<p>I think Buddha speaks about <strong>sincere attention to the process</strong>.</p>

<p>Without sensitivity (sincere attention), you pretend to spend time in the practice, but do not concentrate the mind, do not abandon corruptions.</p>

<p>In Zen it's explained as losing the balance between calmness and alertness.</p>

<p>Calmness not balanced by alertness leads to states of dullness, "like a stone that uselessly soaks in water", "like dry piece of wood devoid of life".</p>

<p>Correct meditation should have attentive, sincere attitude.</p>

<p>Likewise, a skillful cook pays sincere attention to doing everything so that the food will be prepared well.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-06T02:22:48.003Z
2017-08-06T02:22:48.003Z
chang zhao
<p>In the same sutta, buddha said:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>tathā hi so, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu sakassa
  <strong>cittassa nimittaṃ</strong> na uggaṇhātiฯ.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Then said about <strong>satipaṭṭhāna</strong>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu 
  kāye <strong>(=base, object)</strong> kāyā-nupassī <strong>(=sati-cetasika)</strong> viharati ātāpī 
  sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃฯ</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So:</p>

<p><strong>cittassa nimittaṃ (base[=object] of consciousness) = satiya paṭṭhānaṃ (base [=object]  of sati).</strong></p>

<p>The other name is kammaṭṭhāna (base[=object] of cetanā).</p>

<p>P.S. Sati must arise with consciousness.</p>

<p><em>I'm sorry for my first mistake answer.</em></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-05T15:39:58.540Z
2017-08-06T00:13:20.747Z
2017-08-06T00:13:20.747Z
Bonn
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 47.8</a> (Pali <a href="https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn47.8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>) is translated as such:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>Bhikkhus, suppose a foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries:
  sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.</em></p>
  
  <p><em>That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master,
  or he reached for this one, or he took a lot of this one, or he spoke
  in praise of this one; or the sour curry pleased my master today, or
  he reached for the sour one, or he took a lot of the sour one, or he
  spoke in praise of the sour one; or the bitter curry … or the pungent
  curry … or the sweet curry … or the sharp curry … or the mild curry …
  or the salty curry … or the bland curry pleased my master … or he
  spoke in praise of the bland one.’</em></p>
  
  <p><em>That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not gain gifts of clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that foolish,
  incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own
  master’s preference.</em></p>
  
  <p><em>So too, bhikkhus, here some foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly
  comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in
  regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the
  body, his mind does not become concentrated, his corruptions are not
  abandoned, he does not pick up that sign. He dwells contemplating
  feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent,
  clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and
  displeasure in regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating
  phenomena in phenomena, his mind does not become concentrated, his
  corruptions are not abandoned, he does not pick up that sign.</em></p>
  
  <p><em>That foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not gain pleasant dwellings in this very life, nor does he gain mindfulness and
  clear comprehension. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that foolish,
  incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not pick up the sign of his own
  mind.</em></p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><em>Suppose, bhikkhus, a wise, competent, skilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries: sour, bitter,
  pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.</em></p>
  
  <p><em>That wise, competent, skilful cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master … or he spoke
  in praise of the bland one.’</em></p>
  
  <p><em>That wise, competent, skilful cook gains gifts of clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that wise, competent, skilful
  cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference.</em></p>
  
  <p><em>So too, bhikkhus, here some wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending,
  mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the
  world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the body, his mind
  becomes concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that
  sign. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind …
  phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having
  removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he
  dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, his mind becomes
  concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that sign.</em></p>
  
  <p><em>That wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu gains pleasant dwellings in this very life, and he gains mindfulness and clear comprehension. For
  what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu
  picks up the sign of his own mind.”</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>What specific thing does the word 'nimitta' ('sign') refer to above in SN 47.8?</p>

<pali-canon>
What does the word 'nimitta' ('sign') refer to in SN 47.8?
# What does the word 'nimitta' ('sign') refer to in SN 47.8?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-04)

[SN 47.8](https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.8) (Pali [here](https://suttacentral.net/pi/sn47.8)) is translated as such:

> *Bhikkhus, suppose a foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries:
> sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.*
>
> *That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master,
> or he reached for this one, or he took a lot of this one, or he spoke
> in praise of this one; or the sour curry pleased my master today, or
> he reached for the sour one, or he took a lot of the sour one, or he
> spoke in praise of the sour one; or the bitter curry … or the pungent
> curry … or the sweet curry … or the sharp curry … or the mild curry …
> or the salty curry … or the bland curry pleased my master … or he
> spoke in praise of the bland one.’*
>
> *That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not gain gifts of clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that foolish,
> incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own
> master’s preference.*
>
> *So too, bhikkhus, here some foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly
> comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in
> regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the
> body, his mind does not become concentrated, his corruptions are not
> abandoned, he does not pick up that sign. He dwells contemplating
> feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent,
> clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and
> displeasure in regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating
> phenomena in phenomena, his mind does not become concentrated, his
> corruptions are not abandoned, he does not pick up that sign.*
>
> *That foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not gain pleasant dwellings in this very life, nor does he gain mindfulness and
> clear comprehension. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that foolish,
> incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not pick up the sign of his own
> mind.*
>
> ---
>
> *Suppose, bhikkhus, a wise, competent, skilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries: sour, bitter,
> pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.*
>
> *That wise, competent, skilful cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master … or he spoke
> in praise of the bland one.’*
>
> *That wise, competent, skilful cook gains gifts of clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that wise, competent, skilful
> cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference.*
>
> *So too, bhikkhus, here some wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending,
> mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the
> world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the body, his mind
> becomes concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that
> sign. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind …
> phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having
> removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he
> dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, his mind becomes
> concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that sign.*
>
> *That wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu gains pleasant dwellings in this very life, and he gains mindfulness and clear comprehension. For
> what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu
> picks up the sign of his own mind.”*

What specific thing does the word 'nimitta' ('sign') refer to above in SN 47.8?

**Tags:** pali-canon


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-08-06. Score: 2

I think Buddha speaks about **sincere attention to the process**.

Without sensitivity (sincere attention), you pretend to spend time in the practice, but do not concentrate the mind, do not abandon corruptions.

In Zen it's explained as losing the balance between calmness and alertness.

Calmness not balanced by alertness leads to states of dullness, "like a stone that uselessly soaks in water", "like dry piece of wood devoid of life".

Correct meditation should have attentive, sincere attitude.

Likewise, a skillful cook pays sincere attention to doing everything so that the food will be prepared well.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-08-05. Score: 2

In the same sutta, buddha said:

> tathā hi so, bhikkhave, bālo abyatto akusalo bhikkhu sakassa
> **cittassa nimittaṃ** na uggaṇhātiฯ.

Then said about **satipaṭṭhāna**:

> evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu
> kāye **(=base, object)** kāyā-nupassī **(=sati-cetasika)** viharati ātāpī
> sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃฯ

So:

**cittassa nimittaṃ (base[=object] of consciousness) = satiya paṭṭhānaṃ (base [=object] of sati).**

The other name is kammaṭṭhāna (base[=object] of cetanā).

P.S. Sati must arise with consciousness.

*I'm sorry for my first mistake answer.*


---

