This set of slides is from the Satipatthana Workshop conducted by Venerable Aggacitta at Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary between July 26-29, 2012. Permission is given to redistribute without any modifications, for non-commercial purposes only.

1. Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta
Study with Meditation
Workshop Part 1.1
Summary & Conclusion
●Preamble
● Background & Structure of the Sutta
● Abstract & Definition
● Breathing
● Postures & Clear Knowing
1

2. Preamble
1) Good first step to have micro-view of the
suttas to check the claims of various teachers
2) Macro-view also important to prevent
development of fanatical partisan mindset
3) Our extant sets of scriptures took many
centuries to be compiled & recorded because
of poor communication and also because the
Buddha preached in many dialects
4) No sutta can be 100% authentic but elements
common to all schools and traditions have the
highest chances of authenticity 2

3. Preamble
5) The primary aim of Buddhist education is to
get the right information for effective
practice to reduce the influence of
defilements and eventually liberate the
mind from them completely
6) Right practice should result in a postive
transformation of character reflected in
such attitudes as being more patient,
forgiving, understanding, open-minded,
accepting, humble, selfless, etc.
3

4. Background & Structure of the Sutta
1) No background story in the Sutta itself, but
the commentary filled it in
2) Ajahn Sujāto’s research suggests that it is not
authentic but is a composite of extracts from
other suttas plus other added materials
3) The “backbone” of the Sutta is the vipassanā
refrain
4) Ajahn Sujāto’s reconstructed “Satipaṭṭhāna
Mūla” has very few exercises and does not
have a vipassanā refrain 4

5. Abstract & Definition
1) Ekāyano = “one-way” and not “only way”
2) Sati = awareness of past object, although
popularly translated as “mindfulness” and
equated with “present-moment awareness”
3) Sampajāno = “clear knowing” is applicable to
all 4 satipaṭṭhānas, not just to kāyānupassanā
4) Although worldly longing and dejection need
not be totally removed, one must be able to
subdue them in order to step back and observe
them objectively 5

6. Breathing
1) The Buddha did not specify where to focus
attention while being mindful of breathing
2) “Experiencing the whole body” can be
interpreted and practised in 2 ways which are
both reasonable
3) Nothing is mentioned about shifting attention
from the breath to a nimitta (“reflex image”)
4) There are 2 ways of interpreting “internal”
and “external”
6

7. Postures & Clear Knowing
1) Labelling during meditation is an expedient
tool recommended even in the Sutta
2) The BARR test to process intentions is useful
under all circumstances
3) It is a myth that “one should not think during
meditation” because proper/wise/thorough
reflection & deliberation (yoniso manasikāra)
are often encouraged in the suttas
7