Sampajañña (Pāli; Skt.: saṃprajanya, Tib: shes bzhin) is a term of central importance for meditative practice in all Buddhist traditions. It refers to "The mental process by which one continuously monitors one's own body and mind. In the practice of śamatha, its principal function is to note the occurrence of laxity and excitation."[1] It is very often found in the pair 'mindfulness and introspection' or 'mindfulness and clear comprehension) (Pali: Sati sampajañña, Skt.: smṛti saṃprajanya).
Sampajañña has been variously translated into English as "continuity", "clear comprehension",[2] "clear knowing",[3] "constant thorough understanding of impermanence",[4] "fully alert"[5] or "full awareness",[6] "attention, consideration, discrimination, comprehension, circumspection",[7] and "introspection".[1]
"saṃprajanya . (P. sampajañña; T. shes bzhin; C. zhengzhi; J. shōchi; K. chŏngji正知 ). In Sanskrit, "clear comprehension," "circumspection," "introspection"; a term that is closely related to, and often appears in compound with, mindfulness (S. SM Ṛ TI , P. sati). In descriptions of the practice of developing meditative absorption ( DHYĀNA ), sm ṛ ti refers to the factor of mindfulness that ties the mind to the object, while sa ṃ prajanya is the factor that observes the mind to determine whether it has strayed from its object. Specifically, Pāli sources refer to four aspects of clear comprehension, which involve the application of mindfulness in practice. The first is purpose (P. sātthaka), viz., whether the action will be in the best interests of oneself and others; its principal criterion is whether it leads to growth in dharma. Second is suitability (P. sappāya): whether an action is in accord with the appropriate time, place, and personal capacity; its principal criterion is skillfulness in applying right means (P. upāyakosalla; S. UPĀYAKAUŚALYA ). Third is the domain of meditation (gocara): viz., all experiences should be made a topic of mindful awareness. Fourth is nondelusion (asammoha): viz., recognizing that what seem to be the actions of a person are in fact an impersonal series of mental and physical processes; this aspect of sa ṃ prajanya helps to counteract the tendency to view all events from a personal point of view. Sa ṃ prajanya thus expands upon the clarity of thought generated by mindfulness by incorporating the additional factors of correct knowledge ( JÑĀNA ) or wisdom ( PRAJÑĀ )."[8]
Herein (in this teaching) a monk lives contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief; he lives contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief; he lives contemplating consciousness in consciousness, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief; he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief.[9]
Clear comprehension develops out of mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati) and is subsequently present in tandem with mindfulness for all four satipaṭṭhāna-s.[10][9]
Canonical commentaryedit
While the nikayas do not elaborate on what the Buddha meant by sampajañña, the Pali commentaries analyze it further in terms of four contexts for one's comprehension:[11]
purpose (Pāli: sātthaka): refraining from activities irrelevant to the path.
suitability (sappāya): pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner.
domain (gocara):[12] maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness.
non-delusion (asammoha): seeing the true nature of reality (see three characteristics).
Contemporary commentaryedit
Critical to Right Mindfulness' purpose (Nyanaponika)edit
... I should add that Ven. Nyanaponika himself did not regard "bare attention" as capturing the complete significance of satipaṭṭhāna, but as representing only one phase, the initial phase, in the meditative development of right mindfulness. He held that in the proper practice of right mindfulness, sati has to be integrated with sampajañña, clear comprehension, and it is only when these two work together that right mindfulness can fulfill its intended purpose.[13]
^ ab Wallace, B. Alan (2016). Heart of the Great Perfection. MA, USA: Wisdom publications. pp. 629 (e-book). ISBN978-1-61429-236-4. Glossary=introspection (Tib. shes bzhin, Skt. saṃprajanya). The mental process by which one monitors one's own body and mind. In the practice of śamatha, its principal function is to note the occurrence of laxity and excitation.
^Commentary (543 B.C.); Payutto (1972) Dictionary of Buddhism; TW Rhys Davids (1921); Bodhi (2005), p. 283; and, Soma (2003), pp. 60–100.
^Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta [The Establishing of Mindfulness Discourse] Majjhima Nikaya 10. (Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu). dhammatalks.org. Retrieved from https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN10.html.
^Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25), p. 690, entry "Sampajañña".
^Robert E. Buswell Jr., Jr. Lopez Donald S. (2014). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton, USA: Princeton University Press. pp. 57190 (kindle Ebook location). ISBN978-0-691-15786-3.
^ abSatipatthana Sutta: The Foundations of Mindfulness, translated from the Pali by Nyanasatta Thera [1]
^Anālayo (2006), pp. 143–5; Bodhi (2005), p. 442, n. 34; and, Nyanaponika (1996), p. 46.
^ While the other three types of sampajañña have standard English translations, gocara has been translated in a variety of ways. Gocara (Pāli) generally means "pasture" or "grazing", based on go (cow) and cara (walking). Thus, Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25), p. 254, provides a somewhat literal definition of gocara-sampanna as "pasturing in the field of good conduct". See also Anālayo (2006), p. 56, where, for instance, he notes: "A discourse in the Anguttara Nikāya compares the practice of satipatthāna to a cowherd's skill in knowing the proper pasture for his cows." In this article, the translation of gocara as "domain" is based on Bodhi (2005), p. 442, and Nyanaponika (1996), pp. 49–51. Alternatively, Soma (2003), pp. 61, 64, translates gocara as "resort," while Anālayo (2006), pp. 143, 145, uses the literal translation of "pasture".
^Wallace & Bodhi (2006), p. 4. According to this correspondence, Ven. Nyanaponika spend his last ten years living with and being cared for by Bhikkhu Bodhi. Bhikkhu Bodhi refers to Ven Nyanaponika as "my closest kalyāṇamitta in my life as a monk."
Referencesedit
Anālayo (2006). Satipatthāna: The Direct Path to Realization. Birmingham: Windhorse Publications. ISBN1-899579-54-0.
Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (2005). In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pāli Canon. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN0-86171-491-1.
Nhat Hanh, Thich (trans. Annabel Laity) (1990). Transformation and Healing : the Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness . Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press. ISBN0-938077-34-1.
Vipassana Research Institute (VRI) (1996). Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta: The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness. Seattle, WA: Vipassana Research Publications of America. ISBN0-09-649484-0.
Wallace, B. Alan and Bhikkhu Bodhi (Winter 2006). The nature of mindfulness and its role in Buddhist meditation: A correspondence between B. Alan Wallace and the Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi. Unpublished manuscript, Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies, Santa Barbara, CA.
External linksedit
Wikiquote has quotations related to Sampajañña.
January 01, 1970
sampajañña, pāli, saṃprajanya, shes, bzhin, term, central, importance, meditative, practice, buddhist, traditions, refers, mental, process, which, continuously, monitors, body, mind, practice, śamatha, principal, function, note, occurrence, laxity, excitation,. Sampajanna Pali Skt saṃprajanya Tib shes bzhin is a term of central importance for meditative practice in all Buddhist traditions It refers to The mental process by which one continuously monitors one s own body and mind In the practice of samatha its principal function is to note the occurrence of laxity and excitation 1 It is very often found in the pair mindfulness and introspection or mindfulness and clear comprehension Pali Sati sampajanna Skt smṛti saṃprajanya Translations ofSampajannaEnglishclear comprehension clear knowing fully alert full awareness attention consideration discrimination comprehension circumspection introspectionSanskritस प रजन य saṃprajanya Paliसम पजञ ञ sampajanna Japanese正知 Rōmaji Shouchi Khmerសម បជញ ញ Sampachannheak Tibetanཤ ས བཞ ན Wylie shes bzhin THL Phonetic she zhin Vietnamesetỉnh giacGlossary of Buddhism Sampajanna has been variously translated into English as continuity clear comprehension 2 clear knowing 3 constant thorough understanding of impermanence 4 fully alert 5 or full awareness 6 attention consideration discrimination comprehension circumspection 7 and introspection 1 Contents 1 Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism entry 2 From the Pali Canon 3 Canonical commentary 4 Contemporary commentary 4 1 Critical to Right Mindfulness purpose Nyanaponika 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksPrinceton Dictionary of Buddhism entry editThe Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism entry says saṃprajanya P sampajanna T shes bzhin C zhengzhi J shōchi K chŏngji正知 In Sanskrit clear comprehension circumspection introspection a term that is closely related to and often appears in compound with mindfulness S SM Ṛ TI P sati In descriptions of the practice of developing meditative absorption DHYANA sm ṛ ti refers to the factor of mindfulness that ties the mind to the object while sa ṃ prajanya is the factor that observes the mind to determine whether it has strayed from its object Specifically Pali sources refer to four aspects of clear comprehension which involve the application of mindfulness in practice The first is purpose P satthaka viz whether the action will be in the best interests of oneself and others its principal criterion is whether it leads to growth in dharma Second is suitability P sappaya whether an action is in accord with the appropriate time place and personal capacity its principal criterion is skillfulness in applying right means P upayakosalla S UPAYAKAUSALYA Third is the domain of meditation gocara viz all experiences should be made a topic of mindful awareness Fourth is nondelusion asammoha viz recognizing that what seem to be the actions of a person are in fact an impersonal series of mental and physical processes this aspect of sa ṃ prajanya helps to counteract the tendency to view all events from a personal point of view Sa ṃ prajanya thus expands upon the clarity of thought generated by mindfulness by incorporating the additional factors of correct knowledge JNANA or wisdom PRAJNA 8 From the Pali Canon editClear comprehension is most famously invoked by the Buddha in tandem with mindfulness practice in the Satipaṭṭhana Sutta Herein in this teaching a monk lives contemplating the body in the body ardent clearly comprehending and mindful having overcome in this world covetousness and grief he lives contemplating feelings in feelings ardent clearly comprehending and mindful having overcome in this world covetousness and grief he lives contemplating consciousness in consciousness ardent clearly comprehending and mindful having overcome in this world covetousness and grief he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects ardent clearly comprehending and mindful having overcome in this world covetousness and grief 9 Clear comprehension develops out of mindfulness of breathing anapanasati and is subsequently present in tandem with mindfulness for all four satipaṭṭhana s 10 9 Canonical commentary editWhile the nikayas do not elaborate on what the Buddha meant by sampajanna the Pali commentaries analyze it further in terms of four contexts for one s comprehension 11 purpose Pali satthaka refraining from activities irrelevant to the path suitability sappaya pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner domain gocara 12 maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness non delusion asammoha seeing the true nature of reality see three characteristics Contemporary commentary editCritical to Right Mindfulness purpose Nyanaponika edit In a correspondence between Bhikkhu Bodhi and B Alan Wallace Bhikkhu Bodhi described Ven Nyanaponika Thera s views on right mindfulness and sampajanna as follows I should add that Ven Nyanaponika himself did not regard bare attention as capturing the complete significance of satipaṭṭhana but as representing only one phase the initial phase in the meditative development of right mindfulness He held that in the proper practice of right mindfulness sati has to be integrated with sampajanna clear comprehension and it is only when these two work together that right mindfulness can fulfill its intended purpose 13 See also editAsaṃprajanya non alertness non vigilance etc Buddhist meditation Mindfulness Samatha Satipaṭṭhana VipassanaNotes edit a b Wallace B Alan 2016 Heart of the Great Perfection MA USA Wisdom publications pp 629 e book ISBN 978 1 61429 236 4 Glossary introspection Tib shes bzhin Skt saṃprajanya The mental process by which one monitors one s own body and mind In the practice of samatha its principal function is to note the occurrence of laxity and excitation Commentary 543 B C Payutto 1972 Dictionary of Buddhism TW Rhys Davids 1921 Bodhi 2005 p 283 and Soma 2003 pp 60 100 Analayo 2006 pp 141 ff VRI 1996 pp 8 11 Satipaṭṭhana Sutta The Establishing of Mindfulness Discourse Majjhima Nikaya 10 Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu dhammatalks org Retrieved from https www dhammatalks org suttas MN MN10 html Nhat Hanh 1990 pp 50 51 Rhys Davids amp Stede 1921 25 p 690 entry Sampajanna Robert E Buswell Jr Jr Lopez Donald S 2014 The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism Princeton USA Princeton University Press pp 57190 kindle Ebook location ISBN 978 0 691 15786 3 a b Satipatthana Sutta The Foundations of Mindfulness translated from the Pali by Nyanasatta Thera 1 Analayo 2006 pp 141 2 2 Analayo 2006 pp 143 5 Bodhi 2005 p 442 n 34 and Nyanaponika 1996 p 46 While the other three types of sampajanna have standard English translations gocara has been translated in a variety of ways Gocara Pali generally means pasture or grazing based on go cow and cara walking Thus Rhys Davids amp Stede 1921 25 p 254 provides a somewhat literal definition of gocara sampanna as pasturing in the field of good conduct See also Analayo 2006 p 56 where for instance he notes A discourse in the Anguttara Nikaya compares the practice of satipatthana to a cowherd s skill in knowing the proper pasture for his cows In this article the translation of gocara as domain is based on Bodhi 2005 p 442 and Nyanaponika 1996 pp 49 51 Alternatively Soma 2003 pp 61 64 translates gocara as resort while Analayo 2006 pp 143 145 uses the literal translation of pasture Wallace amp Bodhi 2006 p 4 According to this correspondence Ven Nyanaponika spend his last ten years living with and being cared for by Bhikkhu Bodhi Bhikkhu Bodhi refers to Ven Nyanaponika as my closest kalyaṇamitta in my life as a monk References editAnalayo 2006 Satipatthana The Direct Path to Realization Birmingham Windhorse Publications ISBN 1 899579 54 0 Bodhi Bhikkhu ed 2005 In the Buddha s Words An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon Boston Wisdom Publications ISBN 0 86171 491 1 Nhat Hanh Thich trans Annabel Laity 1990 Transformation and Healing the Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness Berkeley CA Parallax Press ISBN 0 938077 34 1 Nyanaponika Thera 1996 The Heart of Buddhist Meditation York Beach ME Samuel Weiser Inc ISBN 0 87728 073 8 Rhys Davids T W amp William Stede eds 1921 5 The Pali Text Society s Pali English Dictionary Chipstead Pali Text Society A general on line search engine for the PED is available at http dsal uchicago edu dictionaries pali Soma Thera 2003 The Way of Mindfulness Kandy Buddhist Publication Society ISBN 955 24 0256 5 Satipaṭṭhana Sutta The Establishing of Mindfulness Discourse MN 10 Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu dhammatalks org Retrieved from https www dhammatalks org suttas MN MN10 html Vipassana Research Institute VRI 1996 Mahasatipatthana Sutta The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness Seattle WA Vipassana Research Publications of America ISBN 0 09 649484 0 Wallace B Alan and Bhikkhu Bodhi Winter 2006 The nature of mindfulness and its role in Buddhist meditation A correspondence between B Alan Wallace and the Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi Unpublished manuscript Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies Santa Barbara CA External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Sampajanna Retrieved from 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