Mindfulness is clear comprehension or being aware of our own thinking, verbal
actions, and deeds. Practicing mindfulness helps us control ourfive sense doors:
eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin in such a way that our mind will notfluctuate
according to any sensory pleasure. Foundations of mindfulness or Satipatthana 4
are as follows: mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of the feelings, mindfulness of
the mind, and mindfulness of dhammas (what Buddha taught).
Mindfulness of the body means practicing to just know every movement of the
body and the in- and exhales. It is a practice of not thinking about self (I, me, and
mine). Mindfulness of the feeling means practicing to just knowing the present
feeling whether it is pleasant, painful, or neutral. Mindfulness of the mind means
keeping up with the mind whether it is sad or clear or with defilements. Mindfulness
of dhammas means contemplating on mind objects, knowing all the hindrances of a
clear mind and the feeling of self (Gotoknow.org).
According to Kittiwat ( 2007 ), mindfulness of the body includes observing and
reflexing on our breaths, postures, understanding, impurities (or the aging process)
of the anatomical parts, and the four elements of the body (earth, water, air, andfire
element). Mindfulness of feelings includes contemplating on feelings caused by
external factors and within the body. Mindfulness of the mind includes contem-
plating on the mind with greed, anger, delusion, sloth, developed or undeveloped,
and free mind from all defilements. Mindfulness of dhammas includes contem-
plation onfive hindrances (from awakening),five aggregates, sex internal and
external sense base, and seven enlightenment factors or Bojjhanga 7. Five hin-
drances are sense-desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, distraction, and worry. Five
aggregates consist of corporeal body or rupa, feeling or vedana, perception or
sanna, mental formation or sankhara, and consciousness or vinnana. Six internal
and external sense bases are eyes and the visible objects; ears and sounds; nose and
odors; tongue and tastes; the body and tactile objects; and the mind and mind
objects.
Mindfulness is a very important base to reach enlightenment. The Bojjhanga
principles that Buddha laid to reach the enlightened mind which is the mind that is
free from“self-attachment”are what Bhikku P. A. Payutto ( 2013 :64–87) explains
its seven steps as follows:(1) Sati sumbojjamkam (mindfulness). It is having consciousness tofixate the mind
on what we are dealing with or what we are facing.
(2) Dhammavijaya sumbojjamkam (investigation-of-states). It meaning use wis-
dom or investigative mind to peruse the true nature of things that mindfulness
brings to us. Loy’s( 2006 :47–51) social roots of suffering should be consid-
ered. He refers to institutionalized greed of our economic system, the institu-
tionalized ill will of the collective aggression in war fares, and the
institutionalized delusion of the advertising, the stock market, and the ignorance
of the crimes, violence, exploitation, poverty, and injustice in the world.
7.2 How Thai Buddhism Helps Us See Through the Perception... 105