Whenever the Buddha was asked to describe sati (mindfulness or awareness), his explanation invariably included the term sampajanna.
Katama ca, bhikkhave, samma-sati? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kaye kayanupassi viharati atapi sampajano satima, vineyya loke abhijjha-domanassam (1)
And what, meditators, is right awareness? Here, a meditator dwells ardently, with constant thorough understanding and right awareness, observing the body in the body (body as body – ‘as it is’), having removed craving and aversion towards this world (of mind-matter).
From this it becomes evident that according to the Buddha, whenever there is samma-sati or satipatthana, it is always with sampajanna. That means it is with panna (wisdom). Otherwise it is mere sati, which is mere remembrance or awareness.
In the Sutta Pitaka, the Buddha gave two explanations of the term sampajanna. In the Samyuttanikaya the Buddha defines sampajano as follows:
Kathanca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajano hoti ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno vidita vedana uppajjanti, vidita upatthahanti, vidita abbhattham gacchanti; vidita sanna uppajjanti, vidita upatthahanti, vidita abbhattham gacchanti; vidita vitakka uppajjanti, vidita upatthahanti, vidita abbhattham gacchanti. Evam kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajjano hoti. (2)
And how, meditators, does a meditator understand thoroughly? Herein, meditators, a meditator knows sensations arising in him, knows their persisting, and knows their vanishing; he knows perceptions arising in him, knows their persisting, and knows their vanishing; he knows each initial application (of the mind on an object) arising in him, knows its persisting, and knows its vanishing. This, meditators, is how a meditator understands thoroughly.
In the above statement, it becomes clear that one is sampajano only when one realizes the characteristic of impermanence, and that too on the basis of experience of sensation (vidita vedana). If this is not realized through vedana, then it is merely an intellectualization, as our fundamental contact with the world is based on sensation. It is through sensation that direct experience occurs. The statement further indicates that sampajano lies in experiencing the impermanence of vedana vitakka (the initial application of the mind on an object) and sanna (perception). Here we should note that impermanence of vedana is to be realized first because according to the Buddha:
Vedana-samosarana sabbe Dhamma. (3)
Everything that arises in the mind is accompanied by sensation.
The second explanation given by the Buddha of sampajanna emphasizes that it must be continuous. He states:
Kathanca, bhikkhave, bhikku sampajano hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhikkante patikkante sampajanakari hoti. Alokite vilokite sampajanakari hoti. Saminjite pasarite sampajanakari hoti. Sanghati-patta-civara- dharane sampajanakari hoti. Asite pite khayite sayite sampajanakari hoti. Uccara-passava-kamme sampajankari hoti. Gate thite nisinne sutte jagarite bhasite tunhi-bhave sampajanakari hoti. (4)
And how, meditators does a meditator understand thoroughly? Again, meditators, a meditator in going forwards and backwards understands impermanence thoroughly, in looking straight ahead and sideways understands impermanence thoroughly, in bending and stretching understands impermanence thoroughly, in wearing the robes and carrying the bowl understands impermanence thoroughly, in chewing and drinking, eating and savouring understands impermanence thoroughly, in attending to the calls of nature understands impermanence thoroughly, in walking, standing, sitting, sleeping and waking, speaking and remaining silent understands impermanence thoroughly.
The same passage has been repeated in other suttas, including the section on sampajanna under Kayanupassana in the Mahasatipatthana Sutta.
The emphasis on the continuity of sampajanna is very clear. One should develop constant thorough understanding of impermanence in whatever one does: in walking forward and backward, in looking straight and sideways, in bending and stretching, in wearing robes and so on. In sitting, in standing and even in sleeping one experiences constant thorough understanding of impermanence. This is sampajanna.
With proper understanding of the teaching of the Buddha, it becomes clear that if this continuous sampajanna consists only of the thorough understanding of the processes of walking, eating and other activities of the body, then it is merely sati. If, however, the constant thorough understanding includes the characteristic of arising and passing away of vedana while the meditator is performing these activities, then this is panna. This is what the Buddha wanted people to practise (observe).
The Buddha describes this more specifically in a passage from the Anguttara-nikaya, using language that is bound to bring to mind the sampajanapabba of the Mahasatipatthana Sutta:
Yatam care yatam titthe, yatam acche yatam saye, yatam saminjaye bhikkhu, yatamenam pasaraye, uddham tiriyam apacinam, yavata jagato gati, samavekkhita ca Dhammanam khandanam udayabbayam.(5)
Whether the meditator walks or stands or sits or lies, whether he bends or stretches, above, across, backwards, whatever his course in the world, he observes the arising and passing away of the aggregates.
Thus the emphasis is on the continuity of awareness of anicca (impermanence) with the base of body sensation. The Buddha frequently stressed that the meditator should not lose the thorough understanding of impermanence even for a moment: sampajannam na rincati. (6)
Every language, however rich it may be, has its limitations and we cannot expect even the richest of languages to be capable of giving precise equivalents to the technical Pali words used by the Buddha. If the term sampajanna is translated too concisely into English its meaning can be lost. It has usually been translated as “clear comprehension,” “bare comprehension,” etc.
Superficially these translations appear to be correct. Some have taken this to mean that one must merely have clear comprehension of bodily activities. The limitations of this translation may have had the effect of misleading some meditators on the path of Dhamma. The Buddha clearly emphasized the thorough understanding of anicca (impermanence) in all bodily and mental activities. Therefore, to understand the term sampajanna, we have translated it as: “The constant thorough understanding of impermanence.” It is felt that this translation conveys more fully the precise meaning of the term used by the Buddha.
Notes: (References) 1. Digha-nikaya II, Nal. 234, PTS 314. 2. Samyutta-nikaya V, Nal. 155-6, PTS 180-1. 3. Anguttara-nikaya, Nal. IV 184, PTS V. 107. 4. Digha-nikaya II, Nal. 76, PTS 95. 5. Anguttara-nikaya II, Nal. 16, PTS 14. 6. Samyutta-nikayya IV Nal. 194, PTS 218.
– Excerpts from the VRI Research article published in the Sayagyi U Ba Khin Journal (VRI) Pg 252-254.
Vedananupassana
Katham ca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vedanasu vedananupassi viharati ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukham va vedanam vedayamano’sukham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati ; dukkham va vedanam vedayamano ‘dukkham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati ; adukkhamasukham va vedanam vedayamano ‘adukkhamasukham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati. Samisam va sukham vedanam vedayamano ‘samisam sukham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati; niramisam va sukham vedanam vedayamano ‘niramisam sukham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati. Samisam va dukkham vedanam vedayamano ‘samisam dukkham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati; niramisam va dukkham vedanam vedayamano ‘niramisam dukkham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati. Samisam va adukkhamasukham vedanam vedayamano ‘samisam adukkhamasukham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati; niramisam va adukkhamasukham vedanam vedayamano ‘niramisam adukkhamasukham vedanam vedayami’ ti pajanati.
Iti ajjhattam va vedanasu vedananupassi viharati, bahiddha va vedanasu vedananupassi viharati, ajjhattabahiddha va vedanasu vedananupassi viharati, samudayadhammanupassi va vedanasu viharati, vayadhammanupassi va vedanasu viharati, samudayavayadhammanupassi va vedanasu viharati, ‘atthi vedana’ ti va panassa sati paccupatthita hoti. Yavadeva nanamattaya patissatimattaya anissito ca viharati, na ca kinci loke upadiyati. Evam pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vedanasu vedananupassi viharati.
The Observation of Sensations
How, O monks, does a monk abide, observing sensations within sensations’? (Observing the sensations as sensations-‘as it is’. Staying with ‘what is’)
Here, O monks, a monk, while experiencing a pleasant sensation, knows properly, ”I am experiencing a pleasant sensation”; while experiencing an unpleasant sensation, he knows properly, ”I am experiencing an unpleasant sensation”; while experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant sensation, he knows properly, “I am experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant sensation.” While he is experiencing a pleasant sensation with attachment, he knows properly, “I am experiencing a pleasant sensation with attachment”; while he is experiencing a pleasant sensation without attachment, he knows properly, “I am experiencing a pleasant sensation without attachment”; while experiencing an unpleasant sensation with attachment, he knows properly, “I am experiencing an unpleasant sensation with attachment”; while experiencing an unpleasant sensation without attachment, he knows properly, “I am experiencing an unpleasant sensation without attachment”; while experiencing a neither- pleasant-nor-unpleasant sensation with attachment, he knows properly, “I am experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant sensation with attachment”; while experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant sensation without attachment, he knows properly, “I am experiencing a neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant sensation without attachment.”
Thus he abides observing sensations within sensations internally, or he abides observing sensations within sensations externally, or he abides observing sensations within sensations both internally and externally. Thus he abides observing the phenomenon of arising of sensations, thus he abides observing the phenomenon of passing away of sensations, thus he abides observing the phenomenon of simultaneous arising-and-passing-away of sensations. Awareness that, “This is sensation” remains present in him. Thus he develops his awareness to such an extent that there is mere understanding along with mere awareness. In this way he abides detached, without clinging or craving towards anything in this world of mind and matter. This is how, monks, a monk abides observing sensations within sensations. (Sensations as sensations-observing the reality ‘as it is’)
– Mahasatipatthana Sutta (Vedananupassana)
Note: Craving and aversion are the two sides of the same coin. Both craving and aversion have their roots in “attachment”. The mind craves for pleasant sensations, due to attachment. The mind has aversion to unpleasant sensations, as it is attached to pleasant sensations. An equanimous mind, is a mind without attachment at that moment.
Passages on Vedana from the Suttas
In his discourses the Buddha frequently referred to the importance of awareness of sensation. Here is a small selection of passages on this subject.
Through the sky blow many different winds, from east and west, from north and south, dust-laden or dustless, cold or hot, fierce gales or gentle breezes-many winds blow. In the same way, in the body sensations arise, pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. When a meditator, observing ardently, does not neglect his faculty of thorough understanding [sampajanna], then such a wise person fully comprehends sensations. Having fully comprehended them, he becomes free in this very life. At life’s end, such a person, being established in Dhamma and understanding sensations perfectly, attains the indescribable stage beyond the conditioned world.
-S. XXXVI (II). ii. 12 (2), Pathama Akasa Sutta
When a sensation arises in the meditator, pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, he understands, “A pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral sensation has arisen in me. It is based on something, it is not without a base. On what is it based? On this very body.” Thus he abides observing the impermanent nature of the sensation within the body.
-S. XXXVI (II). i. 7, Pathama Gelanna Sutta
The meditator understands, “There has arisen in me this pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral experience. It is composed, of a gross nature, dependent on conditions. But what really exists, what is most excellent, is equanimity.” Whether a pleasant experience has arisen in him, or an unpleasant, or a neutral one, it ceases, but equanimity remains.
-M. 152, !ndriya Bhavana Sutta
There are three types of sensation: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. All three are impermanent, composed, dependent on conditions, subject to decay, to decline, to fading away, to ceasing. Seeing this reality, the well-instructed follower of the Noble Path becomes equanimous toward pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral sensations. By developing equanimity, he becomes detached; by developing detachment, he becomes liberated.
-M. 74, Dighanaka Sutta
If a meditator abides observing the impermanence of pleasant sensation within the body, its decline, fading away and ceasing, and also observing his own relinquishing of attachment to such sensation, then his underlying conditioning of craving for pleasant sensation within the body is eliminated. If he abides observing the impermanence of unpleasant sensation within the body, then his underlying conditioning of aversion toward unpleasant sensation within the body is eliminated. If he abides observing the impermanence of neutral sensation within the body, then his underlying conditioning of ignorance toward neutral sensation within the body is eliminated.
-S. XXXVI (II). i. 7, Pathama Gelanna Sutta
When his underlying conditionings of craving for pleasant sensation, of aversion toward unpleasant sensation, and of ignorance toward neutral sensation are eradicated, the meditator is called one who is totally free of underlying conditionings, who has seen the truth, who has cut off all craving and aversion, who has broken all bondages, who has fully realized the illusory nature of the ego, who has made an end of suffering.
-S. XXXVI (II). i. 3, Pahana Sutta
(Please refer to the Dhamma quotes under ”The 4 noble Truths” and ”Ignorance and conditioning/cause effect” in this study).
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