Mindfulness

Mindfulness is not just a word or a discourse by the Buddha, but a meaningful state of mind. It means we have to be here now, in this very moment, and we have to know what is happening internally and externally. It means being alert to our motives and learning to change unwholesome thoughts and emotions into wholesome ones. Mindfulness is a mental activity that in due course eliminates all suffering.

-Ayya Khema, "Be an Island"

For this old fool, mindfulness is a state of mind experienced in the present moment, aware of what is on his mind, in his heart, and happening around him.

As a result, he becomes aware of his motives, and changes harmful thoughts and emotions into beneficial ones.

How so? By meditating on eliminating harmful thoughts as they arise and creating beneficial thoughts.

For harmful thoughts lead to suffering, and beneficial ones lead to happiness.

Eventually, mindfulness eliminates suffering.

Unwholesome thoughts and emotions refers to the unwholesome actions known by the Buddhist term, klesha.

Also included are the five hindrances of desire, anger, sloth-torpor, restlessness-craving and doubt.

Then there is lust and craving.

This is followed by the ten defilements and unwholesome roots; greed, hate, delusion, conceit, wrong views,doubt, torpor, restlessness, shamelessness, and recklessness.

Then comes the round of defilements: ignorance, craving and clinging.

Finally there are the three poisons: ignorance, attachment, and aversion.

According to what the Buddha said, doing these unwholesome actions cause suffering. To change these unwholesome action into wholesome action is to NOT DO THEM.

In their place, the devotee practices virtues such as the Four Immeasurables: loving-kindness or benevolence, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity (compassionate evenmindedness).

With regard to equanimity, it is described as mental stability in the face of changes of a person's circumstances. Regardless of whether she is rich or poor, the devotee displays evenness of mind, an enduring freedom of mind, For equanimity complements the other three virtues.

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Klesha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_%28Buddhism%29
Four Immeasurables: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara
Equanimity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekkha