Samadhi (best English translation?)

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Samadhi, particularly in the context of Samma Samadhi is often translated as "concentration".

Personally, I find that "clarity" is probably a more suitable translation.

Does anyone have any thoughts on either of those translations, or wish to offer up another?



Metta,
Retro.

[tiltbillings]

Greetings,

Samadhi, particularly in the context of Samma Samadhi is often translated as "concentration".

Personally, I find that "clarity" is probably a more suitable translation.

Does anyone have any thoughts on either of those translations, or wish to offer up another?



Metta,
Retro.

Best to start by breaking the word down into components.

[David2]

This video could be of interest:

[David N. Snyder]

I have seen it also translated as 'tranquility' and also 'one-pointedness of mind'.

[daverupa]

Best to start by breaking the word down into components.

"the state of being firmly fixed" ?

My comprehension of Pali is very, very rudimentary...

[Viscid]

At what point can someone be considered to have Samma-Samadhi? Our personal translations of the word will likely reflect what we believe the state to be..

[daverupa]

At what point can someone be considered to have Samma-Samadhi? Our personal translations of the word will likely reflect what we believe the state to be..

I think Tilt's suggestion will get around the inherent subjectivity in that approach, to great benefit.

[tiltbillings]

This video could be of interest:

"The Buddha made up the word samadhi." I'd would like to see basis from he makes this statement. It is possible, I suppose; however, given this crappy handling of other historical issues, I would never take his word at face value. Some of the talk was actual very good and some it was, well, not so much.

[tiltbillings]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitri_Upanishad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi

[Viscid]

"The Buddha made up the word samadhi." I'd would like to see basis from he makes this statement. It is possible, I suppose; however, given this crappy handling of other historical issues, I would never take his word at face value.

Yeah. I guess he believes that The Buddha made up the word 'Samadhi' because it's a word which we first see appearing in the Pitakas. I see his assertion also being reflective of his faith in The Buddha as a brilliant, supernormal teacher who will go to such great lengths as to create new terminology in order to accurately express The Dhamma.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitri_Upanishad

And the date for the Maitri Upanishad I've found is 200-300 BC..

[David N. Snyder]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi

From that link:

The term's etymology involves "sam" (together or integrated), "ā" (towards), and "dhā" (to get, to hold). Thus the result might be seen to be "to acquire integration or wholeness, or truth" (samāpatti). Another possible etymological analysis of "samādhi" is "samā" (even) and "dhi" (intellect), a state of total equilibrium ("samā") of a detached intellect ("dhi").

Rhys Davis holds that the first attested usage of the term samādhi in Sanskrit literature was in the Maitri Upanishad.

[David N. Snyder]

Samatha is a synonym of samadhi and its definition is usually put as 'tranquility' or 'serenity'.

[tiltbillings]

And here is the entry from Monier-Williams' dictionary:

http://lexica.indica-et-buddhica.org/dict/lexica

m. setting to rights , adjustment , settlement MBh [Mahabhatra]. 1159

samādhi in it most basic meaning: putting together, joining, combing with MW 1159

The fact that it had a non-meditative usage points to the likelihood that it is a far older word than the Buddha's time, but like a lot of words current at the time, Buddha used it to his own purposes.

[cooran]

Hello Paul,

Huge number of multiple meanings depending on context, as per:

Samādhi
'concentration'
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philol ... li.1819593

Samādhi
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Bud ... _s.htm#samādhi
(will need to scroll down - link not forming properly)

with metta
Chris

[Mr Man]

Idealy I don't think that we should translate the word we should introduce "samadhi" in to English. I think "concentration" is okay.

[rowyourboat]

Today I went to a session by Ajhan Brahm who suggested 'stilling' as the best translation, and that concentration was a very poor translation.

Also this gives some hints as to what it is about:

"As for the individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, but not internal tranquillity of awareness, he should approach an individual who has attained internal tranquillity of awareness... and ask him, 'How should the mind be steadied? How should it be made to settle down? How should it be unified? How should it be concentrated?' The other will answer in line with what he has seen & experienced: 'The mind should be steadied in this way. The mind should be made to settle down in this way. The mind should be unified in this way. The mind should be concentrated in this way.' Then eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Also..

"[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out steadying the mind.' [12] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out releasing the mind.'[5]

with metta

Matheesha

[Paññāsikhara]

It may also be possible to derive the term from not "sam-", but "sama".

~~ Huifeng

[tiltbillings]

It may also be possible to derive the term from not "sam-", but "sama".

~~ Huifeng

As in?:

Samadhi (समाधि samādhi, Hindi pronunciation: [səˈmaːd̪ʱi]) is the state of consciousness induced by complete meditation. The term's etymology involves "sam" (together or integrated), "ā" (towards), and "dhā" (to get, to hold). Thus the result might be seen to be "to acquire integration or wholeness, or truth" (samāpatti). Another possible etymological analysis of "samādhi" is "samā" (even) and "dhi" (intellect), a state of total equilibrium ("samā") of a detached intellect ("dhi").

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi

[Paññāsikhara]

It may also be possible to derive the term from not "sam-", but "sama".

~~ Huifeng

As in?:

Samadhi (समाधि samādhi, Hindi pronunciation: [səˈmaːd̪ʱi]) is the state of consciousness induced by complete meditation. The term's etymology involves "sam" (together or integrated), "ā" (towards), and "dhā" (to get, to hold). Thus the result might be seen to be "to acquire integration or wholeness, or truth" (samāpatti). Another possible etymological analysis of "samādhi" is "samā" (even) and "dhi" (intellect), a state of total equilibrium ("samā") of a detached intellect ("dhi").

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi

As in the second definition given above.
- equal / even / etc...

~~ Huifeng

[mikenz66]

Welcome back Venerable!

I wonder if this ambiguity in Pali compounds is a disadvantage (because the meaning seems unclear) or an advantage (giving a rich set of multiple meanings).


Mike