Satipatthana is the establishment of mindfulness, as part of the Buddhist practices leading to detachment and liberation.Traditionally, mindfulness is thought to be applied to four domains, "constantly watching sensory experience in order to prevent the arising of cravings which would power future experience into rebirths,"namely mindfulness of the body, feelings/sensations, mind/consciousness, and dhammās.
According to Polak, this is a misinterpretation of the oldest teachings, in which the four foundations refer to,
the six sense-bases,
contemplation on the vedanās, which arise with the contact between the senses and their objects (vedanānupassanā),
the altered states of mind to which this practice leads (cittānupassanā),
and the development from the five hindrances to the seven factors of enlightenment (dhammānupassanā)
as the result of this practice.
The modern Theravada Buddhism and the Vipassana or Insight Meditation Movement promote satipatthana as key techniques for achieving mindfulness, promoting "mindfulness" as meaning careful attention instead of the recollection of the dhamma.
Impermanence
Suffering
Not Self