SATIPAṬṬHĀNA
The
established "scholarship" has it that the likely derivation
is: upaṭṭhāna = upa + √ṭhā - Least
likely: upaṭṭhāna = u + pa + √ṭhā
However,
another possibility has escaped the scrutiny of the scholar.
For
Pa is not just a verbal prefix.
√Pa, in Pali, is also
described as adjective ("drinking") in this little
dictionary
of roots:
And
it has also the meaning of "guarding".
So
instead of sati + upaṭṭhāna, viz. establishment of
sati (mindfulness) - wouldn't it be rather
satipa
+ (ṭ)ṭhāna;
namely dwelling,
protecting sati (the recollection of the Teaching)?
The latter
would be more accurate; considering the four dwellings that are
concerned with satipaṭṭhāna; namely: body, feeling,
mind (citta) and
phenomena (dhamma).
Some
will argue that upaṭṭheti is almost certainly the source
of the paṭṭhāna part; because of the common sutta
phrase "satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā".
But
we have also to include "parimukhaṃ" in this pericope
- namely: "parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā,"
that is translated by two major transcribers, as "setting
mindfulness to the fore" (in front of him).
I
suppose that we will have to rely on Sanskrit once more (sorry to
have to direct you towards a french/pali
dictionary site):
Mukha
= "front d'une armée" means an "army
front".
"ājimukha" means "first line in a
battle", for instance.
Pari has the same meaning in Sanskrit
than in Pali; viz. "about".
=> Parimukha could well
mean: "about (in the area of) the front (line)".
This
would indeed be well in accord with the definition of
upaṭṭhahati：[upa
+ ṭhā + a]: waits or attends on；
cares
for - to stand out or forth, to arise, to be present.
Pallaṅkaṃ
ābhujitvā ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya
parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā - would
take then the following meaning:
Having folded his legs crosswise,
straightened his body, and set up (arisen)
mindfulness [the recollection of the Teaching/Dhamma,] in the front
(as the first line of protection).
It
is not just about an "establishment of mindfulness", with a
muzzy meaning about what Mindfulness (sati) might be all about.
Parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā, takes
now the meaning of a sati that withstands something. Namely the
kusala states. A sati that guards something as in SN
35.245 .
And satipaṭṭhāna takes
the meaning of dwellings, that protect this recollection of the
teaching.
There is a double protection involved here.
1. Protecting the Teaching.
It
is, friend, when these four establishments of mindfulness are not
developed and cultivated that the true Dhamma declines.
SN 47.23
2. Protecting the internal spheres of senses.
‘The
six gates’: this is a designation for the six internal sense
bases. ‘The gatekeeper’: this is a designation for
mindfulness.
SN 35.245
Sati is indeed the recollection of the Dhamma; which is the thing you put in the front line to restrict the bad states (kusala dhammas). And satipaṭṭhāna is the means to protect this recollection; viz. dwelling in the four frames (body, feeling, mind and phenomena). Dwelling in the four frames IS the recollection of the Teaching.
What
are the rationale for satipa
+(ṭ)ṭhāna.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pa,
in fine compositi, means guarding something in Sanskrit.
For
instance, "apānapa" means "guarding the vital air
(apāna)" - [see line 5 here:
http://sanskrit.inria.fr/MW/145.html#paf3 - ]
In
Sanskrit, "king" is spelled "nṛpa" [«who
protect men»].
We find such occurence in pali with janādhipa
(a king [of men] - lit: protecting (pa) living creatures (janā)
with wisdom (dhi)).
A
woman child, 0 king, may prove
Even a better offspring than a
male
Itthīpi hi ekacciyā,
seyyā posa
janādhipa
SN 3.16
Satipa could very well mean: protecting sati.
"Ṭhāna": (present participle); drawn from tiṭṭhati (√ṭhā ) - Skt.: sthā: Standing, remaining, staying, abiding.
So
a quite plausible definition of satipaṭṭhāna might
be the following:
Satipaṭṭhāna =
Standing (abiding,) protecting the recollection of the Teaching
(Dhamma).
Another
rationale:
------------------
A note on satinepakkena in SN 48.9:
"And
what, bhikkhus, is the faculty of mindfulness?
Here, bhikkhus, the
noble disciple is mindful, possessing superior
"protection/discrimination
from the Teaching ?", one who remembers
and
recollects what was done and said long ago.
Katamañca,
bhikkhave, satindriyaṃ?
Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako
satimā hoti paramena satinepakkena
samannāgato cirakatampi cirabhāsitampi saritā
anussaritā
Why "protection/discrimination from the Teaching" ?
The PTS dictionary has for definition of nepakka: [fr．nipaka] prudence，discrimination，carefulness - [from Sanskrit nipa].
In the Sanskrit Monier-Williams dictionary, Nipa has the following meanings:
do
a search (ctrl-s) on the following sentence:
निपा
[
nipā ] [ ni-√ pā:2 ] P. [ -pāti ]
in this
page: http://sanskrit.inria.fr/MW/139.html#nipaa
You should have the following definitions:
निपा [ nipā ] to guard or protect from (abl.) ; to observe , watch over, to protect , guard , govern.
निप
[
nipa ] [ ni-pa ] m. f. n. protecting.
[ nipa ] m. a lord , chief.
निपक
[
nipaka ] intelligent , wise ( cf. Pāli)
[ nipaka ] chief
निपान [ nipāna ] n. place of refuge.
Once again, we see how nepakka is related to the concept of "protection".
________
Added notes
Note
1:
A good satipaṭṭhāna ("dwelling
preserving the Teaching", for short), has requisites, as stated
in the Noble Path and elswhere.
Namely
sila/virtue
; among other
things.
Interesting among these other things, are
the four right strivings (efforts - sammappadhānāna). These
are:
The effort to restrain,
The effort to abandon,
The
effort to make-become,
The effort to preserve.
Sati and satipaṭṭhāna are dealing with these.
In
other words, unconnect with discernment (cf. sampajāno >
pañña) and with mindfulness (sati as a gate-keeper),
from the akusala dhammas; and (make-become and) preserve the kusala
Dhamma.
Switch from the external to the internal. For the internal
has for origin (yoniso) the breath (assāsapassāsā/anapana)
that is good.
This is, I suppose, the way on how to dwell
preserving the recollection of the Teaching (satipaṭṭhāna)
; as far as this recollection can be taken to.
Each frame must be
entered upon, and dwelled into, in this state of mind (citta &
mano).
As
the tortoise draws into his shell
Each limb, the monk, withdrawn,
with mind applied,
Unattached, and doing harm to none,
Passions
wholly stilled, dwells disputing with no one.
Kummova aṅgāni
sake kapāle,
Samodahaṃ bhikkhu manovitakke;
Anissito
aññamaheṭhayāno,
Parinibbuto nūpavadeyya
kañcī”ti.
SN 1.17
Note 2:
What
memory (smara in Sanskrit - smara is the root for sṃrti,) could
have meant at the time of Buddha?
We find in Chandogya Upaniśad,
in the thirteenth Khaṇḍha of the Seventh chapter, the
definition of Memory.
Memory
(smara) verily is more than Space.
----
If they should
remember, then they would hear, then they would think, then they
would understand. Through Memory, assuredly, one discerns
his
children.
----
As far as Memory goes, so far he has
unlimited freedom.
In the fourteenth Khaṇḍa:
Memory
learns the sacred sayings (mantra).
So
know your teaching
It is in the samyutta
with parallels.
Mudita
________
*