DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Mindfulness (plus attentiveness): most practical translation?

**Audi_z** · 04-20-2012, 05:36 PM

I feel that contemplating is near to the experience of a peaceful mind. To be at ease with things. For example, to be focused, in my experience, happens when all effort is put in a single aspect of a wider phenomenon. To contemplate includes the wholeness of an event.

thanks Esho

whilst i personally incline with your sentiment, i would like to take the inquiry further towards a more passive nuance

for me, both 'remains focused' & 'contemplates/contemplating' are active words rather than passive words & they can tend to distort the very act that is 'mindfulness', which is the act of maintaining the mind in a certain way so natural (automatic) 'seeing' occurs

for me, mindfulness (maintaining; remembering) is the active function and consciousness of the object is the passive function

all of the translations tend to impart the active (volitional) function upon the natural (non-volitional) consciousness that sees & experiences. thus they can distort the meaning of mindfulness from 'maintaining the mind' in a certain way to being 'aware of the object'

thus most regard mindfulness as awareness of the object (rather than maintaining the mind in a state that nurtures awareness of the object)

in the Pali, the word is 'passi', which is the same as in 'passa' (sense contact) or 'vipassana' (clear seeing). thus, for me, i am not sure what translation is best, but something like 'sees', 'experiences', 'is cognisant of', etc.

thus: he/she dwells cognisant of bodies within bodies...and is mindful so to put away covetousness & distress....

passi J ii.103, 111; iii.278, 341. -- 2. to recognise, realise, know:

One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to enter & remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness.

One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve & to enter & remain in right resolve: This is one's right mindfulness.

One is mindful to abandon wrong speech & to enter & remain in right speech: This is one's right mindfulness.

One is mindful to abandon wrong action & to enter & remain in right action: This is one's right mindfulness.

One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood & to enter & remain in right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness.

MN 117

04-20-2012, 05:36 PM	#15
Audi_z Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 507 Senior Member	I feel that contemplating is near to the experience of a peaceful mind. To be at ease with things. For example, to be focused, in my experience, happens when all effort is put in a single aspect of a wider phenomenon. To contemplate includes the wholeness of an event. thanks Esho whilst i personally incline with your sentiment, i would like to take the inquiry further towards a more passive nuance for me, both 'remains focused' & 'contemplates/contemplating' are active words rather than passive words & they can tend to distort the very act that is 'mindfulness', which is the act of maintaining the mind in a certain way so natural (automatic) 'seeing' occurs for me, mindfulness (maintaining; remembering) is the active function and consciousness of the object is the passive function all of the translations tend to impart the active (volitional) function upon the natural (non-volitional) consciousness that sees & experiences. thus they can distort the meaning of mindfulness from 'maintaining the mind' in a certain way to being 'aware of the object' thus most regard mindfulness as awareness of the object (rather than maintaining the mind in a state that nurtures awareness of the object) in the Pali, the word is 'passi', which is the same as in 'passa' (sense contact) or 'vipassana' (clear seeing). thus, for me, i am not sure what translation is best, but something like 'sees', 'experiences', 'is cognisant of', etc. thus: he/she dwells cognisant of bodies within bodies...and is mindful so to put away covetousness & distress.... passi J ii.103, 111; iii.278, 341. -- 2. to recognise, realise, know: One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to enter & remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve & to enter & remain in right resolve: This is one's right mindfulness. One is mindful to abandon wrong speech & to enter & remain in right speech: This is one's right mindfulness. One is mindful to abandon wrong action & to enter & remain in right action: This is one's right mindfulness. One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood & to enter & remain in right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness. MN 117
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