Relationship between Pajanati (knowing) and sampajañña (clear comprehension)

Relationship between Pajanati (knowing) and sampajañña (clear comprehension)

 Question: Venerable Sir, in the Satipatthana Sutta, we find the references “Digam va assasanto digam assasamiti pajanati” and “sampajana kari hoti” in the analysis of the section on kayanupassana (contemplation on the body). What is the relation between “pajanati” and “sampajañña” in this analysis? Is there a distinction between these two? What type of a lesson that the Buddha has taught a novice in mediation in this instance?

Answer:  In other words, your question refers to the relationship between “gaccantova gaccamiti pajanati” in the section on postures (iriyapata pabba) and the term “sampajanna”. There is a significant distinction between these two terms. You find the term “janati” which means “knowing”, in this analysis. “Pajanati” means “knowing clearly”. What does a meditator know clearly? When he walks he does so, knowing clearly, that he is walking. You would remember that in our previous discussions we learnt about a specific mental development resulting from becoming aware of the in and out breath. That is the state where the meditator perceives only breath as the object of the mind. This state is known as Samadhi (concentration). Now he could maintain any posture or carry out any physical activity in such a way that his actions or postures would not have any impact on the Samadhi mental state. When the meditator masters the Samadhi mental state for a considerable period of time, it enables him to engage in any activity without having any negative impact on his defilement-free Samadhi. This process is known as “pajanati” (clear comprehension).

In this circumstance, what should our goal be in meditation? Our goal should be to improve the mental state which was developed up to Samadhi further and further. The Buddha teaches the meditator to reinforce the Samadhi state by integrating a new aspect known as “sampajañña” at this stage. Sampajañña trains a meditator to be highly vigilant,alert when he engages in any activity, subject to his primary meditation objective, which is to be free from any form of suffering.

Sampajañña should be a part and parcel of the mental activity of a meditator, whether it is moving forward, moving backward, turning or answering a call of nature. We find this advice in the Satipatthana Sutta as “abhikkante patikkante sampajanakari hoti. Alokite vilokite sampajanakari hoti. Saminjite pasarite sampajanakari hoti….”  In short, this means that every action should be accompanied and integrated with Sampajañña. We need to remember one thing at this stage. The content in the section on Sampajañña is far greater in strength, vitality than the section on pajanati. This demonstrates the significance of Sampajañña in producing happiness in a mind. Sampajañña is categorised in to four sections which is also known as “catusampajañña”. Those are,

        

       1. Satthaka-sampajanna (purposeful sampajanna)  

       2. Sappaya-sampajanna (beneficial sampajanna)
       3. Gocara-sampajanna  (domain sampajanna)

    4. Asammoha-sampajanna (non-delusion sampajanna)

Let’s talk about the Satthaka-sampajanna first. A meditator’s sole objective is to bring about happiness to his life by eliminating suffering as much as possible. What should be the course of action that a meditator should take to fulfil this objective? He should bear in mind very well that when he confronts a sense object, the confrontation should not make way for any discomfort or suffering. The confrontation should not be a source of suffering whatsoever. This mental frame and alertness would bring the expected results in the face of any contact with sense objects. The meditator becomes highly alert when he confronts sense objects so any such confrontation would not be a source of suffering.

A meditator keeps in touch with any sense object that comes in to contact with his sense faculties. However, the meditator handles any object in such a way that these objects would not pose any discomfort or suffering to him. He associates the object and lets it go naturally after purifying the negative dhammas from each object. This process is known as gocara-sampajanna. With Gocara-sampajanna in mind, he becomes satisfied that he is not vulnerable to any sense objects which have the potential to cause suffering. So, he successfully confronts objects without being vulnerable to their ill effects.

The meditator who achieved an advanced frame of mind based on Satthaka-sampajanna and Gocara-sampajanna is compelled to nurse; nourish his mind in a specific way in order to maintain this advanced frame of mind continuously. The way to nurse, nourish his mind is given in the sappaya-sampajanna. What is the way to nurse, nourish the mind?  Mind needs to be nourished with substances in order to think in terms of the right way which does not generate defilements when confronted with diverse sense objects such as visual forms, sounds, flavours, odours and tactile sensations. We can use an analogy to substantiate this process. Confronting a pretty girl is a sensuous object for an ordinary worldling (puthajjana). However, a meditator who resorts to the fourfold sampajanna practice would think differently and nourish his mind in terms of sampajanna, when confronted with this sensuous object. He would think that he sees a visual object which is outwardly pleasant, even though, he is uncertain about the internal composition and the nature of the object. So, he determines that there is nothing in the visual object to be attached to. When the meditator begins to think in this manner, defilements tend to be suppressed. This is how the sappaya-sampajanna facilitates a meditator to suppress various defilements. When the meditator is satisfied with the mental progress and success achieved with the assistance of these three sampajannas, he becomes convinced, without any doubt, about the accuracy of his practice and the possibility of reaping benefits as well. He discovers for himself the attainment of happiness, cessation of suffering as promised by the teachings of the four fold sampajanna. This is the mental attainment known as the asammoha-sampajanna. The component, asammoha-sampajanna empowers a meditator to see whether his mind deviates from the other three sampajannas. The significant lesson taught by the Buddha at this stage is to reinforce the “pajanati-based mind” with the four fold sampajanna for the purpose of vitalizing it further. This sampajanna practice helps the meditator to develop further confidence to overcome defilements.