17th Issue (September, 2010)

Buddha’s Emphasis on ‘Sati’ as seen in two stories of Saṃyutta Nikāya[1]

Bhikkhu Nyanabodhi

Prologue:

Mindfulness is the English translation of the Pāli term sati. In English mindfulness means becoming careful in whatever work a person does. But what the Pāli term ‘sati’ exactly means can not be explained in words. As Ven. H. Gunaratana[2] precisely says, “Mindfulness is pre-symbolic”. He continues, “Mindfulness is the reality which gives rise to words – the words that follow are simply pale shadows of reality”. For him words are just like fingers pointing to the moon. Mindfulness is bare attention, living at the present moment of thought. It is unbiased, non-egoistic, and non-conceptual. Mindfulness is the only way to understand the reality of existence. It is that which keeps a bhikkhu (or practitioner) in what is considered as his own resort (gocare), his ancestral domain (pettike visaye). A bhikkhu without sati always goes astray into the domain of others (paravisaye) and thus encounters all sorts of unpleasant experiences, even death. Let us now go through the following two discourses in the Saṃyutta Nikāya in which the importance of sati is metaphorically explained by the Buddha.

The story of hawk[3] :

In this story of hawk the Buddha says to his disciples that once when a quail was caught by a hawk, the quail lamented saying how unfortunate it was. It just was little away from its own resort, its ancestral domain and was caught by the hawk. If it was in its own resort the hawk would never catch it. And the resort of quail is the freshly ploughed filed covered with clods of soil. Hearing this the hawk let the quail go. But, confident of her own strength, the hawk said to the quail that even in its own resort the hawk would catch it. The quail challenged that she wouldn’t. Finally, when the hawk flew down to catch the quail suddenly it slipped inside the clod and the hawk shuttered her breast right on the spot. Therefore the Buddha asks the bhikkhus to stay in their own resort and to not go astray to the domain of others. Because then they will be caught and attacked by māra. In the final two paragraphs of the sutta the Buddha clearly says what is and is not the resort or domain of a bhikkhu. He says the five cords of sensual desires are the domain of others.[4] When a bhikkhu perceives forms (sounds, odours, tastes, and tactile) cognizable by the eye (ear, nose, tongue and body) as desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, and tantalizing he is then in the domain of māra. So to keep himself in his own resort, own ancestral domain, away from the domain of māra, the Buddha advices, a bhikkhu should dwell contemplating on the four foundations of mindfulness, namely, mindfulness of body (kāyānupassana), mindfulness of feeling (vedanānupassana), mindfulness of consciousness (cittānupassana) and mindfulness of phenomena (dhammānupassana). And he should do so being ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.[5]

The story of monkey[6] :

This sermon is given by the Buddha in succession to the previous one. In this sermon the Buddha explains with reference to the story of monkey what it is like to be stuck in the five cords of sensual desires. It is elaborated in the story that in Himalayas there are some rugged and uneven zones where neither monkeys nor human beings can go, but there are some places where only monkeys can go but not the human beings. Again there are some even and delightful regions where both monkeys and human beings can go. In these places the hunters set out traps of pitch for catching monkeys. When a clever monkey sees this from afar he senses it as trap. Therefore he does not go near to that place. But a foolish and frivolous monkey, out of curiosity, goes near and touches it with his hand. As soon as he touches it his hand gets stuck. To be rid of the problem he uses his other hand which also gets stuck. Thus he subsequently uses his both legs and muzzle to get himself out of the trap. But instead of being free form the trap he gets stuck at his five points. There is then nothing left for him except screeching. And the hunter can do with him as he wishes. He will tie him up, beat him and give him all sorts of sufferings. The Buddha says it is exactly like the same when a bhikkhu gets stuck in the five cords of sensual desires which is explained as the domain of māra. And therefore he advices his disciples to stay in their own ancestral domain, that is to say, dwelling in the four foundations of mindfulness.

Conclusion:

Dwelling in the enjoyment of five sense pleasures, for the Buddha, is living in the domain of others namely māra. The common worldlings (puthujjana) due to their ignorance do not realize that they are actually caught by the five cords of sensual desires. All their experiences appear to them as real whereas they themselves are just the result of ignorance/illusion (avijja/māya) and desire (taṇha). Once they wake up with the attainment of enlightenment through the practice of constant mindfulness they realize the stupidity of their previous belief and experience of five senses. With that all their sufferings end, minds become appeased, thus they experience the supreme bliss of nibbāna.

Editor’s Note:

To be caught by the five cords of sensual or carnal desires, such as cravings is defilement due to self-centredness of attachment to worldliness or aversion towards averse towards unfavourable conditions of life. When human desires are not purified by Right Mindfulness of clear awareness of the Absolute Reality of Selflessness or Egolessness, the ordinary wordling will be assailed by satan (māra). Gotama Buddha does not teach us to renounce the physical and mental phenomenal world. The Exalted Master admonishes us to take refuge or protection in the Dhamma resort of Four Establishment of Mindfulness to avert spiritual corruptions.

The lotus flower lives in the sullied mud and water but it is unsullied by their impurities. The highest skill of Mindfulness or watchfulness of a mature spiritual person is to take refuge in Unity underlying the multiplicity. Live in the multiplicity but seek protection in the Unity. The Unity is Anattā; the multiplicity are myriad beings of attā-s . The atta-s are the multiplicity are unreal and illusive. Nevertheless, the multiplicity of the physical and mental world can not be denied. The Wise use them without being abused or corrupted by them.

 Absolute Mindfulness is the wise application of the Middle Path of non-obstruction between the phenomena and the Principle. Nibbāna is the living Truth of Wisdom of Selflessness or Insubstantiality providing lasting spiritual joy on earth. Right Mindfulness of complete Awareness is Buddha-mind. Buddha-mind is Anattā consciousness, the pure, infinite consciousness of Man. Dhamma is living Wisdom of mindfulness or watchfulness to hate and avoid evils and do good. Most importantly, it is the Wisdom to purify the mind so as not to transgress the spiritual Precepts as well as the secular laws or rules. Spirituality and secularity are inseparable. Take heed and live in blessedness and blamelessness.