1-7 Atapi-Sati-Sampajanna
(a) Atapi means ¡§earnestness¡¨ (Thai ¡Vkwarm pean)
(b) Sati means ¡§mindfulness¡¨.
There are two satis (all sati is kusala and should not be confused with every-day ¡§paying attention.¡¨
This is sanna - perception):
(1) Normal, or mundane, sati would be to do any act of kusala with awareness ¡V such as
giving food to monks, etc.
(2) Sati in Satipatthana practice is sati in which the object is seen as rupa or nama,
in the present moment.
(c) Sampajanna means ¡§clear comprehension¡¨. It is always used with sati. For example, to know the sitting position is sati; to know it is sitting rupa is sampajanna. When sati-sampajanna come together, it is called ¡§awareness¡¨ (Thai ¡V rusuthua).
Sati and sampajanna are described in the scriptures as ¡§virtues of great assistance¡¨ in reaching right understanding and realizing the Eight-Fold Path. A,B,C, above are called yogavacara (¡§yoki¡¨) or the ¡§Three nama.¡¨
There are four virtues that assist sati and sampajanna:
(1) Living in a suitable region or environment ( as being born in a country where Buddhist dhamma is taught )
(2) Association with good people (those who understand the practice of Vipassana to end suffering).
(3) Setting oneself o?n the right course (having a strong and unquench-able desire to end suffering).
(4) Having formerly done(in previous lives) meritorious deeds (pubbe- kata-punnata).
(d) Yonisomanasikara , or ¡§yoniso¡¨, means ¡§to fix one¡¦s attention o?n something with right
understanding as to the cause.¡¨
It also refers to under-standing the True State of the Nature (sabhava) of something.
(For a complete discussion of sabhava, see 1.6.1.)
(e) Sikkhati (observation) tell us if we have left the present moment.
Discussion:
(A) Atapi is perseverance to burn kilesa out (abhijjha and domanassa),
in order to help bring sati-sampajanna into the present moment.
(b)¡B(c) Sati is awareness of the sitting position only.
So then sampa-janna can be aware that it¡¦s sitting rupa.
It is actually atapi, sati, and sampajanna that pay attention to rupa in the present moment.
We need to understand this, because many yogis think that ¡§they¡¨ practice, but it is just these
Three Nama, or yogavacara that practice.
Sati and sampajanna destroy abhijjha and domanassa ¡V
then Vipassana wisdom occurs and destroys moha (delusion).
Yoniso, sati, and sampajanna are cinta panna.
When sati-sampajanna are working perfect, they become Vipassana wisdom but yoniso is still cinta panna.
When it becomes Vipassana wisdom, we will see that even sati and sampajanna are not ¡§us¡¨.
Sati and sampajanna are mental states and are impermanent, suffering, and without self.
(d) ¡§Yoniso¡¨ is the dhamma needed to help yogavacara to work right and prevent kilesa
(abhijjha and domanassa ¡V like and dislike) from occurring
When yoniso sees that the position is being changed to cure suffering,
it prevents like or dislike from developing.
Similarly, if yoniso and yogavacara knows the position is sitting rupa,
then when pain is felt, there will be no aversion to pain, since it is sitting rupa that suffers, not you.
When sitting rupa is changed to another position, yoniso tells you it is necessary to cure suffering.
This prevents like for the new position from occurring.
Yoniso is cinta panna: it precedes sati-sampajanna.
Yoniso is like bringing somebody to a rice field.
once they are there, sati holds the rice and sampajanna is the knife that cuts it.
In sitting, yoniso brings the 3 Nama, and the 3 Nama know this is sitting rupa.
Yoniso acts as a sort of introductory element.
Yoniso knows by sutta wisdom, first that the sitting position is sitting rupa,
and then the 3 Nama know this.
We need to use yoniso from the first thing in the morning until bed-time.
Otherwise, sati-sampajanna might not function correctly.
When you know sitting position is sitting rupa by sutta panna first, that is yoniso.
Yoniso helps sati and sampajanna work.
(e) Sikkhati tells us if we have too much sati, and not enough sampa-janna.
Sati and sampajanna must be equal to be in the present moment.
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