satipaṭṭhāna
Four foundations of mindfulness
[ suh-tee-PUT-thaa-na ]
Seeing it in life
Kāyānupassanā, vedanānupassanā, cittānupassanā, dhammānupassanā: the framework of insight practice given in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta.
In short
Body, feelings, mind, mental objects — the direct path.
The analysis
The four foundations — kāyānupassanā (contemplation of the body), vedanānupassanā (contemplation of feelings), cittānupassanā (contemplation of mind), dhammānupassanā (contemplation of mental objects) — structure the direct path to insight given in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. Each foundation trains sati on progressively subtler objects.
Where it sits
Vedanānupassanā, the second foundation, is directly relevant to vedanā in this dictionary — training sustained, clear attention on feeling-tone specifically, so it's met with sati rather than immediately generating craving.
Noticing the tightness in the chest as bodily sensation, then its unpleasant quality as feeling, then the state of mind currently present — agitated, or curious, or resistant — is satipaṭṭhāna practice applied to an ordinary difficult moment, moving through the foundations in sequence.
Commonly mistaken for
A single technique. Four distinct foundations are given, each with its own object and emphasis.
Only about the body. Kāyānupassanā is the first foundation, but the framework extends through feeling, mind, and mental objects as well.
Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10).
Related terms