อารัมภบทI shall now explain and expand upon the meaning of the Dhamma theme written above, as a guide for study and practice.

อธิบายบทตั้งTo explain: It teaches that mindfulness is an important quality that helps us live well each day, because it reminds us not to be careless, not to forget our duties and not to let emotions lead us into wrongdoing. The word "better" here refers to one who is good in the way he lives. When mindfulness is trained together with wisdom and effort, it helps us learn to correct our shortcomings and improve ourselves.

ขยายความบทตั้งA careless person may repeat mistakes because he does not review what he has done. One who trains in mindfulness regularly recalls what he has thought, said and done today, and then considers what is good and should be kept, and what is not good and should be avoided or corrected. Reviewing oneself in this way is one method that helps us learn from our mistakes and gradually improve our conduct. This does not mean that a mindful person never makes mistakes, but that when he does, he is ready to learn and improve.

ขยายความบทตั้งIn the Maṇibhadda Sutta, from which this saying comes, the Buddha showed that mindfulness supports progress and happiness, but mindfulness alone is not enough to be free from enmity. He therefore went on to speak of loving-kindness and delight in harmlessness. This teaching reminds us to train mindfulness together with goodwill towards others, not to use words or actions to cause trouble, and not to hold grudges or seek revenge when conflict arises.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑Mindfulness is recollection and freedom from absent-mindedness. It keeps the mind always awake, helping a person live heedfully and remember their duties and what ought to be done. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Saṃyutta Nikāya, Sagāthāvagga:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: This saying, "sati lokasmi jāgaro", meaning "Mindfulness is the quality of wakefulness in the world," signifies that mindfulness reminds a person to live heedfully, without absent-mindedness and without neglecting to do good. The word "mindfulness" (sati) means recollection, not being absent-minded, and keeping the mind on the task at hand; it helps one to remember one's duties, what one should do and what one should refrain from. One who has mindfulness is therefore like one who is awake, because he does not let his life run on in heedlessness.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑Sleep here does not mean natural sleep, but is a comparison for heedlessness, carelessness and infatuation with various things until one forgets one's duties and neglects what is right. A person whose mind is asleep in this way is easily overwhelmed by the defilements, like a house whose guard has fallen asleep, giving thieves the opportunity to come in and steal. Mindfulness is therefore like a guard watching the gate of the mind, warning one not to let oneself be carried away by moods. When greed, anger or delusion arises, mindfulness helps one to remember to guard the mind and opens the way for wisdom to consider and hold back words or actions that might cause harm.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑A teaching in line with this explanation appears in the Jāgara Sutta, which says that when the five faculties are awake, the five hindrances are said to be asleep, and when the five hindrances are asleep, the five faculties are said to be awake. The five faculties, namely faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom, are important qualities that support the development of the mind. The five hindrances, namely sensual desire (kāmacchanda), delight in sensual pleasures; ill will (byāpāda), thoughts of harming others; sloth and torpor (thīnamiddha), dejection and drowsiness; restlessness and remorse (uddhaccakukkucca), agitation and worry; and doubt (vicikicchā), wavering uncertainty, are qualities that obstruct the mind from progressing in goodness. The wakefulness of the faculties and the sleep of the hindrances are therefore an image showing a life lived with wholesome qualities, without letting unwholesome qualities take over.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑The commentary on the Jāgara Sutta explains that one who is endowed with the five faculties is called awake even while sleeping, because he is heedful and endowed with what is wholesome, while one who is endowed with the five hindrances is called asleep even in other postures, because he is heedless and endowed with what is unwholesome. Therefore, the statement "even while sleeping, one is called awake" means being heedful in the Dhamma; it does not mean that while asleep one is still aware of events or dangers around one all the time.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๒When a person keeps mindfulness in every posture, whatever the situation, they know how to avoid decline and rightly choose the path that leads to prosperity. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Saṃyutta Nikāya, Sagāthāvagga:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: The words "one who is mindful" mean one who recollects and is always self-aware, not absent-minded in thinking, speaking or acting. As for "prosperity", it means what is good, safety and progress. This saying teaches that one who is mindful meets with prosperity at all times; that is, whatever situation he is in, mindfulness always helps to lead him towards what is good.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒Mindfulness is a quality of great help, because it is the foundation of all goodness. Giving requires mindfulness in order to be done correctly and appropriately; keeping the precepts requires mindfulness so as not to transgress through carelessness; work requires mindfulness so as not to make mistakes; and study also requires mindfulness in order to remember and understand. One who has mindfulness is therefore like a person walking in the dark with a lamp in hand: he sees the way clearly, does not stumble and fall, and does not lose his way. Prosperity can therefore come to him at all times.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๓The mindful person obtains a happiness that keeps growing, because mindfulness shuts out the suffering born of heedlessness and opens the way to rightful happiness. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Saṃyutta Nikāya, Sagāthāvagga:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๓To explain: This saying teaches that one who is mindful gains happiness. The words "gains happiness" in Pali mean that happiness grows and flourishes; that is, one is not happy only for a moment, but that happiness increases more and more. One who is mindful is happy because mindfulness helps to shut out the suffering that comes from heedlessness and opens the way for right happiness to enter one's life.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๓Much human suffering arises from a lack of mindfulness, such as speaking without thinking until one quarrels with others, spending without restraint until one falls into debt, working carelessly until damage is done, or letting the mind go round and round over things that make it gloomy. One who is mindful sees his own thoughts and moods clearly: when anger arises he knows it, when worry arises he knows it, and he does not let those moods overwhelm him. His mind is therefore calm, and that calm is itself true happiness. Moreover, one who is mindful knows how to live in the present, fully enjoying the happiness of what is in front of him, without sinking into the past or worrying too much about the future.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, a mindful student, when the teacher points out mistakes in his homework, listens attentively and uses the advice to improve. A mindful worker regularly checks his own work and corrects any shortcomings he finds. Someone who used to speak rudely, if he trains himself to pause before speaking and to consider the feelings of the listener, can gradually make his speech more polite. These are examples of using mindfulness to build goodness each day.

สรุปTo conclude: We should therefore train mindfulness both while carrying out our duties and while reviewing ourselves, keeping what is good, correcting what is wrong and treating others with loving-kindness. With regular practice, mindfulness helps us live carefully, with goodness as the principle of our hearts. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

ปิดท้ายThus has the meaning been explained, as set forth above.