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Mindfulness is today even used by the military to ‘Right mindfulness’ is intricately woven into the broader
train sharp shooters to kill as well as in corporate framework of the Noble Eightfold Path, with ‘right
circles for business leaders to be more focused in view’ serving as its foundational precursor. The Buddha
making more profits. The ethical dimension seems eloquently emphasized this interconnection, stating,
missing here – do you think mindfulness should “For one with right view, right intention arises. From
incorporate ethics into it? right intention, follow right speech, right action, right
livelihood, and, in turn, right effort. It is from right effort
It’s important to recognize that simply attaining a that right mindfulness emerges, eventually leading to
state of singular focus on a task does not equate to right concentration.” (Samyutta Nikaya 45.1)
mindfulness. To truly understand mindfulness, we must
revisit its core principles. Mindfulness practice centers The core of Buddhist ‘right view’ resides in the profound
on two fundamental aspects: the quality or attitude with realization that all conditioned phenomena, which
which we engage, and the subject of our attention. encompass the physical body, feelings, emotions, and
thoughts arise and fade away due to the intricate web
This approach encompasses the art of attentively of their own causes and conditions. Consequently, they
observing oneself and treating others with a spirit of inherently manifest the attributes of unsatisfactoriness,
kindness and compassion. In essence, it adds an ethical impermanence, and ‘not-self,’ meaning they exist
dimension to modern mindfulness, emphasizing the beyond the realm of individual control. This perspective
importance of not only what we focus on but also how bestows a profound and expansive dimension upon the
we do so. Pursuing profits or personal success is not concept of mindfulness, setting it apart significantly
inherently flawed, it is a valid and often necessary from its modern interpretation. This represents
aspect of the corporate world. Mindfulness reminds us the principal distinction between Buddhist and
that it is equally crucial to do so in a conscientious and contemporary understandings of mindfulness.
morally upright manner.
Interestingly, in the Mandarin language, mindfulness
Notably, the Buddha drew a clear distinction between is frequently translated as “正念” (zhèngniàn), which
‘right mindfulness’ (sammā-sati) and ‘wrong mindfulness’ directly translates to ‘right mindfulness.’ I sometime
(micchā-sati). The term ‘sammā’ carries the connotation of seize the opportunity to elucidate this profound
‘correctly, properly and thoroughly,’ implying a connection significance to my Chinese students.
to virtuous and skillful mental states.