Mindfulness In Day To Day Buddhist Practice
this flash of awareness, the individual perceives the object, sees it, labels it, and Right mindfulness and right concentration combine into a contemplative, meditative practice. The reason of mindfulness is "quieting and stilling the mind; creating knowledge; and developing generosity and sympathy" (Sharples, 2003, p. 27) to adapt to dukka (enduring). This parallels the concepts of Samatha (concentration) and Vipassana (insight) meditation. Therefore mindfulness, enriched through daily practice, strengthens the ability to be aware of each moment with compassion, and a more balanced state of mind rather than remaining in perpetual dissatisfaction. In day to day Buddhist practice, “mindfulness is the observance of the basic nature of each passing
phenomenon” (Gunaratana, 1991, p. then the mind proceeds to review previous notions of, and judgmental ideas about the object (Gunaratana, 1991). It takes regular practice to extend the amount of time one is ‘mindful’ of the present moment, observing like a scientist, without judging or linking this object or thought to any previous thoughts. Mindfulness is that initial awareness, the simple noticing, before the individual has the time to think about what is happening or what the object is (Gunaratana, 1991). Mindfulness is this simple, bare attention (Snelling, 1991). Nyanaponika (1962), in a treatise on Buddhist meditation, confirmed the importance of ‘bare attention’ in mindfulness, before the observer considers perspectives related to self interest, or personality and ego. Williams and Kabat-Zinn (2011) referred to this as “clear comprehension and discernment” (p. 15). The investigative aspect of mindfulness to describe the nature of phenomena before making any judgments is similar to the process of phenomenological study, the research methodology for this thesis. This notion of ‘bare attention’ connects to Husserl’s (1912/1980) perspective on phenomenology and will be explored in the methodology chapter (Chapter 4) along with other philosophers’ concepts of phenomenology.
phenomenon” (Gunaratana, 1991, p. then the mind proceeds to review previous notions of, and judgmental ideas about the object (Gunaratana, 1991). It takes regular practice to extend the amount of time one is ‘mindful’ of the present moment, observing like a scientist, without judging or linking this object or thought to any previous thoughts. Mindfulness is that initial awareness, the simple noticing, before the individual has the time to think about what is happening or what the object is (Gunaratana, 1991). Mindfulness is this simple, bare attention (Snelling, 1991). Nyanaponika (1962), in a treatise on Buddhist meditation, confirmed the importance of ‘bare attention’ in mindfulness, before the observer considers perspectives related to self interest, or personality and ego. Williams and Kabat-Zinn (2011) referred to this as “clear comprehension and discernment” (p. 15). The investigative aspect of mindfulness to describe the nature of phenomena before making any judgments is similar to the process of phenomenological study, the research methodology for this thesis. This notion of ‘bare attention’ connects to Husserl’s (1912/1980) perspective on phenomenology and will be explored in the methodology chapter (Chapter 4) along with other philosophers’ concepts of phenomenology.