The Dhammapada begins with two famous verses on mindfulness (and I say here mindfulness in the original sense of having your mind full of good things). The verses go:
♫ Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā, ♫
♫ manasā ce paduṭṭhena bhāsati vā karoti vā, ♫
♫ tato naṁ dukkham-anveti cakkaṁ va vahato padaṁ. ♫
♫ Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā, ♫
♫ manasā ce pasannena bhāsati vā karoti vā, ♫
♫ tato naṁ sukham-anveti chāyā va anapāyinī. ♫
This means:
“Mind is the forerunner of all states,
Mind is chief, mind-made are they,
If one speaks or acts with a wicked mind,
Because of that dukkha follows
Even as the wheel follows the hoof.”
... wheel follows the hoof: this is the image of an oxen, pulling a heavy cart.
And then the second verse repeats some of this:
“Mind is the forerunner of all states,
Mind is chief, mind-made are they,
If one speaks or acts with a good mind, pure mind,
Because of that sukha (happiness, sweetness, sukhavati, the Pure Land) follows one
Even as a shadow that never leaves.”
So, these two verses are the original meaning of mindfulness:
If you have your mind full of dukkha: dukkha follows.
If you have your mind full of sukha: sukha follows.
Bad mind: bad actions.
Good mind: good actions.
So, how do you fill your mind with good things?
You fill you mind with good things by taking refuge.
Taking refuge means filling your mind with a good thing.
And the good thing is The Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
So, the verses of refuge are very important in this sense, and again, they're often chanted or sung, so that they lodge in the mind in a firm way.
♫ Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa. ♫
♫ Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa. ♫
I take refuge in that One, the Bhagavat, the Arahat, the completely Enligthend One.
Like that! This is a very fundamental Buddhis chant:
Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa
And if you sing it then, of course, it sticks in your mind. It goes round and round your mind. So, this is mindfulness: you fill your mind with a good thing.
And this having your mind full of something good protects you, it's a protector, it's a, we say, a mantra, which means a “mind protector”, it protects the mind.
It protects the mind against what? Well, against whatever might happen in the present moment. Mindfulness protects you against the present moment, because in the present moment anything can happen. Who knows what will show up? Who knows what will get into your mind? Some advert, some malicious influence, some temptation, greed, hate, delusion. Anything might creep in in the present moment, if you are unguarded, but if your mind is guarded with refuge, your mind in safe. This is the basis of mindfulness.
♫ Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā ♫
Mind is chief, mind-made are they
This is nembutsu in Pali.
Namo Amida Bu
Thank you very much
Dharmavidya
David
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