- By Vipassana Research Institute
Maintaining the continuity of the thorough understanding of impermanence based on vedanā (sensations)1 is called sampajañña. The Aṭṭhakathākāra (the commentators) have further explained this term in various ways to clarify its meaning.
A few of these explanations follow:
Sammā pakārehi aniccādīni jānāti ti sampajaññaṃ.2
One who knows in a right way impermanence as well (as suffering and egolessness) has wisdom, has thorough understanding (sampajañña).
Samantato pakārehi pakaṭṭhaṃ vā savisesaṃ jānātī ti sampajano.3
One who understands the totality clearly with wisdom from all angles (of whatever is manifesting) or who knows distinctly has thorough understanding (sampajañña).
Sammā samantato sāmañca pajānanto sampajāno.4
One who knows in a right way, in totality through one's own wisdom, is one with thorough understanding (sampajāno).
These definitions convey the same sense as found in the canonical texts of anicca (impermanence) and its continuity. In the commentaries and the sub-commentaries, sampajañña is also elaborated in a fourfold way:
- Sātthaka-sampajañña (purposeful sampajañña),
- Sappāya-sampajaññaṃ (beneficial sampajañña),
- Gocara-sampajaññaṃ (domain sampajañña),
- Asammoha-sampajañña (non-delusion sampajañña).
- Sātthaka-sampajañña (purposeful sampajañña)
The Pāli term 'sātthaka' (sa + attha = with meaning) means 'useful' or 'purposeful'. The sense here is in distinguishing between what is useful and what is not. For a meditator who is treading on the path of Dhamma, the most useful, purposeful thing is something that can help in the realisation of paramattha sacca (ultimate truth), the cessation of suffering. To attain it, one has to totally eradicate the saṅkhāra, which are the source of all suffering. For this, one has to realise anicca (impermanence), the arising and passing away at the level of sensations. Thus, the usefulness and purposefulness of sampajañña lie only in leading meditators to realise impermanence, which alone is beneficial in the attainment of their life's mission, nibbāna. This is the true sense of sātthaka sampajañña. The continuity of practice should be maintained in all activities, such as moving forward or backward, going for begging alms, or going to visit a cetiya (shrine), etc.
- Sappāya-sampajaññaṃ (beneficial sampajañña)
The term 'sappāya' means beneficial. Knowing in totality for one's own benefit with wisdom is sappāya sampajaññaṃ.5 The most beneficial thing for a meditator is to move forward on the path which leads to the attainment of nibbāna. The experience of anicca based on body sensation is the most beneficial tool, since by mere observation of its arising and passing away, with objectivity and continuity, one goes beyond the sphere of sensations to a state beyond mind and matter.
- Gocara-sampajaññaṃ (domain sampajañña)
The term 'gocara' (go + cara) literally translates to a pasture where cows graze; however, in this context, it refers to a domain. Technically, when the term is applied in the context of meditation, it encompasses two meanings: (i) when a meditator focuses inwardly, it indicates that the body serves as the domain of his meditation; (ii) it also refers to the external activities of the meditator, such as going for alms, etc. 6
Thus the significance of gocara sampajañña lies in maintaining constant thorough understanding of impermanence, both while meditating and while performing activities in the world.7
- Asammoha-sampajañña (non-delusion sampajañña)
The term 'asammoha' means 'non-delusion' or 'without ignorance'. It refers to the non-ignorance of having thorough understanding of what is happening both inside and outside the body. The realisation of impermanence is asammoha (non-delusion). Therefore, with the experience of anicca, a meditator will be able to understand, through direct experience, three of the four paramatthā dhammā-citta (consciousness), cetasika (psychic factors), and rūpa (material qualities). All these are saṃkhātā dhammā (conditioned). By observing these dhammā objectively as anicca, one reaches the state where there is no arising and passing away, which is the fourth paramattha dhamma—nibbāna.
Although the Buddha did not mention these four sampajañña in the Canon, they are found in the Aṭṭhakathā. If we analyse each of them, we find that they are not separate from one another but have the same goal, the realisation of impermanence (anicca-bodha). Anicca-bodha is our real purpose (sātthaka). It is beneficial (sappāya) for us and is the domain (gocara) of our meditation, leading to right understanding (asammoha) that ultimately results in the final emancipation—nibbāna.
Notes: (All references are to the VRI edition.)
- Saṃyutta Nikāya 3.5.401, Satipaṭṭhānasaṃyuttaṃ Satisuttaṃ; Viditā vedanā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṃ gacchanti... And abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī hoti... Dīgha Nikāya 2.376, Mahāsatipaṭṭhānasuttaṃ.
- Dhammasaṅgaṇī Aṭṭhakathā 16, Kāmāvacarakusalapadabhājanīyaṃ
- Dīgha Nikāya Ṭikā, 2. 376
- Saṃyutta Nikāya Ṭikā, 3. 5. 367
- Dīgha Nikāya Ṭikā 1. 109; Sappāyassa attano upakārāvahassa hitassa sampajānanaṃ sappāyasampajaññaṃ.
- Ibid. 2.4.198; Abhikkamādīsu bhikkhācāragocare aññatthāpi pavattesu avijahita kammatthānasankhāte gocare sampajaññaṃ.
- Dīgha Nikāya 2. 376 Mahāsatipaṭṭhānasuttaṃ; Abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī hoti…