Focusing on an object or reflexive self-awareness? Mindfulness, phenomenology and the Pāli suttas
Asian Philosophy September 23, 2024 Bhikkhu Akiñcano 1 citation
Mindfulness, as originally described in the Pāli suttas, was not a technique of focusing on an object (bare attention) but a form of reflexive self-awareness. This interpretation counters a recent phenomenological critique of the contemporary mindfulness movement. The article argues that right mindfulness (sammāsati) is a philosophical enterprise requiring awareness of broader context, and it cannot be cultivated by an ordinary person (puthujjana). Instead, it belongs to noble ones who have acquired right view and virtue.