Q&A on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Contemplation: Part 2

Question: How exactly should one practice the Four Foundations of Mindfulness?

Answer: Observation means to observe, to contemplate, to discover, to become aware. One should immediately recognize things as they are, without processing them through the thinking mind. That is to say, observe whatever phenomenon arises as it is. For example, when observing the breath, strive to observe all aspects related to breathing and disregard everything else. Do not analyze, do not comprehend, do not reason, do not judge, do not imagine, do not speculate, do not organize, do not generalize, do not summarize. Do not let the thinking mind become busy and restless. Simply observe quietly and peacefully, with a settled mind. Observe things as they truly are—do nothing extra.

After observation, the manas (mind root) will naturally engage with what follows, investigating and pondering it. The thinking mind cannot replace the manas in awakening to the true nature of phenomena. Therefore, please let the thinking mind remain purely observant. Significant matters must be decided by the manas itself. Ignorance must be eradicated directly by the manas. Truth must be discovered directly by the manas. If, while observing the breath, the phenomenon of breathing cannot be clearly observed, it indicates insufficient meditative concentration power. The mind remains too coarse. It is necessary to strengthen the power of awareness, concentrate attention, subdue the scattered mind, and gradually deepen observation into subtlety and comprehensiveness. Practice according to the original text of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness), and the power of observation will improve.