What does bhāvanā mean?

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tiltbillings
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What does bhāvanā mean?

Post by tiltbillings »

Given the change in the name of this section, it might be of interest to look at the word bhāvanā and how it is used in the Theravada. A place to start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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cooran
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Re: What does bhāvanā mean?

Post by cooran »

Hello tilt,

A couple of dictionary meanings - expanding further on mentions in your post:

Bhāvanā: 'mental development' lit. 'calling into existence, producing' is what in English is generally but rather vaguely called 'meditation'.

One has to distinguish 2 kinds: development of tranquillity samatha-bhāvanā, i.e. concentration samādhi, and development of insight vipassanā-bhāvanā, i.e. understanding paññā .
These two important terms, tranquillity and insight see: samatha-vipassanā, are very often met with and explained in the Sutta, as well as in the Abhidhamma.

Tranquillity samatha is the concentrated, unshaken, peaceful, and therefore undefiled state of mind, whilst insight vipassanā is the intuitive insight into the impermanence, misery and impersonality anicca dukkha anattā see: tilakkhana of all bodily and mental phenomena of existence, included in the 5 groups of existence, namely, materiality, feeling, perception, mental constructions and consciousness; see: khandha.

Tranquillity, or concentration of mind, according to Sankhepavannana Commentary to Abhidhammattha-sangaha, bestows a threefold blessing:
favourable rebirth,
present happy life,
and purity of mind which is the condition of insight.
Concentration samādhi is the indispensable foundation and precondition of insight by purifying the mind from the 5 mental defilements or hindrances nīvarana, whilst insight vipassanā produces the 4 supra mundane stages of Nobility and deliverance of mind.

The Buddha therefore says: May you develop mental concentration, o Bhikkhus; for who is mentally concentrated, sees things according to reality see: XXII, 5. And in Mil. it is said: Just as when a lighted lamp is brought into a dark chamber, the lamp-light Will destroy the darkness and produce and spread the light, just so will insight, once arisen, destroy the darkness of ignorance and produce the light of knowledge.

Vis.M III-XI gives full directions how to attain full concentration and the absorptions jhāna by means of the following 40 meditation subjects kammatthāna:
10 kasina-exercises see: kasina. These produce the 4 absorptions
10 loathsome subjects asubha. These produce the 1st absorption.
10 recollections anussati: of the Buddha buddhānussati, the Doctrine dhammānussati, the Brotherhood of the Noble Ones sanghānussati, morality, generosity, the divine beings, death maranasati, the body kāyagatāsati,, in-and-outbreathing ānāpāna-sati and peace upasamānussati, . Among these, the recollection or awareness or mindfulness of in-and-out breathing may produce all the 4 absorptions, that of the body the 1st absorption, the rest only neighbourhood-concentration upacāra-samādhi, see: samādhi.
4 sublime abodes brahma-vihāra: loving-kindness, Pity, altruistic joy, equanimity mettā, karunā, muditā, upekkhā. Of these, the first 3 exercises may produce 3 absorptions, the last one the 4th absorption only.
4 immaterial spheres arūpāyatana see. jhāna : of unbounded space, unbounded consciousness, nothingness, neither-perception-nor-non-perception. These are based upon the 4th absorption.
1 perception of the loathsomeness of food āhāre patikkūla-saññā, which may produce neighbourhood-concentration
1 analysis of the 4 elements catudhātu-vavatthāna see. dhātu-vavatthāna, which may produce neighbourhood-concentration.
Mental development forms one of the 3 kinds of meritorious action puñña-kiriya-vatthu. 'Delight in meditation' bhāvanā-rāmatā is one of the noble usages ariya-vamsa.
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Bud ... dic3_b.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bhāvanā Bhāvanā (f.) [fr. bhāveti, or fr. bhāva in meaning of bhāva 2, cp. Class. Sk. bhāvanā] producing, dwelling on something, putting one's thoughts to, application, developing by means of thought or meditation, cultivation by mind, culture. -- See on term Dhs trsl 261 (=2 240); Expos. i.217 (=DhsA 163); Cpd. 207 n. 2. <-> Cp. pari˚, vi˚, sam˚. -- Vin i.294 (indriya˚); D iii.219 (three: kāya˚, citta˚, paññā˚), 221, 225, 285, 291; S i.48; Dh 73, 301; J i.196 (mettā˚); iii.45 (id.); Nd1 143 (saññā˚); Nett 91 (samatha -- vipassanaŋ); Vbh 12, 16 sq., 199, 325; Vism 130 (karaṇa, bhāvanā, rakkhaṇa; here bh.=bringing out, keeping in existence), 314 (karuṇā˚), 317 (upekkhā˚); Miln 25 (˚ŋ anuyuñjati); Sdhp 15, 216, 233, 451.
-- ânuyoga application to meditation Vbh 244, 249. -- ārāma joy of or pleasure in self culture A ii.28. -- bala power to increase the effect of meditation, power of self -- culture A i.52; D iii.213. -- maya accomplished by culture practice; brought into existence by practice (of cultured thought), cp. Cpd. 207. D iii.218, 219; Nett 8; with dānamaya & sīlamaya at It 19, 51; Vbh 135, 325. -- vidhāna arrangement of process of culture DhsA 168=Vism 122.
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philol ... li.1799560" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Chris
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retrofuturist
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Re: What does bhāvanā mean?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

I found this distinction from the Wikipedia article interesting, juxtaposing the sutta usage, and that of subsequent Theravada teachers.
In the Pali Canon bhāvanā is often found in a compound phrase indicating personal, intentional effort over time with respect to the development of that particular faculty. For instance, in the Pali Canon and post-canonical literature one can find the following compounds:
citta-bhāvanā, translated as "development of mind" or "development of consciousness."
kāya-bhāvanā, translated as "development of body."
mettā-bhāvanā, translated as the "cultivation" or "development of loving-kindness."
paññā-bhāvanā, translated as "development of wisdom" or "development of understanding."
samādhi-bhāvanā, translated as "development of tranquil-wisdom." It means the cultivation (bhavana) of a broad range of skills, covering everything from worldview, to ethics, livelihood and mindfulness.

In addition, in the Canon, the development (bhāvanā) of samatha-vipassana is lauded. Subsequently, Theravada teachers have made use of the following compounds:
samatha-bhāvanā, meaning the development of tranquility.
vipassanā-bhāvanā, meaning the development of insight.
Citta-bhāvanā, translated as "development of mind", is obviously quite broad and I think there's instances where this could mean something more general than what we might translate into English as "meditation".

Whilst I doubt these sutta examples use those very words (i.e. citta-bhāvanā), they certainly do relate to "development of mind" and are examples of "Mental Cultivation in the Sutta Pitaka"...

MN 61: Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta (on reflections on actions)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SN 35.120: Sariputto Sutta (on restraint)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .wlsh.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AN 10.94: Vajjiya Sutta on the thirteen dhutanga (Buddha-endorsed ascetic practices)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Retro. :)
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dreamov
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Re: What does bhāvanā mean?

Post by dreamov »

What does bhāvanā mean?
Apart from pali bhāvanā (sanskrit, bhāvana), bhāvanā (sanskrit, bhāvanā ) is also a Hindi word that means "sentiment" (strictly a thought prompted by passion or feeling).
Last edited by dreamov on Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
daverupa
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Re: What does bhāvanā mean?

Post by daverupa »

tiltbillings wrote:Given the change in the name of this section, it might be of interest to look at the word bhāvanā and how it is used in the Theravada. A place to start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavana" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"I imagine that when Gotama, the Buddha, chose this word to talk about meditation, he had in mind the ubiquitous farms and fields of his native India. Unlike our words 'meditation' or 'contemplation,' Gotama’s term is musty, rich, and verdant. It smells of the earth. The commonness of his chosen term suggests naturalness, everydayness, ordinariness. The term also suggests hope: no matter how fallow it has become, or damaged it may be, a field can always be cultivated — endlessly enhanced, enriched, developed — to produce a favorable and nourishing harvest."

Differing from the intellectual effort we're all used to through schooling, the sort of bhavana here espoused is of a kind with the consistent effort that a manual laborer experiences. In this way, the term already carries connotations of consistency both throughout one day as well as across many. This also matches the connotative aspects of the various metaphors for meditation that are employed in the Suttas; the one in particular which comes to mind is the "skilled turner" metaphor from the Satipatthana Sutta.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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