What is mindfulness taught by Buddha?

As the lesson of mindfulness became popular among the world, people from every religion are trying to take it. I saw a cover story in Time magazine regarding to mindfulness, and it show mindfulness practice are trending in western regions.
But their mindfulness lesson is just a part of practicing in Buddhism people. Buddha taught as the way to take meditation to found nibbana. Mindfulness is called Sati in Pali language and it is one of the wholesome mental factors which make us wholesome deeds.

As learned from the book of Abhidhamma in daily life, I will share you a little.

Recollecting, remembering or heedfulness are definitive terms of mindfulness which is know as sati in Pali. There are various form of it. For example, one recalls the meritorious deeds performed in the past; one listen attentively so that one can remember the Buddha's teaching discourse. While meditating, one concentrates deeply not to lose the object of meditation. Such is the nature if mindfulness.

Looking forward to meritorious deeds to be done tomorrow or in the future, you take care to observe moral precepts and not to breach any precepts. You are mindful to restrain the arising of greed, anger, pride and ignorance. You recall the counsels of your teachers. Only such forms of mindfulness concerning are called true mindfulness.

When a person remembers his relatives, when lovers yearn for one other, when friends remember to keep appointments, when one recalls some precious moments, etc., all such remembrances have the nature of attachment (tanha). When one remember to take revenge for injurious done to one, when one keeps in mind atrocious plans, when one pays heed to possible dangers that may befall en route to a destination; such case reveal hatred (dosa) as the base.

Any form of the aforesaid mental factors, being accompanied by attachment or hatred, cannot be classified as true mindfulness. The above are the examples of memory, minding or purposeful thinking; they are not to be mistaken for mindfulness, as taught by Buddha.

True mindfulness is also called non remissness, watchfulness and vigilance. Therefore when a monk administers precepts to lay devotees, he always remind them to observe moral precepts diligently with due mindfulness. He remind them this at the end of giving precepts: "Accomplish the meritorious deeds with non-negligence or diligence."

The Buddha also declared mindfulness to be essential in every act. Though there may be instances of being over faithful, there can never be over mindfulness. To learn about mindfulness, I refer you the book related to Abhidhamma and meditation, written by Buddhism monks so that you may see in detail. The article I shared just directly came from Abhidhamma in daily life, summary of teaching of Buddha in which we can only see a few facts. As you further need to learn how to take mindfulness lesson, how to take meditation and how to purify the mind and etc., I hope you keep on learning and practicing 'mindfulness'.

Author: Aung Kham
 Image source : NGC