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is the Pāli word for the Buddhist concept of the establishment or foundations of mindfulness. The corresponding word in Sanskrit (Skt.) is and in Chinese it is ‘mindfulness-place’ (念處). is a compound word, consisting of sati ("to remember"), and ("attendance", underscoring the mental qualities co-existent with or antecedent to mindfulness) or ("setting forth," "starting point," "foundation," underscoring the object used to gain mindfulness).
The fourfold "establishment of mindfulness" (Pāli ) is set out in the Satipatthana Sutta for attaining and maintaining moment-by-moment mindfulness or retention ( Sati) of four domains, "constantly watching sensory experience in order to prevent the arising of cravings which would power future experience into rebirths." The four domains are:
- mindfulness of the body;
- mindfulness of feelings or sensations ( vedanā);
- mindfulness of mind or consciousness ( citta); and
- mindfulness of dhammās.
The Buddha referred to the fourfold establishment of mindfulness as a "direct" or "one-way path" for purification and the realisation of nirvana.
The modern Theravadan Buddhism and the Vipassana or Insight Meditation Movement promote satipatthana as key techniques for achieving mindfulness, promoting "mindfulness" as meaning careful attention instead of the recollection of the dhamma.