< Issue No. 4 (2008)Article
“Establishing of Mindfulness Meditation” (satipaṭṭhāna bhāvanā): the Creative Interplay of Cognition, Praxis and Affection
Sugunasiri, Suwanda H.J., Nalanda College of Buddhist Studies, Trinity College, University of Toronto
Abstract
“Investigation of Dhamma”, “effort” and “joy” constitute the 2nd to 4th items of the seven bojjhanga “Factors of Awakening” in the satipaṭṭhāna bhāvanā, “Establishing of Mindfulness meditation”, the methodology specifically formulated by the Buddha as the “one way” or “direct path” (ekāyano maggo) to liberation, namely, Nibbāna. There is probably no more succinct an example than the placing of the three, in their intended logical sequence, that speaks to the interactive process among cognition, praxis and affection. The practitioner begins in the cognitive (investigation of Dhamma), puts the mind into an active mode based in the cognition, thus engaging in praxis (effort), which in turn comes to impact upon the affective (joy). This paper seeks to establish the intricate and complex web of interrelationships between and among the trio cognition, praxis and affection in relation to the total Discourse.