Mindfulness in Early Buddhism: New Approaches through Psychology and Textual Analysis of Pali, Chinese and Sanskrit Sources (Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism)

This book identifies what is meant by sati ( smrti ), usually translated as ‘mindfulness’, in early Buddhism, and examines its soteriological functions and its central role in the early Buddhist practice and philosophy. Using textual analysis and criticism, it takes new approaches to the subject through a comparative study of Buddhist texts in Pali, Chinese and Sanskrit. It also furnishes new perspectives on the ancient teaching by applying the findings in modern psychology. In contemporary Buddhism, the practice of mindfulness is zealously advocated by the Theravada tradition, which is the only early Buddhist school that still exists today. Through detailed analysis of Theravada's Pali Canon and the four Chinese Agamas - which correspond to the four main Nikayas in Pali and belong to some early schools that no longer exist - this book shows that mindfulness is not only limited to the role as a method of insight ( vipassana ) meditation, as presented by many Theravada advocates, but it also has a key role in serenity ( samatha ) meditation. It elucidates how mindfulness functions in the path to liberation from a psychological perspective, that is, how it helps to achieve an optimal cognitive capability and emotional state, and thereby enables one to attain the ultimate religious goal. Furthermore, the author argues that the well-known formula of ekaayano maggo , which is often interpreted as ‘the only way’, implies that the four satipa.t.thaanas (establishments of mindfulness) constitute a comprehensive path to liberation, and refer to the same as kaayagataa sati , which has long been understood as ‘mindfulness of the body’ by the tradition. The analysis shows that kaayagataa sati and the four satipa.t.thaanas are two different ways of formulating the teaching on mindfulness according to different schemes of classification of phenomena. This Book Identifies What Is Meant By Sati (smrti), Usually Translated As Mindfulness, In Early Buddhism, And Examines Its Soteriological Functions And Its Central Role In The Early Buddhist Practice And Philosophy. Using Textual Analysis And Criticism, It Takes New Approaches To The Subject Through A Comparative Study Of Buddhist Texts In Pali, Chinese And Sanskrit. It Also Furnishes New Perspectives On The Ancient Teaching By Applying The Findings In Modern Psychology.--jacket. 1 Mindfulness In Soteriology: Transformation Of Cognition And Emotion 13 -- 1 Mindfulness And Sanna 13 -- 2 Mindfulness And Cognition 17 -- 3 Mindfulness And Emotion 24 -- 4 Mindfulness And The Path To Liberation 33 -- 2 Types And Functions Of Mindfulness 41 -- 1 Simple Awareness 41 -- 2 Protective Awareness 42 -- 3 Introspective Awareness 51 -- 4 Deliberately Forming Conceptions 52 -- 3 Mindfulness In Methodical Meditation 57 -- 1 Mindfulness And Insight (vipassana) Meditation 58 -- 2 Mindfulness And Serenity (samatha) Meditation 59 -- 3 Mindfulness Of Breathing-an Example Of Samatha And Vipassana Yoked Together 70 -- 4 Kayagata Sati: Mindfulness Directed To The Experiencer 81 -- 1 The Origins Of The Kayagatasati Sutta 81 -- 2 The Meaning Of Kayagata Sati 97 -- 5 The Four Satipatthanas: Mindfulness As A Comprehensive Path 104 -- 1 Investigating The (maha)satipatthana Sutta And Its Authenticity 105 -- 2 Essential Teachings On The Four Satipatthanas 112 -- 3 The Four Satipatthanas And Kayagata Sati 131 -- 4 The Four Satipatthanas Emphasized As The Buddha's Final Teaching 132 -- Appendix 1 An Annotated Translation Of The Sarvastivada Version Of The Satipatthana Sutta 145 -- Appendix 2 An Annotated Translation Of The Sarvastivada Version Of The Kayagatasati Sutta 155 -- Appendix 3 A Tabular Comparison Of The Pali And The Two Chinese Versions Of The Satipatthana Sutta 166. Tse-fu Kuan. Revision Of The Author's Thesis (doctoral)--university Of Oxford, 2004. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 215-226) And Index. BOOK COVER TITLE COPYRIGHT DEDICATION CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABBREVIATIONS INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 MINDFULNESS IN SOTERIOLOGY: TRANSFORMATION OF COGNITION AND EMOTION Chapter 2 TYPES AND FUNCTIONS OF MINDFULNESS Chapter 3 MINDFULNESS IN METHODICAL MEDITATION Chapter 4 KAYAGATA SATI: MINDFULNESS DIRECTED TO THE EXPERIENCER Chapter 5 THE FOUR SATIPATTHANAS: MINDFULNESS AS A COMPREHENSIVE PATH CONCLUSION Appendix 1 AN ANNOTATED TRANSLATION OF THE SARVASTIVADA VERSION OF THE SATIPATTHANA SUTTA Appendix 2 AN ANNOTATED TRANSLATION OF THE SARVASTIVADA VERSION OF THE KAYAGATASATI SUTTA Appendix 3 A TABULAR COMPARISON OF THE PALI AND THE TWO CHINESE VERSIONS OF THE SATIPATTHANA SUTTA GLOSSARY NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX Examines 'mindfulness' in early Buddhism, and explores its central role in early Buddhist practice and philosophy. This book takes approaches to the subject through a comparative study of Buddhist texts in Pali, Chinese and Sanskrit.