Four Foundations of Awareness »

What, friends, are the Four Foundations of Awareness?

1: Body as foul frame:
While always acutely alert & clearly comprehending, thus removing
any lust, urge, envy, frustration & discontent rooted in this world,
the intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all
Body as an alien frame of filthy & foul form... As something bound
to emerge, decay and vanish... Neither as mine, nor belonging to me,
nor as 'what I am', nor as a manifested representation of 'myself'!
Neither as lasting, stable safety! Nor as pleasant beauty and pride!

2: Feeling as annoying reaction:
The intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all
Feeling as a remote ever recurring reactivity... As something bound
to arise, decay & fade away! Not as mine, felt by me, nor belonging
to me, nor as what 'I am', nor as something felt by my very self!
Neither as lasting, stable & safe! Nor as ever pleasure & only bliss!

3: Mind as passing moods:
The intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all
Mind as a habituated set of bizarre mentalities of a weird nature,
that appears, dwindles, flutters & flickers... Neither as something
that 'I am', nor as a part of 'me', nor making up 'my ego' or 'my self'!
Neither as lasting, stable or same! Not as fascinating! Not as soul!

4: Phenomena as momentary appearances:
The intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all
Phenomena as mentally constructed appearances of momentary
manifestation always ending right where they arised. Not as mine,
belonging to me or any self! Not as something lasting, stable or real!
Not as existent, enduring, substantial, material, absolute or authentic!

The 4 Great Frames of Reference!

This is the fourfold Foundation of Awareness...! This - only this -
is the sole way to the purification of beings! Why is it actually so?
It is an indispensable support for a presence, that has to stand near!
It has to be made manifest, to be of service as a guarding activity!
It has to be established, as a continuous dominance of comprehension!
It is essential & absolutely necessary for optimizing any behaviour!
It is a crucially needed key, imperative for preventing all mistakes!
It is a vitally fundamental prerequisite for guidance & self-control!
It is the only thing that can overcome relapses of careless neglect!
When not aware of what one is doing, serious mistakes is inevitable!