Clear comprehension (sampajañña)
Alternative translations: Alertness, Full awareness
Parent topics: Right Mindfulness, Mindfulness of body, Foundations of Mindfulness
See also: Discernment
47 excerpts, 4:37:37 total duration

All excerpts (49) Questions about (8) Answers involving (33) Stories (4) Quotes (4) Readings (1)

Brightening the Mind, Session 1 – Aug. 19, 2012

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4. “What is the difference between mindfulness, bare attention, and clear comprehension? Can you flesh out the word understanding?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness] [Direct experience] [Clear comprehension] // [Right Effort] [Discernment] [Right Mindfulness] [Ardency] [Investigation of states] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Greed] [Aversion]

Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta


Right Livelihood, Session 1 – Apr. 21, 2013

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22. Comments about thinking versus feeling out the quality of the heart in decision making. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness of mind] [Discernment] [Clear comprehension] [Right Livelihood]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno.


The Whole of the Path: The Fruits of Spiritual Friendship, Session 3 – Jun. 22, 2013

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8. “I appreciate your emphasis on clarity, stability, and spaciousness. How does concentration relate to these?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Clear comprehension] [Unification] [Spaciousness] [Concentration] // [Pāli] [Thai] [Etymology] [Tranquility] [Happiness] [Rapture] [Conditionality]

Suttas: AN 10.3: Virtuous Behaivor; AN 6.10 Mahānāma [Virtue]

Quote: “The way my mind worked before was, ‘Boy, when I get my concentration together, I’m going to be happy...’” [Ajahn Pasanno]

Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.” [Hindrances] [Relinquishment] [Knowledge and vision]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 8 – Nov. 30, 2013

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12. “You mentioned that Ajahn Chah stated that samadhi should be accompanied by alertness. Does this mean that Jhana should not be a ‘zoned out’ state?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Right Concentration] [Clear comprehension] [Jhāna]


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 21 – Feb. 3, 2014

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6. “Could that “quality of knowing” be a variation on the teaching of sati-sampajañña, mindfulness and clear comprehension?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] // [Discernment]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 1 – Nov. 22, 2014

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8. “A scientist—popular, interesting—said as parting shot to his audience, “don’t trust the senses,” i.e., we’d still think the world flat, and that the sun actually rises and sets, if we trusted the sensory world. Your thoughts on clear comprehension via “sense-doors?” The “just-rightness” of it all. I wonder if we still thought the world flat and the sun to rise whether we might care for it.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sense bases] [Science] [Clear comprehension]


Desire or Aspiration, Session 2 – Jun. 14, 2015

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1. “I’ve been struggling with sleepiness while trying to meditate, having the intention to be present and aware, but finding myself dozing off.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sloth and torpor] [Clear comprehension] [Meditation retreats] // [Conditionality] [Lay life] [Craving not to become] [Directed thought and evaluation]

Story: Ajahn Boon Choo meditates through tiredness after staying up for days. [Ajahn Boon Choo] [Kaṭhina] [Wat Pah Pong] [Energy] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Ardency]

Quote: “The boundaries we set for ourselves are oftentime much smaller than what we can actually deal with, work with, or be with.” [Self-identity view] [Clinging] [Patience]


The Path of Practice, Session 2 – Jun. 16, 2019

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2. “For some people, death comes with extreme pain. Part of being able to navigate through the dissolution of self requires clarity of mind. My understanding is that a lot of pain management involves morphine or other mind-numbing drugs. How does one navigate the pain?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death] [Pain] [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view] [Clear comprehension] [Health care] [Intoxicants] // [Fear]