite consciousness of Man. We ought to be practical spiritually – do not talk the talk but walk the walk.

Editor
Bodhi Journal