The Four Arisings of Mindfulness

[Mark Foote]

"What are their names, and on what streets do they live, I'd like to ride, ride over..."--David Crosby

 

A thing that is unique in all the religious literature of the world is Gautama's characterization of mindfulness as a function of the four arisings of mindfulness:  mindfulness of the body in the body, mindfulness of the feelings in the feelings, mindfulness of the mind in the mind, and mindfulness of the states of mind in the states of mind.

 

How is Zen that?--such a fundamental aspect of Gautama's teaching!

Don't mistake me, I believe Zen is that, just wondering if anyone else does.

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 10:52 PM by Mark Foote

[Lairg]

5 minutes ago, Mark Foote said:

mindfulness of the body in the body, mindfulness of the feelings in the feelings, mindfulness of the mind in the mind, and mindfulness of the states of mind in the states of mind.

 

Often I was left to mind the children.

 

In my view Gautama is saying:

 

- mind (manage) the body and its desires

- mind the emotional desires

- mind the mental processes

- stand above the minding 

 

 

[Mark Foote]

On 12/8/2025 at 4:25 PM, Lairg said:

 

Often I was left to mind the children.

 

In my view Gautama is saying:

 

- mind (manage) the body and its desires

- mind the emotional desires

- mind the mental processes

- stand above the minding 

 

 

 

 

My summary of the mindfulness he described as his own, both before and after enlightenment, would be:

 

1) Relax the activity of the body, in inhalation and exhalation;

2) Find a feeling of ease and calm the senses connected with balance, in inhalation and exhalation;

3) Appreciate and detach from thought, in inhalation and exhalation;

4) Look to the free location of consciousness for the automatic activity of the body, in inhalation and exhalation.

(Applying the Pali Instructions)

 

That last is similar to your "stand above the minding".

 

Edited Wednesday at 10:57 PM by Mark Foote

[Tommy]

Wow, I got the idea of mindfulness all wrong. To me, it meant that one should be aware of the present moment. As the same in meditation, one is aware of the breath and/or body. All the while, making actions with an awareness that keeps memory of actions made. That was difficult. In other words, being aware of where one has left their umbrella and sandals at the door. Knowing where the car keys hang. I know it isn't possible to remember every little thing (it is that way for me). But, when I make actions, I should have the awareness of what I am doing while I am doing it.

 

So, one has to be mindful of the body. And be mindful of the emotions. And, be mindful of the mind. And be mindful of the state of mind. I can barely keep it together while I just sit. And when I watch a movies, I lose myself in the story. All this mindfulness is more than I can handle at this moment. Maybe I can just quit talking and try to make things a little simpler for myself. My simple mind has reached it limit of confusing stuff.

 

I do not know how others cope with this information overload. Me, my head shuts down. Maybe that is why I like the quiet while I just sit.

[stirling]

On 12/8/2025 at 4:15 PM, Mark Foote said:

mindfulness of the body in the body, mindfulness of the feelings in the feelings, mindfulness of the mind in the mind, and mindfulness of the states of mind in the states of mind

 

Yes! What arises is just that, has no deeper meaning or conceptual stratification. This brings to mind Bahiya of the Bark Cloth, possibly the first non-dual Buddhist document:

 

Quote

"Herein, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: 'In the seen will be merely what is seen; in the heard will be merely what is heard; in the sensed will be merely what is sensed; in the cognized will be merely what is cognized.' In this way you should train yourself, Bahiya.

"When, Bahiya, for you in the seen is merely what is seen... in the cognized is merely what is cognized, then, Bahiya, you will not be 'with that.' When, Bahiya, you are not 'with that,' then, Bahiya, you will not be 'in that.' When, Bahiya, you are not 'in that,' then, Bahiya, you will be neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. Just this is the end of suffering." - Buddha, Bahiya Sutta

 

 

On 12/8/2025 at 4:15 PM, Mark Foote said:

How is Zen that?--such a fundamental aspect of Gautama's teaching!

 

It IS Zen! Absolutely! Zen is:

 

Quote

This is IT! - Shuryu Suzuki

 

What does that mean? Reality (as it NOW is), without your ideas and concepts about how it should be, IS reality. So, yes, there is just awareness of body, feelings, and mind and the coming and going of its states... but ALSO realization that "I" is NONE OF THESE. Nowhere in all of these does "self" hide. 

 

On 12/8/2025 at 4:15 PM, Mark Foote said:

Don't mistake me, I believe Zen is that, just wondering if anyone else does.

 

Do I "believe" it? Absolutely not. A belief is something we hold in the mind when we don't have the experience to PROVE it. I would entreat anyone doing this practice NOT to settle for beliefs... INSIST on actual experience! 

 

Quote

The trouble with students these days is that they seize on words and form their understanding on that basis. In a big notebook they copy down the sayings of some worthless old fellow, wrapping it up in three layers, five layers of carrying cloth, not letting anyone else see it, calling it the 'Dark Meaning' and guarding it as something precious. What a mistake! Blind fools, what sort of juice do they expect to get out of old dried bones?"- Lin-Chi, Ch'an Master, 7th Ct.

 

Theories, ideas, and interpretations are ultimately useless. The Buddha entreated us to try the teachings and use our experience to see the truth of his teachings. What we are looking for is not our cobbled together ideas but our EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE. _/\_

[stirling]

1 hour ago, Tommy said:

To me, it meant that one should be aware of the present moment. As the same in meditation, one is aware of the breath and/or body.

 

Yes, just this.

 

1 hour ago, Tommy said:

In other words, being aware of where one has left their umbrella and sandals at the door. Knowing where the car keys hang. I know it isn't possible to remember every little thing (it is that way for me). But, when I make actions, I should have the awareness of what I am doing while I am doing it.

 

BE awareness. Don't worry where memory goes, what you need to remember will arise when needed.

 

1 hour ago, Tommy said:

So, one has to be mindful of the body. And be mindful of the emotions. And, be mindful of the mind. And be mindful of the state of mind.

 

Just notice what arises. Don't feel you have to keep track. 

 

1 hour ago, Tommy said:

Maybe that is why I like the quiet while I just sit.

 

_/\_ Just this.

[Krenx]

On 12/8/2025 at 4:15 PM, Mark Foote said:

"What are their names, and on what streets do they live, I'd like to ride, ride over..."--David Crosby

 

A thing that is unique in all the religious literature of the world is Gautama's characterization of mindfulness as a function of the four arisings of mindfulness:  mindfulness of the body in the body, mindfulness of the feelings in the feelings, mindfulness of the mind in the mind, and mindfulness of the states of mind in the states of mind.

 

How is Zen that?--such a fundamental aspect of Gautama's teaching!

Don't mistake me, I believe Zen is that, just wondering if anyone else does.

 

 

 

 

That teaching by the Buddha is an extremely key part of the practice for contemplation, connected to the teachings of dependent origination. 

 

To gradually develop the insight that the 12 links are phenomena that arises on this own, and passes away independently. It is our ignorance that connects and links the chain up creating samsara. 

 

So observing body in body, feeling in feeling, we start to be mindful and apply skillful action and habits to see things as they are and weaken this chain. 

 

An example would be feelings of anger. We see this anger arise,  We restraint it from rolling into action. And we watch the feeling change on its own. 

 

And eventually your heart will realize that no amount of pressure of feelings can EVER be enough to automatically turn into action. It is in fact impossible. It is our choice to make that assumption to allow anger to turn into harmful actions for example. We made that assumption and choice, the feelings could never do it on its own. 

 

Our feelings are not responsible, what caused the feelings are not responsible. We are responsible for that habitual action based on an assumption, that chain of assumption to be form and bind ourselves in samsara.  

 

Very important and unique teaching from the Buddha.