this is the chinese character for mindfulness

This is the Chinese character for

Mindfulness

Thus, from the history of Chinese writing we learn

that the concept of mindfulness has been inherent in the language and lifestyle

This character, written in

bronze script, 金文 jin wen,

dates to the shang dynasty,

1766-1111 BCE.

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for almost four millennia.

More than 90% of Chinese characters Are a combination of

a phonetic 聲 a pictogram 形 .

And a pictogram showing a heart/ mind is below.

Phonetic

Pictogram

of heart/mind

In this ancient character for mindfulness

the phonetic is at the top.

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古代人以心為思維器官 , 故後沿用為腦的代稱 In ancient times, people guessed that the flesh heart was the organ of thought and so the character for heart 心 came to include the functions of the brain [and by extension the mind].

In the book Illustrated Account of Chinese Characters, compiled by Guang Hui Xie the definition on page 164 notes:

… In ancient writing systems 心 has the shape of a heart. People in ancient times mistook the heart for an organ for thinking, so the character 心 is also a cover term for thinking, ideas, and feelings…

甲骨文 jia gu wen

金文 jin wen

小篆 xiao zhuan

楷体 kai ti

Picto-grams

of heart/mind

Bone oracle script

Bronze script

Seal script

Standard Script

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The Chan* School of Buddhism

禪*Founded in China by

Patriarch Bodhidharma during his time in Loyang

from 516-526 CE.

Chan, 禪 ,is part of the transliteration for Dhyana, which means quieting thoughts.

The Japanese pronunciation of Chan is Zen.

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以心印心

The method by which a Buddhist

Chan Master transmits

his teachings to a

qualified disciple is

non-verbal.

以 yi Using 心 xin the mind

印 yin to seal

心 xin the mind

This character for mindfulness is fromAN Inscription on a bronze cauldron Named for the duke of mao, 毛公鼎 , dating from the Zhou dynasty, 828-782 BCE.

Although the top part of the character

is the phonetic, giving the character

its pronunciation, the phonetics were chosen for their meaning

in addition to their sounds.

NOW over the MIND brings us to the concept of

MINDFULNESS.

This phonetic’s meaning is NOW.This phonetic’s meaning is NOW.

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夕敬念王 …each evening respectfully be mindful of the king.

Written by the Duke in praise of King Xuan of the late Western Zhou period. 西周晚期的宣王時期。

The portion of theinscription inside The Duke of Mao bronze cauldron,毛公鼎 , That includes The Character for Mindfulness reads:

Duke of Mao

bronze cauldron, 毛公鼎

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Thus, the classical Chinese concept of

Mindfulness

could be described as

deliberate focus on someone or something out of a sense of duty

or social obligation.

For example, The citizen is mindful of his king;

The child is mindful of his parents, and so forth.

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These few ancient characters and their verifiable dates show that the

concept of mindfulness

dates before the advent of Buddhism in China.*

Thus,

*about 70 CE when Buddhism’s

concept of mindfulness was introduced into China,

there was already a character for it and a classical concept of it.

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The Mahayana Buddhist calendar is based on a Zhou

Dynasty (1122-255 BCE) text called Records of Unusual

Events , 異記 . That record described astrological events

that pertained to India and occurred both when the Buddha was born and when he entered nirvana. This period of time was the Zhou Dynasty in China.

Thus Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth is placed at about 1024

BCE, in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of King Zhao,

昭王 (1052-1001 BCE) of the Zhou Dynasty thus determining that

The historic Buddha, Shakyamunilived in the 11th century BCE,

making him more or less contemporary with

Moses and Ramses II.

A note on proposed dates when Shakyamuni Buddha lived.

Mahayana Buddhist calendar

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The Theravada Buddhist calendar records that Shakyamuni Buddha was born in 560 BCE, thus determining that

The historic Buddha, Shakyamunilived in the 6th century BCE

making him more or less a contemporary of

Confucius (551-479 BCE).

A note on dates when Shakyamuni Buddha lived. [continued]

Theravada Buddhist calendar

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Contemporary scholars place Shakyamuni Buddha’s life in the 4th or 5th century BCE. For example, in Dr. Peter Harvey’s Introduction to Buddhism, he suggests dates of about 480-400 BCE, basing these dates on historic records pertaining to King Asoka, thus determining

The historic Buddha, Shakyamunilived in the 4th or 5th century BCE

making him more or less a contemporary of

Socrates 469-399 BCEPlato 427-347 BCE.

A note on dates when Shakyamuni Buddha lived. [continued]

Contemporary scholars

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For the purposes of this brief exploration

of the Buddhist concept of mindfulness,

we have chosen to consider that this concept entered China

when the Mahayana

Buddhist sutras began to enter China

and to be translated and explained in the language of the people there.

The advent of the Buddhist concept of mindfulness impacted the classical concept and broadened the scope

of the practice of mindfulness.

Confucius, 孔丘 kong qiu, respectfully called Teacher Kong,

孔夫子 kong fu zi, lived in China from 551-479 BCE.An anonymously authored text called

Standards for Students,弟子規 di zi gui about 450 BCE, is attributed to the

Confucian tradition. In this text, mindfulness is described as

part of the process of learning.

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The way to success in your studiesIs to focus attention on three: Trust to your eyes, mouth, and mind. Believe these are all that you need.

讀書法　有三到　心眼口　信皆要

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Mencius said,

Humaneness pertains to a person’s mind; Righteousness pertains to a person’s path. How lamentable is it • to neglect the path and not pursue it; • to lose this mind and not even know to search for it!

When people’s chickens or dogs get lost, people know to go searching for them.

But when people lose their minds, they do not even know to go find them again.

The path of learning is nothing more than seeking for our lost minds.’

from Gao Zi Section 11 of Mencius.

孟子曰：「仁，人心也；義，人路也。舍其路而弗由，放其心而不知求，哀哉！人有雞犬放，則知求之；有放心，而不知求。學問之道無他，求其放心而已矣。」孟子告子篇第十一章

Mencius, 孟子 meng zi,(about 370-280

BCE) was aFollower ofConfucian

Philosophy

The path of learning is nothing more than seeking for our lost minds.

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The Three On’s 三種在上 XXXXXX

Master Hua, 1918-1995,skillfully introduced Confucian and Daoistconcepts in his Buddhist teaching.

On the road. 在路上 .On the loo. 在廁上 .On the pillow. 在枕上 .

Here’s one that he made up in theConfucian styleabout how to maximizemindfulness.

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Another method of Mindfulnessin the Confucian tradition

focuses on stages of life.

When one’s vital energies are not yet settled,

the restraint is on sex.血氣未定 , 戒之在色 .

When one’s vital energies are strong, the restraint is on fighting.

血氣方剛 , 戒之在鬥 .When one’s vital energies are in decline,

the restraint is on obtaining things.

血氣既衰 , 戒之在得 .

As a youth

Prime of life

Old age

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Lao zi, 6th century BCE,-excerpt from the Treatise on The Way and Virtue,道德經 Dao De Jing

mindfulness 18

A sage does not accumulate things.

The more he does for others, the more he feels he has.

The more he gives to others, the more he receives.

The Way of Nature is to benefit and not harm.

The Way of the Sage is to be as he is and not contend.

聖人不積 . 既以為人己愈 . 既以與人己愈多 .天之道 . 利而不害 . 聖人之道 . 為而不爭 .

The first Buddhist sutra translated in China

from the Mahayana tradition

was the

Sutra in Forty-two Sections, 四十二章經 .

It was co-translated, 同譯 , about 70 CE during the Eastern Han, 後漢 ,

by two monks from India—Master Kashyapa-matanga, 迦葉摩騰尊者 , and

Master Gobharana, 竺法蘭尊者 .

The translation of this sutra marked the beginning of centuries of gradually bringing the Buddha’s teachings from India into China and

getting them translated into Chinese.

It also marked the introduction of the Buddhist perspective on mindfulness into Chinese culture and language.

In the Eighteenth Section of this sutra, the Buddha defines

MINDFULNESS

About 70 CE marked the introduction of the Buddhist perspective on

mindfulness into Chinese culture and language.

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All aspects of mindfulness are basically empty.念等本空

The Buddha said:

佛言 . My method is mindfulness

that is both mindfulness and non-mindfulness. 吾法念無念念 .

It is practice that is both practice and non-practice.

行無行行 . It is words

that are both words and non-words.言無言言 .

It is cultivation that is both cultivation and non-cultivation.

修無修修 .

The Eighteenth Section of the Sutra in Forty-two Sections:

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The Buddha’s meaning was: My method is not being mindful that you are mindful and even the thought of that “not being mindful” is not there. My Dharma is called a mindfulness that is mindful and yet not mindful.

My method of practice is effortless. Attachments become empty. Even that emptiness is empty. Even the shadow of “non-cultivation” does not remain.

mindfulness

that is both mindfulness

and non-mindfulness.

念無念念 .

mindfulness



念無念念 .

mindfulness



念無念念 .

All aspects of mindfulness are basically empty, 念等本空 . [continued]

Those who understand are near to it; 會者近爾 .

those who are confused are far from it! 迷者遠乎 .

It is not accessible by communication in language.

言語道斷 .

It is not grasped through concrete examples. 非物所拘 .

If you miss it by a hairsbreadth,

you will lose it in an instant. 差之毫釐 . 失之須臾 .

21mindfulness

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Whether walking, standing, sitting, or reclining,Never be apart from this.If we depart from this. We have gone amiss!

-by Master Hua 宣公上人

No small task that—

“not to be mindful that you are mindful.”

That definition of mindfulness requires a method—some directive on

“how to.”

Here’s a modern verse on “how to.”But for most, this verse is as cryptic as the

Buddha’s definition!

行住坐臥不離這個離了這個便是錯過


During the Tang Dynasty, 618-907 CE, a four-year-oldlad from Wen county (later renamed Yong Jia) entered monastic life. In his formative years he studied and mastered the Buddhist teachings and he meditated regularly. Upon awakening, he needed to have his enlightenment certified and so he sought outVenerable Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch.

After the Patriarch verified his awakening,

Great Master Yong Jia composed a

Song of Certifying to the Way.


不求真 , 不斷妄 , 了知二法空無相 .無相無空無不空 ,即是如來真實相 .

Do not seek the true,Do not cut off the false.Comprehend that both dharmas are empty;

they have no attributes at all.Without attributes there is no emptiness, either,

and yet emptiness is not negated. That is the absolutely true attribute

of all Buddhas.

The following stanzas of the Song of Certifying to the Wayreflect the Buddha’s description of mindfulness.

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Elder Master Hsu Yun’sSong of the Skin Bag,

reflects the great vigour andinspiration that he applied to

developing mindfulness,and echoes the Buddha’s description of mindfulness

and what results it can bring.

Elder Master Hsu Yun, 1840–1959, a contemporary sage, also composed a song.

His is called Song of the Skin Bag, 皮袋歌


Doubt not the Buddha.Doubt not the Dharma.Inherent insight lets us know clearly what we see and hear.

Bore through the paper.Pierce the cowhide.Make your mind perfectly bright and free from error.

Return to the origin.Reach liberation.Go back to the source and

retrieve your inherent innocence.

佛不疑。法不疑。了了聞見是良知。

穿紙背。透牛皮。圓明一心莫差池。

亦返源。亦解脫。還元返本天真兒。

Song of the Skin Bag, 皮袋歌


Open your heart.Be truthful to all.Encourage people

to guard what is proper.

Don’t think my words are idle. Don’t fail to pay attention.

Great cultivators will surely see their own natures.

瀝心腸。披肝膽。奉勸世人應守正。

莫當閒言不記心。大修行人必見性。

Song of the Skin Bag, 皮袋歌 [continued ]

mindfulness 28

Nothing is not nothing.Emptiness is not empty.As our magnificent potential reveals itself,

its wonder is hard to imagine.

When you arrive, You will not have toiled in vain.The impacts from your

planting of causes will be over.

Then you truly will beA Great Hero.All ten titles will fit perfectlyAs you become a teacher

of many generations.

到這裡。不冤枉。因地一聲是了期。

無不無。空非空。透露靈機妙難思。

方才稱。大丈夫。十號圓明萬世師。

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The Buddha’s methods on the practice of

mindfulnessare found in many teachings.

One set of lessons is shared by all Buddhist traditions.

Thirty-seven Aspects of the Way

三十七道品

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Thirty-seven Aspects of the Way

三十七道品Four Dwellings in Mindfulness 四念住 *

1.dwelling in mindfulness of the body 身念住 Contemplate the body as impure. 觀身不凈

2.dwelling in mindfulness of feelings 受念住 Contemplate feelings as suffering. 觀受是苦

3.dwelling in mindfulness of the mind 心念住 Contemplate the mind as transitory. 觀

心無常•dwelling in mindfulness of dharmas 法念住 Contemplate dharmas as being devoid of self. 觀法無我

* Also rendered as 四念處

Four Dwellings in Mindfulness 四念住 *

1.dwelling in mindfulness of the body 身念住 Contemplate the body as impure. 觀身不凈

2.dwelling in mindfulness of feelings 受念住 Contemplate feelings as suffering. 觀受是苦

3.dwelling in mindfulness of the mind 心念住 Contemplate the mind as transitory. 觀

心無常•dwelling in mindfulness of dharmas 法念住 Contemplate dharmas as being devoid of self. 觀法無我

* Also rendered as 四念處

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Five Roots 五根1. root of faith2. root of vigour3. root of mindfulness4. root of concentration5. root of wisdom

Five Powers 五力1. power of faith2. power of vigour3. power of mindfulness4. power of concentration5. power of wisdom

Thirty-sevenAspects of the Way

Four Bases of Psychic Power 四神足1. zeal 2. vigour3. mindfulness 4. reflection

Four Types of Upright Diligence 四正勤1. Evil that has not yet been done is kept from being done.2. Evil thoughts that have already been generated are cut off.3. Good roots not yet grown are caused to grow.4. Good roots already grown are caused to grow further.

未生惡法令不生未生惡法令不生已生惡法恆令滅已生惡法恆令滅未生善法令出生未生善法令出生已生善法令增長已生善法令增長

信根精進根念根定根慧根

信力精進力念力定力慧力

欲神足勤神足心神足 ( 心神專一 )觀神足


Eightfold Upright Path 八正道

1. upright views (looking)2. upright consideration (listening)3. upright speech (saying)4. upright occupation (doing)5. upright living (being considerate of others)6. upright vigour (doing what is proper)7. upright mindfulness (being aware)8. upright concentration (being stable)

Seven Limbs of Enlightenment 七覺支 1. choosing a method (dharma) 2. vigour (diligent in practice) 3. joy (in practice experience) 4. rejecting (afflictions) 5. giving up (letting go of thinking and attachments) 6. samadhi (concentration) 7. mindfulness

擇法覺支精進覺支喜覺支除覺支捨覺支定覺支念覺支

正見解正思惟正語言正行為正業（正命）正精進正意念正禪定

Thirty-sevenAspects of the Way

The Seven Limbs of Enlightenment七覺支

provide a practice centering on

Mindfulness shared by all traditions of Buddhism.

33mindfulness

This practice is an effective means of psychotherapy

applied by oneself to oneself.

七念：心沈時，念用擇、進、喜以起之 .

7. being mindful 念so that upon becoming aware that one

is mentally depressed, 心沈時 , one applies these three limbs:

2. choosing a method, 擇3. being vigorous in practicing it,

進 , and

4. experiencing the outcome of joy, 喜

The Seven Limbs of Enlightenment 七覺支Method of Practice

2, 3, 4 are proactive and positive to give impetus to practice

(when depressedor lacking motivation)

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7. being mindful 念so that upon becoming aware that one is mentally flighty, 心浮時 , one applies these three limbs:

4. letting go, 除 (getting free of negative emotions)

5. concentrating, 定 (samadhi)

6. renouncing, 捨 (giving away positive benefits)


七念：心浮時，念用、除、定、捨以攝之，覺令定慧均等。

4, 5, 6 are quelling and quieting to place restraint on habits (when hyper)so that concentration and wisdom develop equally.

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7. Mindfulness (aware of one’s moods)

1. choosing a method (dharma)2. vigour (diligent in practice)3. Joy (in practice experience)

4. rejecting (afflictions)5. giving up (thinking and

attachments)6. samadhi (developing

concentration)

7 limbs of enlightenment

1, 2 and 3. Proactive and positive to give impetus to practice (when depressed)4, 5 and 6.

Quelling and quieting to place restraint on habits(when hyper)

7. Mindfulness at all times to perceive what is needed

Mindfulness remains

the constant in this method

of practice,which enables and

empowers practitioners to

maintain mental balance.


37mindfulness

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Moral Aspects of Mindfulnessfound in the

Thirty-seven Limbs of Enlightenmentmesh with the

Confucian tradition.

Yan Yuan asked how to be humane. 顏淵問仁，

Confucius answered: Restrain yourself and return to propriety.

子曰：「克己復禮。」

Analects Book 12, Section 1Online link: http://ctext.org/analects/yan-yuan

http://ctext.org/analects/yan-yuan

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If it’s not proper, don’t look at it.If it’s not proper, don’t listen to it.If it’s not proper, don’t speak about it.

非禮勿視、非禮勿聽、非禮勿言

Moral Aspects of Mindfulnessfound in the Confucian tradition

This means to discipline yourself. It means to be mindful in keeping your mind free of improper thoughts, in keeping your body from acting in improper ways, and in keeping your mouth from uttering improper speech.

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More popularly depicted as…

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Moral Aspects of

Mindfulnesscorrelate among

Buddhism Confucianism

Daoism

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BUDDHISM Confucianism DAOISM

Five Precepts Five Constants

Five Primal

Energies

不殺生 Refraining from killing 仁 Humaneness 元性

Primal nature

不邪陰 Refraining from inappropriate sexual behaviour

禮 Propriety 元神 Primal spirit

不妄語 Refraining from false speech

信 Trustworthiness

元氣 Primal breath

不偷盜 Refraining from stealing

義 Righteousness

元情 Primal emotion

不飲酒 Refraining from intoxicants, drugs, etc

智 Wisdom 元精 Primal essence

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And, finally, in the Buddhist practice of mindfulness,

we look to the sages, who serve as awesome role models.

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In the Ten Samadhis Chapter of the

Avatamsaka Sutra* Bodhisattvas’ practices of mindfulnessare described. A brief quote is included here.

*The Avatamsaka, 華嚴 huayan, Sutra was the first teaching Shakyamuni Buddha gave upon his Awakening. What he said was so profound that most did not understand it initially. So the Buddha then began gradually to use analogies, parables, examples, and stories, 公案 gong an, as appropriate,to explain fundamental truths.

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The Bodhisattva performs the work of the Buddhas

through mindfulness, for the sake of purifying living beings…

He performs the work of the Buddhas

through skillful enlightenment, for the sake of keeping living beings

from losing their mindfulness.

He performs the work of the Buddhas

by appearing in dreams, for the sake of ensuring that living beings will eternally maintain proper mindfulness.

Excerpt from the Ten Samadhis Chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra, describing functions of mindfulness used by Bodhisattvas.

以憶念作佛事 . 為清淨眾生故…

以方便覺悟作佛事 . 為令眾生不矢念故 .

以夢中現相作佛事 . 為令眾生恆正念故 .

this is the chinese character for mindfulness

Documents

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ancient characters

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duke of mao bronze cauldron

ancient times

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