The Satipatthana Sutta, the Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness, is considered one of the most important texts in the Buddhist tradition. It provides the foundational framework for mindfulness practice that underlies the Prosoche approach.
The Four Foundations
- Kayanupassana - Mindfulness of the Body
- Vedananupassana - Mindfulness of Feeling Tones
- Cittanupassana - Mindfulness of Mind States
- Dhammanupassana - Mindfulness of Mental Phenomena
Why This Matters
Modern mindfulness often focuses solely on the first foundation (body awareness, especially breath). The Satipatthana framework reveals a more comprehensive approach:
- Feeling tones (vedana) - the pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral quality of each experience - are particularly relevant to understanding craving and aversion
- Mind states reveal the texture of awareness itself
- Mental phenomena include the hindrances and factors of awakening
Connection to Modern Neuroscience
Bhikkhu Analayo’s scholarly work has explored connections between traditional Satipatthana practice and contemporary neuroscience research. Key intersections include:
- Interoceptive awareness and body mindfulness
- Reward prediction error and vedana (feeling tones)
- Default mode network and the arising of thought
Further Reading
- Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization by Bhikkhu Analayo
- Perspectives on Satipatthana by Bhikkhu Analayo
- The original Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10 and DN 22)