The word citta in Pali is generally translated as “mind”, however, this is an inadequate shorthand for a complex concept. From the Pali-English dictionary: Citta: the heart , i. e. the centre &  focus of  [a person’s] emotional nature...

The word citta in Pali is generally translated as “mind”, however, this is an inadequate shorthand for a complex concept. From the Pali-English dictionary:

Citta: the heart , i. e. the centre &  focus of  [a person’s] emotional nature as well as that intellectual element which inheres in & accompanies its manifestations; i. e. thought…. It may therefore be rendered by intention, impulse, design; mood, disposition, state of mind, reaction to impressions.

To remind ourselves of the context, we’re taking a tour of the Buddha’s Eightfold Path, and at the moment we’re exploring Wise or Right Mindfulness. The instructions for cultivating wise mindfulness are many and varied, but we’re focusing on the basic four frameworks for development, i.e. mindfulness of: body, feeling, citta, and dhammas.

Many people prefer “heart/mind” as a translation for citta. It encompasses the complex of inputs to how we see the world and what motivates us. Still, we must attempt to apply mindfulness to the processes of the heart/mind.

Contemplation of the State of Mind (cittanupassana)
from https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html#ch6
… To understand what is entailed by this contemplation it is helpful to look at the Buddhist conception of the mind. Usually we think of the mind as an enduring faculty remaining identical with itself through the succession of experiences. Though experience changes, the mind which undergoes the changing experience seems to remain the same, perhaps modified in certain ways but still retaining its identity. However, in the Buddha’s teaching the notion of a permanent mental organ is rejected. The mind is regarded, not as a lasting subject of thought, feeling, and volition, but as a sequence of momentary mental acts, each distinct and discrete, their connections with one another causal rather than substantial. … A single act of consciousness is called a citta, which we shall render “a state of mind.”

How can we cultivate mindfulness around our mental processes? It starts with an awareness of our bodies and feeling tones; these can be physically monitored and will provide us with a true foundation for understanding how we function. Instructions for mindfulness of citta start out simply – we note and attend to whether there is:

If we can track these mind states impartially and consistently during the day, we will be strengthening our mindfulness to support all our activities.

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