Unexpected Freedom

More than our FeelingsBeings free from addiction to sensual pleasuresknow a unique form of delight.Dhammapada verse 99As followers of the Theravada Buddhist tradition we mightfeel like we have heard so much and read so much on thesubject of mindfulness that any more on it could put us tosleep. If we have such reaction, however, it is because weassume that we already know as much about mindfulness aswe need for the work in which we are involved. On thisoccasion I would like us to try to put all assumptions asideand consider anew our understanding of this spiritual faculty.I should say from the outset that in talking about thisarea of practice, I don’t feel confident that any one Englishword really does the job of translating the Pali word sati. Thisimportant word has many subtleties of meaning.Accordingly I sometimes use the words ‘mindfulness’,‘awareness’ or ‘attention’ synonymously. Sometimes I usethe word ‘knowingness’. Although this last word is clumsy, Ifind that it adds a helpful dimension of meaning that can bemissing from more orthodox translations. It might also behelpful to know that the word sati originally meant ‘memory’or ‘recollection’.However we choose to translate this word sati, it refers to afaculty that the Buddha often spoke about as having profound29