Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening

by Joseph Goldstein

APPLYING THE REFRAIN Just as after every other section of this discourse, the Buddha repeats the refrain. We are reminded to contemplate feelings internally, externally, and both, to contemplate the nature of arising and passing away and both the arising and passing away of feelings. The Buddha then completes this instruction by saying: “Mindfulness that ‘there is feeling’ is established to the extent necessary for bare knowledge and continuous mindfulness. And one abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. That is how in regard to feelings, one abides contemplating feelings.”7 Mindfulness of feelings externally means that we are aware of feelings arising in others; mindfulness fosters empathetic joy when others experience pleasant feelings, and it fosters compassion when others are in pain. When we’re not mindful of feelings — pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral; worldly and unworldly—and we don’t contemplate them internally, externally, and both, then we easily become identified with these feelings, taking them to be self.