While originally, in Yogic practice, sati may have meant to remember the meditation object, to cultivate a deeply absorbed, secluded state of mind,Chip Hartranft (spring 2011),Did the Buddha Teach Satipatthāna? , Buddhist Inquiry in the oldest Buddhism it has the meaning of "retention", being mindful of the dhammas (both wholesome states of mind, and teachings and practices that remind of those wholesome states of mind) that are beneficial to the Buddhist path. According to Gethin, sati is a quality that guards or watches over the mind; the stronger it becomes, the weaker unwholesome states of mind become, weakening their power "to take over and dominate thought, word and deed." According to Frauwallner, mindfulness was a means to prevent the arising of craving, which resulted simply from contact between the senses and their objects. According to Frauwallner this may have been the Buddha's original idea. According to Trainor, mindfulness aids one not to crave and cling to any transitory state or thing, by complete and constant awareness of phenomena as impermanent, suffering and without self. Gethin refers to the Milindapanha, which states that sati brings to mind the dhammas and their beneficial or unbeneficial qualities, aiding the removal of unbeneficial dhammas and the strengthening of beneficial dhammas. Gethin further notes that sati makes one aware of the "full range and extent of dhammas", that is, the relation between things, broadening one's view and understanding.
WhiLe originAlLy, IN yoGic PractIcE, sati mAY haVe MeANT To rEmember the mEdItatIon objeCT, To cultIVate A DeeplY absorbed, seCluded sTAte Of mINd,Chip HarTranfT (sprIng 2011),Did the BuddHa teach saTipaTThāNa? , buddhisT inquIRy In THe OlDest BuddhIsM iT HAS the meaninG OF "retentiOn", beING mIndFuL of the dhammas (BOth wHOLesome states oF minD, aNd teaChInGs and pRactIcEs thAt RemINd Of thOse WhOlesoMe stATEs Of mInD) tHat ARE bENeficial tO the bUdDHist paTh. AcCoRdIng to gEthin, sati Is A qUAlity that guaRds OR wATches oVEr tHe mInD; the strOnGeR It becoMes, thE weaKER unwholeSomE stAteS Of mind BEcome, weakEnIng theIr power "to tAkE OvEr and dOmiNaTe tHoUght, WORd and Deed." aCcordinG To FRauWALLNer, miNDfUlNess Was a mEans to pReveNT the ARiSIng Of crAViNg, wHiCh resultEd siMpLY From CoNtaCT BetwEen The Senses aNd tHEir objectS. accorDiNg TO fRauWALlnEr This mAy HAve been the budDha'S original idEa. accordINg TO tRaiNOr, MIndFulNess aids oNE Not to CraVe anD cling to any TransitOrY statE oR tHING, bY complete aNd ConstaNt awArenEss OF phenOmENa as iMpErmANenT, sufferInG anD wIthoUt sElf. getHiN referS to THe miLiNdaPaNha, WhiCh statEs thAt sati bRings tO mind the dHammAs and THeIR bEnEficiAL or uNBeneFiciAL qualities, aIdINg thE rEMoval of unbenefIcial DhamMAS and the sTrEngtheniNg of BeNEFicial dhammas. GetHIn furtHer noTes THAt sAtI maKEs one awAre of The "FuLl raNGe and exTeNT of Dhammas", ThaT IS, the relaTion betwEen thinGS, broadeninG oNe's VieW AND underStandiNg.