Satipatthana: Sati – Attention, Patthana – The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
The Four Foundations of Attention is the Buddha’s teaching recorded in the Satipatthana, a set of instructions aimed at activating the mind’s mode of full awareness, or mindfulness, as it is known today. This means living in the present moment, without being distracted by thoughts about the past or the future, fully aware and present in the experience of the now. Observing and experiencing things as they are, without selecting some and rejecting others.
This practice requires a good dose of tolerance and compassion toward ourselves and others, and, above all, we must avoid falling into prejudices or expectations, remaining open to learning.
Mindfulness in Satipatthana
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness is one of the core teachings of Buddhism. It refers to a meditative practice that seeks to cultivate full awareness. If you wish to delve deeper into the teaching of Satipatthana, you will find a valuable resource in the book by Analayo (1).
The instructions of Satipatthana are numerous and detailed, making them complex, difficult to interpret, and challenging to integrate into daily practice for beginners. However, despite its complexity, if we regularly practice Zen, we will find that the essence of this practice is already implicitly integrated into seated Zen meditation, zazen.
To begin with, all preliminary exercises designed to calm and stabilize the mind through serene concentration, or samadhi, are already incorporated into zazen practice. Thus, we can move on to practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which can be understood as follows:
Awareness of the Body
The first foundation of Satipatthana-mindfulness is attention to and awareness of the body and breath, which is precisely the basis of zazen practice. Concentration on body posture and all accompanying physical sensations, while simultaneously maintaining awareness of the breath as the guiding thread of existence.
Awareness of Sensations
The second foundation of Satipatthana-mindfulness is awareness of sensations. However, this is not just about observing the sensation itself, but rather its impact on us—whether we perceive the sensation as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
In Buddhist thought, the concept of sensation also includes mental sensations, such as a point of view or a mental conception. Likewise, a thought can feel pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
It is precisely this impact on us that we must observe because it connects to the next foundation. If a sensation is pleasant, the desire to perpetuate it arises, leading to craving. If it is unpleasant, the desire to remove it arises, leading to aversion and anger.
Awareness of the State of the Mind
The third foundation of Satipatthana-mindfulness is awareness of the state of the mind, which essentially means recognizing whether craving, anger, or ignorance is present.
When faced with an unpleasant sensation or thought, the intention to remove it appears, generating anger or aversion toward that sensation or thought. This leads to restlessness, dissatisfaction, and suffering.
On the other hand, when experiencing a pleasant sensation or thought, the intention to prolong or repeat it arises, which also leads to restlessness, dissatisfaction, and suffering.
Through this awareness, we begin to realize that we are bound to suffering.
Awareness of Mental Factors
The fourth foundation of Satipatthana-mindfulness is awareness of the mental factors that either bind or free the mind from this cycle of suffering.
On one hand, it involves recognizing whether the obstacles that bind the mind are present; on the other, identifying whether the factors that liberate the mind are present.
We can later explore these obstacles and factors, as well as the laws that govern this process. However, we must first realize that if, instead of focusing attention on a sensation or thought—whether pleasant or unpleasant—that generates craving, aversion, dissatisfaction, and suffering, we focus on the breath, we experience something neutral.
Breathing is neither pleasant nor unpleasant, and it does not cause agitation, disappointment, or suffering. Instead, our mind settles and stabilizes, allowing us to rediscover an inner peace that comforts us.
This can serve as an essential first contact with Satipatthana meditation. After practicing it for some time and becoming familiar with each step, we can gradually add more elements of mindfulness. We will discuss this further another day. Until then, happy practice.
(1) Satipathana, The direct path of realization de Bhikkhu Analayo.