This “Dhamma Studies: The Fundamentals” course, based on the curriculum of the Thai Nak Tham standardized exams, leads students through a stepwise enumeration of groups of Dhammas similar to that found in the Aṅguttara Nikāya. The Course is broken up into Eight Units with each unit providing enough material for a suggested two weeks of in-depth study resulting in a four-month introductory syllabus. Each Unit features numbered lists of Dhammas in progressive ordering. Thus, Unit 1 contains several Dhamma lists featuring, two, then three items. Unit 2 features further Dhamma lists of three and four items, etc. The course discussion forum hosted through Discord can be reached through the link to the right.

I – The Buddha’s View of an Excellent Life

Overview

Mindfulness (sati) and clear comprehension (sampajañña) lie at the very heart of the Buddha’s teaching. Rather than appearing in isolation as it often does in secular contexts, the knowing mental quality of mindfulness regularly shows up in the Buddha’s early discourses paired with the discriminative factor of clear comprehension or alertness. In this lesson, these two mindstates will be examined in their native context of the Pali Canon and through the discerning writings of ancient and modern commentators try to put them into lived practice.

You may download the topic’s flashcard deck on Quizlet or Anki for further study.

Pre-test yourself

Sample Video Placeholder

Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension Lecture Example | Ajahn Example

Download the Lecture  iTunes  Google  Spotify  Mp3

1) Definitions

  1. Sati (सति, สติ, သတိ, සති)
    1. mindfulness
    2. awareness
    3. memory
  2. Sampajañña (सम्पजञ्ञ, สมฺปชญฺญ, သမ္ပဇည, සම්පජඤ්ඤ)
    1. clear comprehension (Payutto; TW Rhys Davids;; Bodhi; Soma)
    2. alertness (Thanissaro)
    3. clear knowing (Anālayo)
    4. Extra: constant thorough understanding of impermanence (VRI); full awareness (Nhat Hanh); attention, consideration, discrimination, comprehension, circumspection (PED); introspection (Wallace)

Review (Click text for answer)

2) Sutta Selections

  1. Sati
    1. SN 48.10
    2. DN 22 
  2. Sampajañña
    1. SN 47.35 

Review (Click text for answer)

3) Ancient Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. “Sati has the sense of establishment (upaṭṭhāna)” [Visuddhimagga]
  2. Sampajañña (4 types) [Commentary to the Sāmaññaphala Sutta]
    1. Clear Comprehension as to Purpose (Pāli: sātthaka): refraining from activities irrelevant to the path.
    2. Clear Comprehension as to Suitability (sappāya): pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner.
    3. Clear Comprehension as to Domain (gocara):[12] maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness.
    4. Clear Comprehension as to Non-delusion (asammoha): seeing the true nature of reality.

Review (Click text for answer)

4) Modern Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. Nyanaponika “The Power of Mindfulness”
    2. Sumedho “Mindfulness: The Path to the Deathless”
    3. Thanissaro “Mindfulness Defined”
    4. Extra: Gunaratana
  2. Sampajañña
    1. VRI article

Review (Click text for answer)

II – Understanding Dhamma-Vinaya and the Pātimokkha

Overview

Mindfulness (sati) and clear comprehension (sampajañña) lie at the very heart of the Buddha’s teaching. Rather than appearing in isolation as it often does in secular contexts, the knowing mental quality of mindfulness regularly shows up in the Buddha’s early discourses paired with the discriminative factor of clear comprehension or alertness. In this lesson, these two mindstates will be examined in their native context of the Pali Canon and through the discerning writings of ancient and modern commentators try to put them into lived practice.

You may download the topic’s flashcard deck on Quizlet or Anki for further study.

Pre-test yourself

Sample Video Placeholder

Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension Lecture Example | Ajahn Example

Download the Lecture  iTunes  Google  Spotify  Mp3

1) Definitions

  1. Sati (सति, สติ, သတိ, සති)
    1. mindfulness
    2. awareness
    3. memory
  2. Sampajañña (सम्पजञ्ञ, สมฺปชญฺญ, သမ္ပဇည, සම්පජඤ්ඤ)
    1. clear comprehension (Payutto; TW Rhys Davids;; Bodhi; Soma)
    2. alertness (Thanissaro)
    3. clear knowing (Anālayo)
    4. Extra: constant thorough understanding of impermanence (VRI); full awareness (Nhat Hanh); attention, consideration, discrimination, comprehension, circumspection (PED); introspection (Wallace)

Review (Click text for answer)

2) Sutta Selections

  1. Sati
    1. SN 48.10
    2. DN 22 
  2. Sampajañña
    1. SN 47.35 

Review (Click text for answer)

3) Ancient Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. “Sati has the sense of establishment (upaṭṭhāna)” [Visuddhimagga]
  2. Sampajañña (4 types) [Commentary to the Sāmaññaphala Sutta]
    1. Clear Comprehension as to Purpose (Pāli: sātthaka): refraining from activities irrelevant to the path.
    2. Clear Comprehension as to Suitability (sappāya): pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner.
    3. Clear Comprehension as to Domain (gocara):[12] maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness.
    4. Clear Comprehension as to Non-delusion (asammoha): seeing the true nature of reality.

Review (Click text for answer)

4) Modern Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. Nyanaponika “The Power of Mindfulness”
    2. Sumedho “Mindfulness: The Path to the Deathless”
    3. Thanissaro “Mindfulness Defined”
    4. Extra: Gunaratana
  2. Sampajañña
    1. VRI article

Review (Click text for answer)

III – Going forth, Dependence and How to Leave the Training

Overview

Mindfulness (sati) and clear comprehension (sampajañña) lie at the very heart of the Buddha’s teaching. Rather than appearing in isolation as it often does in secular contexts, the knowing mental quality of mindfulness regularly shows up in the Buddha’s early discourses paired with the discriminative factor of clear comprehension or alertness. In this lesson, these two mindstates will be examined in their native context of the Pali Canon and through the discerning writings of ancient and modern commentators try to put them into lived practice.

You may download the topic’s flashcard deck on Quizlet or Anki for further study.

Pre-test yourself

Sample Video Placeholder

Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension Lecture Example | Ajahn Example

Download the Lecture  iTunes  Google  Spotify  Mp3

1) Definitions

  1. Sati (सति, สติ, သတိ, සති)
    1. mindfulness
    2. awareness
    3. memory
  2. Sampajañña (सम्पजञ्ञ, สมฺปชญฺญ, သမ္ပဇည, සම්පජඤ්ඤ)
    1. clear comprehension (Payutto; TW Rhys Davids;; Bodhi; Soma)
    2. alertness (Thanissaro)
    3. clear knowing (Anālayo)
    4. Extra: constant thorough understanding of impermanence (VRI); full awareness (Nhat Hanh); attention, consideration, discrimination, comprehension, circumspection (PED); introspection (Wallace)

Review (Click text for answer)

2) Sutta Selections

  1. Sati
    1. SN 48.10
    2. DN 22 
  2. Sampajañña
    1. SN 47.35 

Review (Click text for answer)

3) Ancient Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. “Sati has the sense of establishment (upaṭṭhāna)” [Visuddhimagga]
  2. Sampajañña (4 types) [Commentary to the Sāmaññaphala Sutta]
    1. Clear Comprehension as to Purpose (Pāli: sātthaka): refraining from activities irrelevant to the path.
    2. Clear Comprehension as to Suitability (sappāya): pursuing activities in a dignified and careful manner.
    3. Clear Comprehension as to Domain (gocara):[12] maintaining sensory restraint consistent with mindfulness.
    4. Clear Comprehension as to Non-delusion (asammoha): seeing the true nature of reality.

Review (Click text for answer)

4) Modern Commentary

  1. Sati
    1. Nyanaponika “The Power of Mindfulness”
    2. Sumedho “Mindfulness: The Path to the Deathless”
    3. Thanissaro “Mindfulness Defined”
    4. Extra: Gunaratana
  2. Sampajañña
    1. VRI article

Review (Click text for answer)