Bridging the Gap Between Sīla and Samādhi: The Role of Mindfulness in Pre-Meditative Practice

Abstract

This article explores the dynamic aspect of sīla, which entails divergent constructions of the moral practice in the schemes of the path in the Pāli canonical and post-canonical texts. In early Buddhist tradition, sīla is usually defined as the moral discipline consisting of three factors of the Eightfold Path (Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood), corresponding with varied lists of precepts applied to different agents. In addition to that partial understanding, this paper aspires to enrich the concept of sīla that goes beyond mere observance of precepts and includes practices related to the extended category of mindfulness. In the advanced stages of the path, mindfulness is usually incorporated with samādhi (concentration) to access deep meditative states. Nonetheless, the different interpretations of the path imply that some features of mindfulness practice have an active role in the prior mental dimension of moral development. Practices such as sati-sampajañña (mindfulness and clear comprehension), bhojane mattaññū (moderation in eating), jāgariyā (wakefulness), and santosa (contentment) all precede formal meditative development. However, they are included under the wide framework of mindfulness. Although these practices are not identified as ethical per se, they play a vital role in the practice of sīla and provide the necessary conditions for advanced mental development in formal meditative practice. As a result of these findings, this paper aspires to expand the notion of sīla as an integrated stage that combines bodily, verbal, and mental development, which comprises the pre-meditative practice.