Mind as Forerunner
心為前導 · 2025
Key Themes
Summary 摘要
Beginning with the famous opening verse of the Dhammapada — 'Mano pubbaṅgamā dhammā, mano seṭṭhā manomayā' (Mind is the forerunner of all actions; mind is chief, mind-made are they) — Ajahn Mettiko examines how the quality of mind determines the quality of experience and action. The talk explores the Buddhist psychology of cognitive process (vīthicitta): how a sense impression arises, is attended to (manasikāra), determined, and then propelled through impulse moments (javana) that generate kamma. He explains how intention (cetanā) is the heart of kamma and how we can intervene at the moment of attention to change habitual reactive patterns. The talk ends with practical guidance on wise attention (yoniso manasikāra) as a tool for transformation.
Chapter Vocabulary 章節詞彙
| Pāli | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| mano | MAH-no | Mind, the sixth sense-base; the thought-organ |
| cetanā | cheh-tah-NAH | Volition, intention — the mental factor that is kamma |
| kamma | KAM-mah | Intentional action; the volitional force that creates results |
| javana | JAH-vah-nah | Impulse moments in cognition — where kamma is generated |
| manasikāra | mah-nah-see-KAH-rah | Attention; the mental factor that turns the mind toward an object |
| yoniso manasikāra | YOH-nih-so | Wise or systematic attention — attending to things in terms of arising/ceasing, pleasant/unpleasant, noble/ignoble |
| papañca | pah-PAN-cha | Conceptual proliferation; the mind's tendency to elaborate, multiply, and elaborate sense impressions into narratives |
Study Questions 研習問題
- What does 'mind is the forerunner' mean in your daily experience?
- How does the quality of attention (manasikāra) shape what follows in the cognitive process?
- In what situations do you notice javana moments — the impulse toward a habitual reaction?
- How can yoniso manasikāra (wise attention) interrupt unwholesome patterns?