In today’s fast-paced world, mindfulness has become a buzzword, a trendy practice packaged and sold for profit. But what lies beneath this commercial facade?
Mindfulness, originally imparted freely by the Buddha, has now been commodified to an alarming extent. The proliferation of mindfulness apps and the rise of million-dollar businesses built upon them are clear indicators of this troubling trend.
Ron Purser and David Loy, in their article on “Beyond McMindfulness,” shed light on this commercialisation of mindfulness. They aptly criticise the “stripped down, secular technique” that divorces mindfulness from its ethical foundation, rendering it ineffective in addressing the deeper causes of human suffering. The staggering billion-dollar industry surrounding mindfulness further underscores the extent to which this ancient practice has been co-opted for profit.
How did meditation start? Ajahn Sujato, in his publication The History of Mindfulness, says:
“The earliest evidence for meditative culture anywhere in the world is from the Indus valley civilisation. This was a vast, sophisticated, and well-organised society which, at its peak in 2500–3000 BCE, stretched from what is now Pakistan to the Ganges valley. The evolution of this civilisation can be traced as far back as 7000 BCE in Afghanistan, with a series of villages that became towns, and then towns that became cities.”
Buddhist teachings
The translation of Sammma Sati from the Pali language as “Right Mindfulness” by Thomas William Rhys Davids in the 19th century marked a pivotal moment in bringing Buddhist teachings to the West.
Then, it was German-born Theravada Buddhist monk, Nyanaponika Thera’s groundbreaking publication in the 20th century, entitled The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, which provided a comprehensive understanding of mindfulness in its Buddhist context. “The book that started it all,” said Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts.
This book summarises the Buddha’s teaching as the doctrine of the mind to three things: to know the Mind that is so near to us and yet so unknown; to shape the Mind that is unwieldy and obstinate, yet may turn so pliant; and to free the Mind that is in bondage all over, yet may win freedom, here and now.
Buddhist scholars, such as Professor Walpola Rahula Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi, further emphasise the interconnectedness of the Noble Eightfold Path, highlighting the need to cultivate all its components simultaneously.
Mindfulness, when divorced from its ethical foundation, becomes a hollow shell, devoid of its transformative power.
Unparalleled teachings
The Buddha’s unparalleled teachings on mindfulness meditation are richly documented in the authenticated Tipitaka (The Three Baskets) or Early Buddhist Texts.
For example, in his seminal Satipatthana Sutta (The discourse on Mindfulness Meditation), Middle Discourses 10 starts as follows:
“And how does a mendicant meditate observing an aspect of the body?
Kathanca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kayekayanupassiviharati?
It’s when a mendicant — gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut — sits down cross-legged, with their body straight, and focuses their mindfulness right there.
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arannagatovarukkhamulagatovasunnagaragatovanisidati, pallankamabhujitva, ujumkayampanidhaya, parimukhamsatimupatthapetva.
Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out.
So satovaassasati, satovapassasati.
And the purpose of mindfulness meditation?
‘The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realise extinguishment.’
‘Ekayanoayam, bhikkhave, maggosattanamvisuddhiyasokaparidevanamsamatikkamayadukkhadomanassanamatthangamayanayassaadhigamayanibbanassasacchikiriyayayadidamcattarosatipatthana’ti.
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”
Iti yam tam vuttam, idametampaticcavuttan”ti.
During my journey through the intermediate and teacher training certification programmes in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), I encountered a troubling trend: the secularisation of mindfulness at the expense of its rich Buddhist roots.
Promotional hype
The promotional hype surrounding certain mindfulness programmes, even today, which portray mindfulness as a cure-all for life’s challenges, is alarming.
The Buddha understood that mindfulness was not a universally applicable remedy. Instead, he provided tailored guidance and counselling to individuals based on their unique circumstances and needs. This personalised approach underscores the importance of discernment and skilful means in applying mindfulness practices.
Furthermore, the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path stands as a timeless guide to living a life of wisdom, compassion, and liberation from suffering. Each of its eight factors is intricately interconnected, forming a holistic framework for ethical living and spiritual development.
The Eightfold Path begins with Right View, the understanding of the Four Noble Truths and the nature of reality. Right View provides the foundational wisdom necessary for embarking on the path towards liberation. It is this clear understanding that lays the groundwork for Right Intention, the second factor, which directs our actions towards wholesome and compassionate ends.
Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood constitute the ethical dimension of the Eightfold Path. These factors guide us in cultivating integrity, kindness, and compassion in our interactions with others and the world around us.
Mindfulness, often referred to as Right Mindfulness, is the seventh factor of the Eightfold Path. It entails the cultivation of present-moment awareness and non-judgmental attention to our thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
However, mindfulness cannot exist in isolation. It is intimately intertwined with the other factors of the Eightfold Path. Right Effort supports mindfulness by cultivating wholesome mental states and abandoning unwholesome ones. Right Concentration strengthens mindfulness through the development of deep meditative absorption, leading to profound states of tranquility and insight.
Thus, mindfulness is inherently value-based. Mindfulness without ethical grounding runs the risk of becoming superficial, disconnected from its transformative potential. It is only when mindfulness is integrated with ethical conduct, wisdom, and compassion that its true power is realised.
(Don de Silva is a Buddhist Counsellor and provides voluntary counselling and mentoring support at several UK and international universities and community organisations. He was a former director at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). He is a certified Mindfulness teacher and trainer. He also presents regularly on Buddhism and global environmental issues.)
Don de Silva