Practicing mindfulness has become a popular practice in the West with many organisations jumping on board the mindfulness train in the hope that teaching it to their employees will reduce stress levels and increase productivity. The Buddha also taught mindfulness to his followers with the aim of achieving peace in their minds; however, his goal was to help them reach an everlasting peace and freedom sustained by a mind full of compassion and wisdom.

In this video I briefly explain how the Four Foundations of Mindfulness makes up the practice of Right Mindfulness. In particular, I explore the practical benefits of practicing Right Mindfulness and how it helps us to develop freedom from our thoughts and feelings, to perceive reality with a more open and observant mind and how it is invaluable for increasing meditative concentration which leads to ultimate freedom and liberation.
 
 
Suttas used in this video:

“Yamakavagga: Pairs” (Dhp I), translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html.

“Vesali Sutta: At Vesali” (SN 54.9), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html.
 
 
Related Videos:

The Noble Eightfold Path

Samatha Meditation (Mindfulness Meditation)

How to Change Your Thinking and Your Life: The Four Great Efforts
 
 
Further reading:

How to practice the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is explained by the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta. This is a very popular sutra that is widely studied and practiced in the Theravada tradition. You can read this sutra here, Satipatthana Sutta: the Foundations of Mindfulness translated from the Pali by Nyanasatta Thera.

An alternate translation and great commentary: The Way of Mindfulness: The Satipatthana Sutta and Its Commentary by Soma Thera.

For a wonderful explanation and commentary of Right Mindfulness by Bhikkhu Bodhi read,
The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of Suffering.

And here’s a nice motivation article on mindfulness by Ajahn Brahm: The Quality of Mindfulness.

For more wonderful teachings on mindfulness and a very clear explanation of the difference between mindfulness and concentration, check out Bhante Henepola Gunaratana’s book, Mindfulness in Plain English.