Clear understanding (sampajanya) is of four types: satthaka-sampajanya, sappaya-sampajanya, gocara-sampajanya and asammoha-sampajanya. Before a meditator does any action he should first consider whether that action is or is not a beneficial action.

This prior consideration is called satthaka- sampajanya. If it is a beneficial action then the meditator should next consider whether it is suitable or proper. This is called sappaya-sampajanya. For example, if the meditator wishes to go to a pagoda to meditate this is a beneficial action. However, if at the time he wishes to go to the pagoda there is a large crowd gathered for a pagoda festival and there would be many disturbances because of that, then it would not be suitable.

The understanding of the proper field for the mind is gocara-sampajanya. If the meditator is practising the four sampajanyas this is the proper field for the mind. If he is thinking about or indulging in sense pleasures this is not the proper field for the mind.

The understanding that sees that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent and unsatisfactory and that sees all phenomena (including Nibbana) are not self is asammoha-sampajanya.