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Grammatical Analysis
Sammāsati: [f.] Right Mindfulness; Correct Awareness; Perfect Attentiveness. Formed by sammā (correctly) + sati (mindfulness/presence of mind).
Orthodox Definition
Sammāsati is the seventh limb of the Noble Eightfold Path, serving as the essential stabilizer within the concentration training division (samādhi-sikkhā). Doctrinally, it is identical to the beautiful mental factor of mindfulness (sati-cetasika).
The Buddha defined the operational field of Sammāsati explicitly through the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna):
- Contemplating the body (kāye kāyānupassī).
- Contemplating feelings (vedanāsu vedanānupassī).
- Contemplating the mind (citte cittānupassī).
- Contemplating mental objects/principles (dhammesu dhammānupassī).
The commentaries point out that mindfulness is “Right” when it is free from thoughts of self, ownership, or delusion, confronting the objective field face-to-face with objective clarity. It prevents the mind from drifting into unwholesome fantasy, providing the immediate, pristine platform necessary for entering absorption.
Quote
‘‘katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāsati?
“And what, bhikkhus, is right mindfulness?idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ; vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ; citte cittānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ; dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ.
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; he dwells contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; he dwells contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; he dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world.ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsati’’ti.
“This, bhikkhus, is called right mindfulness.”— Mahāvaggapāḷi
Textual References
- Sutta: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10) / Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (DN 22) – The supreme canonical definitions detailing the mechanics of Right Mindfulness.
- Abhidhamma: Vibhaṅga (Satipaṭṭhāna-vibhaṅga analysis).
- Commentary: Papañcasūdanī – Extensive manual managing the psychological tracking metrics of mindfulness.
- Vinaya: Mahāvaggapāḷi – Foundational definitions of the Noble Eightfold Path factors.