Mahasatipatthana

Someone who is in the practice of Mahasatipatthana ( special
mindfulness ) has to have full understanding of what is happening at
each moment. Whatever he is doing, he has to be aware of what is
happening. This clear understanding of Dhamma is called Sati
Sampajanna ( clear understanding ).

While he is practising sitting in meditation, he is being aware of
what exactly he is doing and what is arising at each moment. When he
considers that he wants to stop sitting and wants standing, he knows
that he wants them. Then his mindfulness on breath is shifted to his
body position.

He knows that he wants to unfold his legs. That means he knows
arising of Cittas that have a wish to change his body position. This
Citta or consciousness causes Cittaja ( caused by Citta ) Rupa. Then
he unfolds and notes that he unfolds his legs. He knows he wants to
put his soles of feet to put on the floor. Then he put them on the
floor and he knows that he put them on the floor.

He knows that he wants to sit on his feet and then he sits on his
soles of feet. He knows that he wants to straighten his legs and
then he straighten them and he notes that he stands there. He knows
he wants to put his hands by his body and then he puts them by his
sides. He knows that his eyes are closed. Now he wants to open his
eyes. He knows that he wants to open his eyes. Then he opens his
eyes.

He notices that he sees the floor. He knows that he knows his seeing
of the floor.
He is aware of his wish to walk forward. Then he walks forward. In
his walking, he is fully conscious to all his actions. He knows that
he is moving forward.

He knows that he wants to lift his right foot, then he lifts it and
he knows that he is lifting his right foot. He knows that he wants
to swing his right leg forward then he swings his right leg forward.
He knows he is going to put his right heel on the floor then he
knows that he put his right heel on the floor.

Then he knows he wants to shift his axis of body weight to his right
leg by standing on right leg. Then he stands on his right leg and he
notices that his left foot is lifting up. He knows that he wants to
swing his left leg forward and then he swings his left leg forward.
He recognizes that his left heel is going to put on the floor and
then he put his left heel on the floor. Then he stands on his left
leg. He notices that his right foot is going to be lifted up.

He is fully conscious to all his movements. He knows all the process
of his walking. When he stands on one leg, his mind sometimes moves
to his sight that he notes that he sees the floor and he notes that
he knows what his mind is doing even during his walking.

He knows while he is moving forward. He also knows while he is
moving back. In between walking, there are a lot of pauses. At the
time of pause, he notices that he is looking straight ahead and he
is aware of his looking straight ahead. When he is not looking
straight ahead and looking elsewhere, he knows that he is looking
somewhere else instead of looking forward straight ahead.

He has been practising walking meditation for an hour and at the end
of his walking meditation section, he notices that he wants to drink
water. Then he walks to where there is water. He is fully conscious
while he is moving to where there is water.

A bottle of water and a glass are on the table in the room. Now he
stands by the table. He knows that he wants to bend his right arm.
Then he bends his arm and then his right hand is outstretched to
reach the water bottle. He knows that he stretches his hand. He
wants to unscrew the lid and he does it and he knows that he is
doing. He wants to grasp the bottle, he grasps and then he pours
water into the glass consciously.

Water is flowing. He hears the sound of dropping of water into the
glass. He wants to stop pouring and then he stops pouring. Put down
the bottle. Take the water-ful glass. He is putting his mindfulness
on his movement that he is carring the glass. Want to take to the
mouth, does that, want to hold mouthful of water, holds it, wants to
swallows it, swallows it and he does these till the glass is empty.
He wants to put down the glass on the table. He does that
consciously.

He wants to change his dress. He goes to the wardrobe and takes a
casual pair of dressing with conscious mind. Hw knows all the
process of changing his dressing through out. He wants to undress,
he then undresses. He wants to put on a new shirt, then he put it
on. He changes his old pair of troussers with a new one. He knows
all the process of arising of his wishing mind, all his actions and
he is fully aware of his changing of dressing.

Then he goes to the kitchen for his breakfast. He practises walking
meditation while moving to the kitchen. He stands by the table and
then he sits on the chair. He knows that he wish to eat. He knows
that his hand is going to stretch and take the fork and the knife.
During the process of his eating, he recognizes all mind that arise
one after another and notes that all his movement that are all
dictated by mind.

When he put the food into his mouth, he notes that it is put inot.
When he chews, he notes that he chews. When he is going to swallow
he notices that he wants to swallow what he has chewed. Then he
swallows and he knows that he swallows. He finishes his breakfast
with a glass of water to clean up his throat. Again, he is fully
aware of all his mind and bodily movements through out his drinking
process.

When he goes to the toilet, he knows that he want to pass motion or
he want to defecate. He notes all the way down to the toilet that he
is moving toward the toilet. He notes that he removes his troussers
and pants and then he sits on the comode. He knows his wish to
release. Then he releases. When he hears sound, he notes all he
hears as he hears. When he passes water or urinates, he notes that
he is passing water or urinates. When he cleans he knows that he is
cleaning. When he draws water he knows that he draws. He stands up
after finishing everything toileting. He walks out and he notes that
he walks out.

He is fully aware of all his bodily actions and positions. When he
stands he knows that he is standing. When he walks he knows that he
is walking. And when he sits he is fully aware of that he is
sitting. When he lies down on the bed he knows that he is lying
down. In between arising of all these consciousness, he also notes
that he is touching with so and so such as to the floor, to the
sofa, to the carpet, to the chair, to the table and so on.

When he wakes up in the morning, he knows that he wakes up and he is
being aware of his surroundings and notices any object that arise at
that time. He knows that he is awake. In the day time, he is fully
aware of all his actions. He knows when he speaks that he is
speaking. When he hearing someone's speech, he notices that he hears
that and he also knows that he is thinking for his response to that
speech. When he speak, he knows that he is speaking. And when he is
silent again, he notes that he is being silent.

When he goes to bed, he notes that he is going to bed. When he lies
on the bed, he knows that he is lying on the bed. He is noting all
his movements whenever they arise and all his mind movements
whenever they arise. When he is tired of the day and he is just
going into sleep, he knows that he is exhausted and tired and he
relaxes all his body and mind and then he passes into his sleep.
When he wakes up, he knows that he wakes up. When he is thinking he
knows that he is thinking for the day what to do as a plan and he
knows that he is planning that.

In this way, the meditator has to be fully aware of what he is
experiencing all the time. This Sati Sampajanna ( mindfulness with
clear understanding ) has to be developed at each moment and
everyday till he dies. All these are just method and it is not a map.

If someone can practise in this way for 7 years, he will enlighten (
becomes an Arahat )or at least he will becomes an Anagam or non-
returner. Non-returner means he will not return to Kama Bhumi that
is human world, hell beings world, animals world, ghosts world,
demons world, Deva worlds.

Let alone 7 years, 6 years practice will help him to attain Arahatta
Magga or at least Anagami Magga. Let alone 6 years, 5 years, 4
years, 3 years, 2 years or even 1 year practice will leads him to
attain Nana ( wisdom ).

Let alone 1 year, 7 months practice will lead him to attainment of
wisdom. Let alone 7 months, 6 months will suffice to attain wisdom.
Let alone 6 months, 5 months, 4 months, 3 months, 2 months, 1 month
or even 2 weeks will suffice for him to attain wisdom if he follows
this method and he has fulfiled all the perfections to get through
the Samsara.

This is a part of the method Mahasatipatthana ( special mindfulness
practice ), this alone is sufficient for the genuine practice. But
for those who are lack of a good knowledge in Dhamma will need to
learn much much more. And they may even need a full map with
complete interpretation of all land marks and the method of how to
approach to the destination.