maha^ra^jika deva a class of heavenly beings of the sensuous sphere; s. deva.
F elements, the 4: maha^-bhúta (q.v.) - dha^tu (q.v.).
eater, the practice of the: s. dhutanga.
”liberality”, is one of the ”blessings” (s. sampada^), ”foundations” (s. adhittha^na), ”recollections” (s. anussati), ”treasures” (s. dhana).
”wheel”, is one of the seven ”precious possessions” (ratana) of a righteous World Emperor (cakkavatti: ”He who owns the Wheel,” cf. D. 26), and symbolizes conquering progress and expanding sovereignty. From that derives the figurative expression dhamma-cakkam pavatteti, ”he sets rolling the Wheel of the Law” and the name of the Buddha”s first sermon, Dhamma-cakkappavattana Sutta (s. dhamma-cakka).
Another figurative meaning of C. is ”blessing”. There are 4 such ”auspicious wheels” or ”blessings”: living in a suitable locality, company of good people, meritorious acts done in the past, right inclinations (A. IV, 31).
Bhava-cakka, ”wheel of existence”, or of life, is a name for ”dependent origination” (s. paticca-samuppa^da).
See The Buddhist Wheel Symbol, by T. B. Karunaratne (WHEEL 137/138); The Wheel of Birth and Death, by Bhikkhu Khantipalo (WHEEL 147/149)
cf. paccaya (1). - For the five c. of existence, s. paticca-samuppa^da (10).
cf. kappa.
”mind”, ”consciousness”, ”state of consciousness”, is a synonym of mano (q.v.) and vin~n~a^na (s. khandha and Tab. 1). Dhs. divides all phenomena into consciousness (citta), mental concomitants (cetasika, q.v.) and corporeality (rúpa).
In adhicitta, ”higher mentality”, it signifies the concentrated, quietened mind, and is one of the 3 trainings (s. sikkha^). The concentration (or intensification) of consciousness is one of the 4 roads to power (s. iddhipa^da).
vi^thi, as well as all terms for the various functions within the processes of conseiousness, such as a^vajjana-citta, sampaticchana, santi^rana, votthapana, javana, tada^rammana, bhavanga, cuti: none of these terms is found in the Sutta Canon. except javana, in Pts.M. Even in the Ahh. Canon (e.g. Patth) only javana and bhavanga are twice or thrice briefly mentioned. The stages, however, must have been more or less known. Cf. e.g Patth: ””Cakkhu-vin~n~a^nam tam sampayuttaka^ ca dhamma^ (= cetasika^) mano-dha^tuya^ (performing the sampaticchana-function), tam sampayuttaka^nan~ ca dhamma^nam (cetasika^nani) anantara-paccayena paccayo. Mano-dha^tu ... manovin~n~a^na-dha^tuya (performing the santi^rana and votthapana function).... Purima^ purima^ kusala^ dhamma^ (javana^) pacchima^nam pacchima^nam kusala^nam dhamma^nam (javanacitta^nam) anantara-paccayena paccayo... avya^kata^nam dhamma^nam (tada^rammana- and bhavanga-citta^nam....)."
cuti-citta: s. citta-vi^thi.
kamman~n~ata^, °lahuta^, °muduta^, °pagun~n~ata^, °passaddhi, °ujukata^; s. Tab. II.
lahuta^, -mudúta, -kamman~n~ata^, -pa^gun~n~ata^, -ujukata^: s. lahuta^.
”function”. Regarding the 14 functions of consciousness, s. vin~n~a^na-kicca.
san~n~a^ (-citta,-ditthi): perception (or consciousness, or view) of permanency, is one of the 4 perversions (vipalla^sa, q.v.).
”Truth”. - 1. On the ”two truths”, conventional and ultimale, see paramattha.
2.”The Four Noble Truths” (ariya-sacca) are the briefest synthesis of the entire teachings of Buddhism, since all those manifold doctrines of the threefold canon are, without any exception, included therein. They are: the truth of suffering, of the origin of suffering, of the extinction of suffering, and of the Eightfold Path leading to the extinction of suffering.
I. The 1st truth, briefly stated, teaches that all forms of existence whatsoever are unsatisfactory and subject to suffering (dukkha).
II. The 2nd truth teaches that all suffering, and all rebirth, is produced by craving (tanha^).
III. The 3rd truth teaches that extinction of craving necessarily results in extinction (nirodha) of rebirth and suffering, i.e. nibba^na (q.v.).
IV. The 4th truth of the Eightfold Path (magga) indicates the means by which this extinction is attained.
The stereotype text frequently recurring in the Sutta Pitaka, runs as follows:
I."But what, o monks, is the noble truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, decay is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; in short, the 5 groups of existence connected with clinging are suffering (cf. dukkha, dukkhata).
II.””But what, o monks, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering? It is that craving which gives rise to fresh rebirth and, bound up with lust and greed, now here, now there, finds ever fresh delight. It is the sensual craving (ka^ma-tanha^), the craving for existence (bhava-tanha^), the craving for non-existence or self-annihilation (vibhava-tanha^).
III."But what, o monks, is the noble truth of the extinction of suffering? It is the complete fading away and extinction of this craving, its forsaking and giving up, liberation and detachment from it.
IV."But what, o monks, is the noble truth of the path leading to the extinction of suffering? It is the Noble Eightfold Path (ariya-atthangika-magga) that leads to the extinction of suffering, namely:
1. Right view (samma^-ditthi)2. Right thought (samma^-sankappa) III. Wisdom (pan~n~a^)
3. Right speech (samma^-va^ca^)4. Right action (samma^-kammanta)5. Right livelihood (sammd-djiva) I. Morality (si^la)
6. Right effort (samma^-va^ya^ma)7. Right mindfulness (samma^-sati)8. Right concentration (samma^-sama^dhi) II. Concentration (sama^dhi)
1."What now, o monks, is right view (or right understanding)? It is the understanding of suffering, of the origin of suffering, of the extinction of suffering, and of the path leading to the extinction of suffering.
2."What now, o monks, is right thought? It is a mind free from sensual lust, ill-will and cruelty.
3."What now, o monks, is right speech? Abstaining from lying, tale-bearing, harsh words, and foolish babble (cf. tiraccha^nakatha^).
4."What now, o monks, is right action? Abstaining from injuring living beings, from stealing and from unlawful sexual intercourse (s. ka^mesu miccha^ca^ra).
5."What now, o monks, is right livelihood? If the noble disciple rejects a wrong living, and gains his living by means of right livelihood (s. magga, 5).
6."What now, o monks, is right effort? If the disciple rouses his will to avoid the arising of evil, demeritorious things that have not yet arisen;... if he rouses his will to overcome the evil, demeritorious things that have already arisen;... if he rouses his will to produce meritorious things that have not yet arisen;... if he rouses his will to maintain the meritorious things that have already arisen and not to let them disappear, but to bring them to growth, to maturity and to the full perfection of development; he thus makes effort, stirs up his energy, exerts his mind and strives (s. padha^na).
7."What now, o monks is right mindfulness? If the disciple dwells in contemplation of corporeality ... of feeling ... of mind ... of the mind-objects, ardent, clearly conscious, and mindful after putting away worldly greed and grief (s. satipattha^na).
8."What now, o monks, is right concentration? If the disciple is detached from sensual objects, detached from unwholesome things, and enters into the first absorption ... the second absorption ... the third absorption ... the fourth absorption" (s. jha^na).
In the Buddha”s first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, it is said that the first truth (suffering) is to be fully understood; the second truth (craving) to be abandoned; the third truth (Nibba^na) to be realized; the fourth truth (the path) to be cultivated.
"The truth of suffering is to be compared with a disease, the truth of the origin of suffering with the cause of the disease, the truth of extinction of suffering with the cure of the disease, the truth of the path with the medicine" (Vis.M. XVI).
In the ultimate sense, all these 4 truths are to be considered as empty of a self, since there is no feeling agent, no doer, no liberated one. no one who follows along the path. Therefore it is said:
”Mere suffering exists, no sufferer is found.
The deed is, but no doer of the deed is there.
Nibba^na is, but not the man that enters it.
The path is, but no traveller on it is seen.
”The first truth and the second truth are empty
Of permanency, joy, of self and beauty;
The Deathless Realm is empty of an ego,
And free from permanency, joy and self, the path.”
(Vis.M. XVI)
It must be pointed out that the first truth does not merely refer to actual suffering, i.e. to suffering as feeling, but that it shows that, in consequence of the universal law of impermanency, all the phenomena of existence whatsoever, even the sublimest states of existence, are subject to change and dissolution, and hence are miserable and unsatisfactory; and that thus, without exception, they all contain in themselves the germ of suffering. Cf. Guide, p. 101f.
Regarding the true nature of the path, s. magga.
Literature: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (in WHEEL 17 and BODHI LEAVES); M. 141; Sacca-Samyutta (S. LVI); Sacca Vibhanga; W. of B.; Vis.M. XVI: The Four Noble Truths by Francis Story (WHEEL 34/35); The Significance of the 4 Noble Truths by V. F. Gunaratna (WHEEL 123).
s. a^ka^sa.
Moment of: s. javana.
karma (q.v.) - Right bodily a.: samma^-kammanta; s. sacca (IV.4)
”impermanent” (or, as abstract noun, aniccata^, ”impermanence”) ...
is the first of the three characteristics of existence (tilakkhana, q.v.). It is from the fact of impermanence that, in most texts, the other two characteristics, suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta^), are derived (S.22. 15; Ud.IV. I)
"Impermanence of things is the rising, passing and changing of things, or the disappearance of things that have become or arisen. The meaning is that these things never persist in the same way, but that they are vanishing dissolving from moment to moment" (Vis.M. VII, 3).
Impermanence is a basic feature of all conditioned phenomena, be they material or mental, coarse or subtle, one”s own or external: All formations are impermanent" (sabbe sankha^ra^ anicca^; M. 35, Dhp. 277). That the totality of existence is impermanent is also often stated in terms of the five aggregates (khandha, q.v.), the twelve personal and external sense bases (a^yatana q.v.), etc. Only Nibba^na (q.v.), which is unconditioned and not a formation (asankhata), is permanent (nicca, dhuva).
The insight leading to the first stage of deliverance, Stream-entry (sota^patti; s. ariya-puggala), is often expressed in terms of impermanence: "Whatever is subject to origination, is subject to cessation" (s. Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, S.46. 11). In his last exhortation, before his Parinibba^na, the Buddha reminded his monks of the impermanence of existence as a spur to earnest effort: "Behold now, Bhikkhus, I exhort you: Formations are bound to vanish. Strive earnestly!" (vayadhamma^ sankha^ra^, appama^dena sampa^detha; D. 16).
Without the deep insight into the impermanence and insubstantiality of all phenomena of existence there is no attainment of deliverance. Hence comprehension of impermanence gained by direct meditative experience heads two lists of insight knowledge:
(a) contemplation of impermanence (anicca^nupassana^) is the first of the 18 chief kinds of insight (q.v.);
(b) the contemplation of arising and vanishing (udayabbaya^nupassana^-n~a^na) is the first of 9 kinds of knowledge which lead to the ”purification by knowledge and vision of the path-progress” (s. visuddhi, VI). -
Contemplation of impermanence leads to the conditionless deliverance (animitta-vimokkha; s. vimokkha). As herein the faculty of confidence (saddhindriya) is outstanding, he who attains in that way the path of Stream-entry is called a faith-devotee (saddha^nusa^ri^; s. ariya-puggala) and at the seven higher stages he is called faith-liberated (saddha^-vimutta), - See also anicca-san~n~a^.
See The Three Basic Facts of Existence I: Impermanence (WHEEL 186/187)
is the name of one of the most frightful hells (niraya, q.v.).
”eye” s. a^yatana. - The foll. 5 kinds of ”eyes” are mentioned and explained in CNid. (PTS, p. 235; the first 3 also in It. 52): 1. the physical eye (mamsa cakkhu), 2. the divine eye (dibba-cakkhu; s. abhin~n~a^), 3. the eye of wisdom (pan~n~a^-cakkhu), 4 the eye of a Buddha (Buddha-c.), 5. the eye of all-round knowledge (samanta-c.; a frequent appellation of the Buddha).
s. vijja^-carana.
ra^ga-c., dosa-c., buddhi-c., etc., are only to be met with in the Com. and Vis.M.
”nature, character”. In Vis.M. III there are explained six types of men: the greedy-natured (ra^ga-carita), the hate-natured (dosa-carita), the stupid or dull-natured (moha-carita), the faithful-natured (saddha^-carita), the intelligent-natured (buddhi-carita), the ruminating-natured (vitakka-carita). - (App.).
intention, desire, will.
1. As an ethically neutral psychological term, in the sense of ”intention”, it is one of those general mental factors (cetasika, q.v. Tab. II) taught in the Abhidhamma, the moral quality of which is determined by the character of the volition (cetana^, q.v.) associated therewith. The Com. explains it as ”a wish to do” (kattu-kamyata^-chanda). If intensified, it acts also as a ”predominance condition” (s. paccaya 3).
2. As an evil quality it has the meaning of ”desire”, and is frequently coupled with terms for ”sensuality”, ”greed”, etc., for instance: ka^ma-cchanda, ”sensuous desire”, one of the 5 hindrances (s. ni^varana); chanda-ra^ga, ”lustful desire” (s. ka^ma). It is one of the 4 wrong paths (s. agati).
3. As a good quality it is a righteous will or zeal (dhamma-chanda) and occurs, e.g. in the formula of the 4 right efforts (s. padha^na): "The monk rouses his will (chandam janeti)...." If intensified, it is one of the 4 roads to power (s. iddhipa^da).
contemplation of: one of the 18 chief kinds of insight (vipassana^, q.v.) .
of action (wholesome or unwholesome): kammapatha (q.v.).
nissarana (s. paha^na).
a^rammana (q.v.); as condition s. paccaya (2).
up rags, wearing robes made from: s. dhutanga.
jha^na (q.v.).
”speech”. On right sp., s. magga (3), sacca (IV.3). - Low talk, s. tiraccha^na-katha^.
natthi-paccaya, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, (q.v.).
”sphere”, realm. The 3 spheres of existence are: the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara), the fine-material sphere (rúpa^vacara), the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara)."Which things are of the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara)? Whatever things exist within the interval bounded beneath by the Avi^ci-hell and above by the Paranimmitavasavatti-heaven (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included, to wit: the groups of existence, the elements, bases (s. khandha, dha^tu, a^yatana), corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, all these things are of the sensuous sphere. - But which things are of the fine material sphere (rúpa^vacara)? Whatever things exist within the interval bounded beneath by the Brahma-world and above by the Akanittha-world (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included ... and also consciousness and mental factors in one who has entered the (fine-material) absorptions, or who has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his life-time is living in happiness (of the absorptions), all these things are of the fine-material sphere. - Which things are of the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara)? Consciousness and mental factors arising within the interval bounded beneath by the beings reborn in the sphere of unbounded space and above by the beings reborn in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (s. jha^na 5-8), and consciousness and mental factors in one who has entered the (immaterial absorptions), or who has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his lifetime is living in happiness (of the immaterial absorptions), all these things are of the immaterial sphere." (Cf. Dhs. 1280, 1282, 1284; Vibh. XVIII). (App.).
ka^ma^vacara is already met with in the oldest sutta texts (e.g. D. 1). Rúpa^vacara and arúpa^vacara, however, occur probably for the first time in Pts.M. (I. 83ff.), while in the Abhidhamma Canon and the Com. all the 3 terms are frequently mentioned and explained.
s. a^sava.
”volition”, will, is one of the seven mental factors (cetasika, q.v.) inseparably bound up with all consciousness, namely sensorial or mental impression (phassa), feeling (vedana^), perception (san~n~a^), volition (cetana^), concentration (sama^dhi), vitality (ji^vita), advertence (manasika^ra). Cf. Tab. II, III.
With regard to karmical volition (i.e. wholesome or unwholesome karma) it is said in A. VI, 13: "Volition is action (karma), thus I say, o monks; for as soon as volition arises, one does the action, be it by body, speech or mind." For details, s. paticca-samuppa^da (10), karma.
ma^na (q.v.); further s. samyojana.
effort of: s. padha^na.
image (during concentration): s. nimitta, kasina, sama^dhi.
tanha^ (q.v.), ra^ga (q.v.); further s. múla.
the: sankhata (q.v.).
(in morality, wisdom, etc.): s. ha^na-bha^giya-si^la. - Liable to °, pariha^na-dhamma (q.v.).
mental: s. cetasika. - F. of absorption, s. jha^na - F. of enlightenment, s. bojjhanga.
magga, Atthangika: the ”eightfold wrong path”, i.e. (1) wrong view (miccha^-ditthi), (2) wrong thought (miccha^-sankappa), (3) wrong speech (miccha^-va^ca^), (4) wrong bodily action (miccha^-kammanta), (5) wrong livelihood (miccha^-a^ji^va), (6) wrong effort (miccha^-va^ya^ma), (7) wrong mindfulness (miccha^-sati), (8) wrong concentration (miccha^-sama^dhi). Just as the Eightfold Right Path (samma^-magga), so also here the 8 links are included in the group of mental formations (sankha^ra-kkhandha; s. khandha). The links 2, 6, 7, 8, are inseparably bound up with every karmically-unwholesome state of consciousness. Often are also present 3, 4, or 5, sometimes link 1.
ditthi, -sankappa, -va^ca etc.: s. foll.
s. pa^tiha^riya.
This term occurs often in the old sutta texts in such expressions as: ”ko hetu, ko paccayo”, ”yam yad eva paccayam paticca uppajjati vin~n~a^nam”, etc., or as abl. adverb in ”avijja^paccaya^ sankha^ra^”. All the 24 paccaya are for the first time enumerated, explained and applied to the phenomena of existence in the Abh. Canon (Patth). Of these 24 paccaya, 5 are already mentioned in Pts.M. (II, 49-54, 59f., 72-77), namely, sahaja^ta-, an~n~aman~n~a-, nissaya-, sampayutta-, vippayutta-paccaya.
1. Hetu is already used in the sutta texts as ”condition” in a general and indefinite way, as a synonym of paccaya. In the sense of kusala and akusala roots (múla; s. M. 9), however, it is only found in the Abh. Canon and Com.
2. a^rammana has in the ”sutta texts only the meaning of ”foundation”, or ”basis”, or ”dependent on”, e.g. M. 21: ”tada^rammanan~ca sabbalokam metta^sahagatena cetasa^ pharitva^....” or D.33; S.XXII.53: ”vin~n~a^nam ... rúpa^rammanam ... vedana^ram-manam....” As term for the 6 objects, rúpa^rammana, sadda^rammana, etc.,
it is first used in the Abh. Canon, though the teaching of dependency of the 6 kinds of vin~n~a^na on the 6 sense-objects is an integral part of the suttas. Cf. e.g. M.38: ”cakkhun~ca paticca rúpe ca uppajjati vin~n~a^nam sotan~ca paticca sadde ca ...” etc.
3. Adhipati, as a philosophical term, occurs for the first time in the Abh. Canon (esp. Patth.). The 4 adhipati are in the suttas called iddhipa^da (e.g. S. LI. 11). In the old sutta texts, 3 adhipateyya are however mentioned: atta-, loka-, dhamma- (A. III, 38).
4.& 5. Anantara- and samanantara-paccaya occur, as paccaya, for the first time in the Abh. Canon (esp. Patth.). In a veiled form, however, we find the first term in the old sutta texts (e.g. Ratana Sutta in Khp. and Sn.): ”sama^dhim a^nantarikan~n~ama^hu”: the concentration (associated with the arahatta-magga), which is called the ”immediate” condition (for arahatta-phala).
6.& 7. Sahaja^ta and an~n~aman~n~a-paccaya. Though these terms, as such, are not found in the older sutta texts, still the teaching of the conascent and mutual conditionedness of the 4 mental groups (vedana^, san~n~a^, sankha^ra, vin~n~a^na) is taught in the old texts, e.g. M. 28, 43; S. XXII, etc.
8. Nissaya-paccaya is mentioned in Pts; s. first paragraph of this article, above.
9. Upanissaya-paccaya. Though this name is not found in the suttas, the teaching expressed thereby is, however, frequently met with there, sometimes even in the form of upanisa^ (apparently a contraction of upanissaya), e.g. S. XII, 23: ”Yam pi”ssa tam bhikkhave khayasmim khaye n~a^nam, tam sa-upanisam vada^mi, no anupanisam ”. The terms pakati-, a^rammana- and anantara-upanissaya are later developments of the Abh. Com.
All the remaining terms are met with only in the Abh. literature though the substance is, perhaps in all cases, already dealt with in the old sutta texts.
”condition”, is something on which something else, the so-called ”conditioned thing”, is dependent, and without which the latter cannot be. Manifold are the ways in which one thing, or one occurrence, may be the condition for some other thing, or occurrence. In the Pattha^na, the last book of the Abhidhamma Pitaka (comprising 6 large vols. in the Siamese edition), these 24 modes of conditionality are enumerated and explained, and then applied to all conceivable mental and physical phenomena and occurrences, and thus their conditioned nature is demonstrated.
The first two volumes of the Pattha^na have been translated into English by the Venerable U Na^rada (Múlapattha^na Sayadaw) of Burma, under the title Conditional Relations (Published by the Pa^li Text Society, London 1969, 1981). For a synopsis of this work, see Guide VII.
The 24 modes of conditionality are:
1. Root condition : hetu paccaya
2. Object " : a^rammana "
3. Predominance " : adhipati "
4. Priority " : anantara "
5. Contiguity " : samanantara "
6. Co-nascence " : sahaja^ta "
7. Mutuality " : an~n~aman~n~a "
8. Support " : nissaya "
9. Decisive Support " : upanissaya "
10. Pre-nascene " : pureja^ta "
11. Post-nascene " : paccha^ja^ta "
12. Repitition " : a^sevana "
13. Karma " : kamma "
14. Karma-result " : vipa^ka "
15. Nutriment " : a^ha^ra "
16. Faculty " : indriya "
17. Jha^na " : jha^na "
18. Path " : magga "
19. Associaton " : sampayutta "
20. Dissociation " : vippayutta "
21. Presence " : atthi "
22. Absence " : natthi "
23. Disappearance " : vigata "
24. Non-disappearance " : avigata "
(1) Root-condition (hetu-paccaya) is that condition that resembles the root of a tree. Just as a tree rests on its root, and remains alive only as long as its root is not destroyed, similarly all karmically wholesome and unwholesome mental states are entirely dependent on the simultaneity and presence of their respective roots, i.e, of greed (lobha), hate (dosa), delusion (moha), or greedlessness (alobha), hatelessness (adosa), undeludedness (amoha). For the definition of these 6 roots, s. múla.
"The roots are a condition by way of root for the (mental) phenomena associated with a root, and for the corporeal phenomena produced thereby (e.g. for bodily expression)" (Patth).
(2) Object-condition (a^rammana-paccaya) is called something which, as object, forms the condition for consciousness and mental phenomena. Thus, the physical object of sight consisting in colour and light (”light-wave”), is the necessary condition and the sine qua non for the arising of eye-consciousness (cakkhu-vin~n~a^na), etc.; sound (”sound wave”) for ear-consciousness (sota^-vin~n~a^na), etc.; further, any object arising in the mind is the condition for mind-consciousness (mano-vin~n~a^na). The mind-object may be anything whatever, corporeal or mental, past, present or future, real or imaginary.
(3) Predominance-condition (adhipati-paccaya) is the term for 4 things, on the preponderance and predominance of which are dependent the mental phenomena associated with them, namely: concentrated intention (chanda, q.v.), energy (viriya, q.v.), consciousness (citta) and investigation (vi^mamsa^). In one and the same state of consciousness, however, only one of these 4 phenomena can be predominant at a time."Whenever such phenomena as consciousness and mental concomitants are arising by giving preponderance to one of these 4 things, then this phenomenon is for the other phenomena a condition by way of predominance" (Patth.). Cf. iddhi-pa^da.
(4-5) Proximity and contiguity (or immediacy)-condition (anantara and samanantara-paccaya) - both being identical - refer to any state of consciousness and mental phenomena associated with them, which are the conditions for the immediately following stage in the process of consciousness. For example, in the visual process, eye-consciousness is for the immediately following mindelement - performing the function of receiving the visible object - a condition by way of contiguity; and so is this mind-element for the next following mind-consciousness element, performing the function of investigating the object, etc. Cf. vin~n~a^na-kicca.
(6) Co-nascence condjtion (sahaja^ta-paccaya), i.e. condition by way of simultaneous arising, is a phenomenon that for another one forms, a condition in such a way that, simultaneously with its arising, also the other thing must arise. Thus, for instance, in one and the same moment each of the 4 mental groups (feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness) is for the 3 other groups a condition by way of co-nascence or co-arising; or again each of the 4 physical elements (solid, liquid, heat, motion) is such a condition for the other 3 elements. Only at the moment of conception in the mother”s womb does corporeality (physical base of mind) serve for the 4 mental groups as a condition by way of conascence.
(7) Condition by way of mutuality (an~n~a^man~n~a-paccaya). All the just mentioned associated and co-nascent mental phenomena, as well as the 4 physical elements, are, of course, at the same time also conditioned by way of mutuality, "just like three sticks propped up one by another." The 4 mental groups are one for another a condition by way of mutuality. So also are the 4 elements, and also mentality and corporeality at the moment of conception.
(8) Support-condition (nissaya-paccaya). This condition refers either to a pre-nascent (s. 10) or co-nascent (s. 6) phenomenon which is aiding other phenomena in the manner of a foundation or base, just as the trees have the earth as their foundation, or as the oil-painting rests on the canvas. In this way, the 5 sense-organs and the physical base of the mind are for the corresponding 6 kinds of consciousness a prenascent, i.e. previously arisen, condition by way of support. Further all co-nascent (s. 6) phenomena are mutually (s. 7) conditioned by each other by way of support.
(9) Decisive-support (or inducement) condition (upanissaya-paccaya) is threefold, namely (a) by way of object (a^rammanúpanissaya-paccaya), (b) by way of proximity (anantarúpanissaya), (c) natural decisive support (pakatupanissaya). These conditions act as strong inducement or cogent reason.
(a) Anything past, present or future, corporeal or mental, real or imaginary, may, as object of our thinking, become a decisive support, or strong inducement, to moral, immoral or karmically neutral states of mind. Evil things, by wrong thinking about them, become an inducement to immoral life; by right thinking, an inducement to moral life. But good things may be an inducement not only to similarly good things, but also to bad things, such as self-conceit, vanity, envy, etc.
(b;) is identical with proximity condition (No. 4).
(c) Faith, virtue, etc., produced in one”s own mind, or the influence of climate, food, etc., on one”s body and mind, may act as natural and decisive support-conditions. Faith may be a direct and natural inducement to charity, virtue to mental training, etc.; greed to theft, hate to murder; unsuitable food and climate to ill-health; friends to spiritual progress or deterioration.
(10) Pre-nascence-condition (pureja^ta-paccaya) refers to something previously arisen, which forms a base for something arising later on. For example, the 5 physical sense-organs and the physical base of mind, having already arisen at the time of birth, form the condition for the consciousness arising later, and for the mental phenomena associated therewith.
(11) Post-nascence-condition (paccha^-ja^ta-paccaya) refers to consciousness and the phenomena therewith associated, because they are - just as is the feeling of hunger- a necessary condition for the preservation of this already arisen body.
(12) Repetition-condition (a^sevana-paccaya) refers to the karmical consciousness, in which each time the preceding impulsive moments (javana-citta, q.v.) are for all the succeeding ones a condition by way of repetition and frequency, just as in learning by heart, through constant repetition, the later recitation becomes gradually easier and easier.
(13) Karma-condition (kamma-paccaya). The pre-natal karma (i.e karma-volitions, kamma-cetana^, in a previous birth) is the generating condition (cause) of the 5 sense-organs, the fivefold sense-consciousness, and the other karma-produced mental and corporeal phenomena in a later birth. - Karmical volition is also a condition by way of karma for the co-nascent mental phenomena associated therewith, but these phenomena are in no way karma-results.
(14) Karma-result-condition (vipa^ka-paccaya). The karma-resultant 5 kinds of sense-consciousness are a condition by way of karma-result for the co-nascent mental and corporeal phenomena.
(15) Nutriment-condition (a^ha^ra-paccaya). For the 4 nutriments, s. a^ha^ra.
(16) Faculty-condition (indriya-paccaya). This condition applies to 20 faculties (indriya, q.v.), leaving out No. 7 and 8 from the 22 faculties. Of these 20 faculties, the 5 physical sense-organs (1 - 5), in their capacity as faculties, form a condition only for uncorporeal phenomena (eye-consciousness etc.); physical vitality (6) and all the remaining faculties, for the co-nascent mental and corporeal phenomena.
(17) Jha^na-condition (jha^na-paccaya) is a name for the 7 so-called jha^na-factors, as these form a condition to the co-nascent mental and corporeal phenomena, to wit: (1) thought-conception (vitakka), (2) discursive thinking (vica^ra), (3) interest (pi^ti), (4) joy (sukha), (5) sadness (domanassa), (6) indifference (upekkha^), (7) concentration (sama^dhi). (For definition s. Pa^li terms. )
1, 2, 3, 4, 7 are found in 4 classes of greedy consciousness (s. Tab. I. 22-25); 1, 2, 5, 7 in hateful consciousness (ib. 30, 31); 1, 2, 6, 7 in the classes of deluded consciousness (ib. 32, 33).
This condition does not only apply to jha^na alone, but also to the general intensifying (”absorbing”) impact of these 7 factors.
(18) Path-condition (magga-paccaya) refers to the 12 path-factors, as these are for the karmically wholesome and unwholesome mental phenomena associated with them, a way of escape from this or that mental constitution, namely: (1) knowledge (pan~n~a^ = samma^ditthi, right understanding), (2) (right or wrong) thought-conception (vitakka), (3) right speech (samma^-va^ca^), (4) right bodily action (samma^-kammanta), (5) right livelihood (samma^-a^ji^va), (6) (right or wrong) energy (viriya), (7) (right or wrong) mindfulness (sati), (8) (right or wrong) concentration (sama^dhi), (9) wrong views (miccha^ditthi), (10) wrong speech (miccha^-va^ca^), (11) wrong bodily action (miccha^-kammanta), (12) wrong livelihood (miccha^-a^ji^va). Cf. magga.
(19) Association-condition (sampayutta-paccaya) refers to the co-nascent (s. 6) and mutually (s. 7) conditioned 4 mental groups (khandha), "as they aid each other by their being associated, by having a common physical base, a common object, and by their arising and disappearing simultaneously" (Patth. Com.).
(20) Dissociation-condition (vippayutta-paccaya) refers to such phenomena as aid other phenomena by not baving the same physical base (eye, etc.) and objects. Thus corporeal phenomena are for mental phenomena, and conversely, a condition by way of dissociation, whether co-nascent or not.
(2l) Presence-condition (atthi-paccaya) refers to a phenomenon - being pre-nascent or co-nascent - which through its presence is a condition for other phenomena. This condition applies to the conditions Nos. 6, 7, 8, 10, 11.
(22) Absence-condition (natthi-paccaya) refers to consciousness, etc., which has just passed, and which thus forms the necessary condition for the immediately following stage of consciousness by giving it an opportunity to arise. Cf. No. 4.
(23) Disappearance-condition (vigata-paccaya) is identical with No. 22.
(24) Non-disappearance-condition (avigata-paccaya) is identical with No. 21.
These 24 conditions should be known thoroughly for a detailed understanding of that famous formula of the dependent origination (paticcasamuppa^da, q.v.). Cf. Fund. III, Guide p. 117 ff. (App.) .
See The Significance of Dependent Origination, by Nyanatiloka (WHEEL 140).
up robes, the practice of wearing: is one of the ascetic rules of purification (dhutanga, q.v.).
one, the: tatha^gata (q.v.).
Buddhist Dictionary
Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, by NYANATILOKA
Fourth Revised Edition, edited by Nyanaponika
Buddhist Publication Society
P. O. Box 61
54, Sangharaja Mawatha
Kandy, Sri Lanka
First Edition 1952
Second Revised Edition 1956
Third Revised & Enlarged Edition 1972
(Pub. by Frewin & Co., Ltd., Colombo)
Fourth Revised Edition 1980
(Buddhist Publication Society)
Reprinted 1988
1980 by Buddhist
Publication Society
ISBN - 955 - 24 - 0019 - 8
From The Preface To The First Edition
As a first attempt of an authentic dictionary of Buddhist doctrinal terms, used in the Páli Canon and its Commentaries, this present manual will fill a real gap felt by many students of Buddhism. It provides the reader not with a mere superficial enumeration of important Páli terms and their English equivalents, but offers him precise and authentic definitions and explanations of canonical and post-canonical terms and doctrines, based on Sutta, Abhidhamma and Commentaries, and illustrated by numerous quotations taken from these sources, so that, if anyone wishes, he could, by intelligently joining together the different articles, produce without difficulty a complete exposition of the entire teachings of Buddhism.
As already pointed out by the author in the preface to his Guide through the Abhidhamma-Pitaka (Colombo 1938), there are found in the Abhidhamma Canon numerous technical terms not met with in the Sutta Canon; and again other terms are found only in the Commentaries and not in Sutta and Abhidhamma. The author therefore has made a first attempt - without, however, laying any claim to absolute reliability or completeness in this by no means easy undertaking - to indicate in the Appendix all the terms that in the oldest Sutta texts are either not found at all, or at least not in the same form or meaning, and to set forth how far these are deviations from the older texts, or further developments.
In this connection, the author wishes to state that the often quoted Patisambhidá-Magga, as well as Niddesa, Buddhavamsa and Cariyapitaka, though included in the Khuddaka Nikáya of the Sutta Pitaka, nevertheless bear throughout the character of Commentaries, and though apparently older than the Sutta Commentaries handed down to us in Buddhaghosa”s version, must doubtless belong to a later period of origin than the Abhidhamma Canon.
In rendering the terms into English, I often had to differ considerably from the interpretation of Western scholars, and to introduce quite new words. A great number of such earlier translations must be considered partly as totally incorrect, partly as misleading, or at the very least ambiguous. Incorrect are, for instance, the English renderings of náma-rúpa by ”name and form”; javana (impulsion, i.e. the karmic impulsive moments) by ”apperception”, etc.
The expositions concerning the true nature of the 8-fold Path, the 4 Noble Truths, the paticca-samuppáda and the 5 groups of existence - doctrines which, with regard to their true nature, have been often misunderstood by Western authors - are sure to come to many as a revelation.
On the doctrine of anattá, or ”egolessness”, i.e. the impersonality and emptiness of all phenomena of existence, the author repeatedly felt the necessity of throwing light from every possible point of view, for it is exactly this doctrine which, together with the doctrine of the conditionality of all phenomena of existence, constitutes the very essence of the whole Teaching of the Buddha without which it will be by no means possible to understand it in its true light. Thus the doctrine of impersonality runs like a red thread right through the whole book.
May this little manual provide an ever-helpful companion and vade mecum to all earnest students in their study of the original Buddhist scriptures, and also give to Buddhist authors and lecturers the opportunity of supplementing and deepening their knowledge of the profound teachings of the Buddha!
Should it, for a better understanding, prove necessary to give to certain subjects a more detailed treatment, the carrying out of this task may be reserved for a later edition of this work.
NYANATILOKA
Central Internment Camp
Dehra-Dun, India
28-8-1946
Editor”s Preface To The Third Edition
The present revised and enlarged Third Edition was intended to be issued in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the venerable author”s passing away on 28th May 1957. But due to unavoidable circumstances the publication had to be delayed.
It was the venerable author”s wish to enlarge the first edition of this work, but when a second edition became necessary, he was prevented from expanding it by the illness to which he later succumbed. It rested, therefore, with his pupil, the present editor, to make, within the original scope and character of the work, such additions and revisions as seemed useful.
Over seventy articles have been expanded and partly rewritten; others were slightly revised; more source references were included, and information on literature for further study of the respective subjects was added to some of the articles. But only very few new words have been added (e.g. anupassaná, ánupubbi-kathá, etc.). This restriction was observed because the venerable author himself thought only of ”a more detailed treatment” of existing articles (see Preface to the 1st ed.) as he obviously wished to preserve the original form and character of the book. It was also considered that the adding of more words such as those coined in later commentarial and abhidhammic literature, would be superfluous as in the English language such terms will generally be found only in a few scholarly books and translations which themselves give the explanations needed.
This book is chiefly intended for those who study the Buddhist teachings through the medium of the English language, but wish to familiarize themselves with some of the original Páli terms of doctrinal import. They are in the same position as a student of philosophy or science who has to know the terminology of his field, which for common parlance is mostly not less ”unfamiliar” than are the words of the Páli language found in the Dictionary.
Such acquaintance with the Páli terms of the original texts will also be useful to the student for the purpose of identifying the various renderings of them favored by different translators. It is deplorable that there is a considerable multiplication of new English coining for the same doctrinal term. This great variety of renderings has proved to be confusing to those students of Buddhism who are not familiar with the Páli language. Even at this late stage when many translations of Páli texts are in print, it will be desirable if, for the sake of uniformity, translators forgo their preference for their own coining, even if they think them better than others. In any case, doctrinal terms have to be known by definition, just as in the case of philosophical and technical terms in a Western language.
As a small help in the situation described, a number of alternative renderings used by other translators have been included in some articles of this edition. In a very few cases, unacceptable though familiar renderings have been bracketed. The Venerable Nyanatiloka”s own preferences have been placed in inverted commas. Generally it may be said that his renderings, based on his comprehensive knowledge of texts and doctrine, are very sound and adequate. Only in a very few cases has the editor changed the author”s preferred rendering e.g.”canker” for ásava (instead of ”bias”), ”right view” for sammá-ditthi (instead of ”right understanding”). The latter change was made for the sake of economizing with the few English equivalents for the numerous Páli synonyms for ”knowing”, etc.; and also to avoid having to render the opposite term, micchá-ditthi, by ”wrong understanding”.
This Dictionary appeared also in the author”s own German version (published by Verlag Christiani, Konstanz, Germany) and in a French translation made by the late Mme Suzanne Karpeles (published by ”Adyar”, Paris, 1961).
NYANAPONIKA
Kandy, Ceylon
February 1970
Only few and minor revisions have been made to the text of the Fourth Edition which is now issued by the Buddhist Publication Society.
NYANAPONIKA
Kandy, Sri Lanka
March 1980
is an Abh. term but already alluded to in the old sutta texts, e.g. M. 149: ”a^yatim pan~cúpa^da^nakkhandha^ upacayam gacchanti”, or in D.2: ”Ayam ka^yo ... odana-kumma^s” upacayo”.
rúpassa: ”growth of corporeality”; s. khandha I; App.
”discursive thinking”; s. vitakka-vica^ra.
image (during concentration): s. nimitta, sama^dhi, kasina.
and va^ritta-sila: are only found in the Com., as Vis.M. 1, etc., but the teaching indicated by it is frequently mentioned in the old sutta texts as karani^ya and akarani^ya (e.g. A. II, 16).
and va^ritta si^la: ”morality consisting in performance and morality consisting in avoidance,” means "the performance of those moral rules which the Blessed one has ordained to be followed, and the avoidance of those things that the Blessed One has rejected as not to be followed" (Vis.M. III). - (App.).
ascetic practice of living in a c.; s. dhutanga.
”mental things, mental factors”, are those mental concomitants which are bound up with the simultaneously arising consciousness (citta = vin~n~a^na) and conditioned by its presence . Whereas in the Suttas all phenomena of existence are summed up under the aspect of 5 groups: corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness (s. khandha), the Abhidhamma as a rule treats them under the more philosophical 3 aspects: consciousness, mental factors and corporeality (citta, cetasika, rúpa). Thus, of these 3 aspects, the mental factors (cetasika) comprise feeling, perception and the 50 mental formations, altogether 52 mental concomitants. Of these, 25 are lofty qualities (either karmically wholesome or neutral), 14 karmically unwholesome, while 13 are as such karmically neutral, their karmical quality depending on whether they are associated with wholesome, unwholesome or neutral consciousness. For details s. Tab. II, III. Cf. prec. (App . )
This term oceurs often in the old sutta texts, but only as adj. (e.g. cetasikam sukham, etc.) or, at times, used as a sing. neut. noun (e.g. D. 1; p. 213, PTS). As a designation for mental factors, or concomitants of consciousness (citta-sampayutta^ dhamma^), it is frequently met with in Dhs. (§ 1189, 1512) as cetasika-dhamma, while in Vis.M., Abh. S., etc., cetasika is used also as a neuter noun, in the sense of mental phenomenon.
the 4 kinds of: upa^da^na (q.v.).
function (of consciousness): s. vin~n~a^na-kicca.
articles, the 3: tittha^yatana (q.v.).
”something”, i.e. something evil that sticks or adheres to character.”Evil appendant”, is a name for the 3 unwholesome roots (múla)."There are 3 appendants: greed (lobha) is an appendant, hate (dosa) is an appendant, delusion (moha) is an appendant" (D. 33).”Freed from appendants” (akin~cana) is a term for the perfectly Holy One (Arahat).
lit.”wrongly-performed-ness” (ku+krta+ya), i.e. scruples, remorse, uneasiness of conscience, worry, is one of the karmically unwholesome (akusala) mental faculties (Tab. II) which, whenever it arises, is associated with hateful (discontented) consciousness (Tab. I and III, 30, 31). It is the ”repentance over wrong things done, and right things neglected” (Com. to A. I). Restlessness and scruples (uddhacca-kukkucca), combined, are counted as one of the 5 mental hindrances (ni^varana, q.v.).
(Sanskrit prapan~ca): In doctrinal usage, it signifies the expansion, differentiation, ”diffuseness” or ”manifoldness” of the world; and it may also refer to the ”phenomenal world” in general, and to the mental attitude of ”worldliness”. In A. IV, 173, it is said: "As far as the field of sixfold sense-impression extends, so far reaches the world of diffuseness (or the phenomenal world; papan~cassa gati); as far as the world of diffuseness extends, so far extends the field of sixfold sense-impression. Through the complete fading away and cessation of the field of sixfold sense-impression, there comes about the cessation and the coming-to-rest of the world of diffuseness (papan~ca-nirodho papan~ca-vupasamo)." The opposite term nippapan~ca is a name for Nibba^na (S. LIII), in the sense of ”freedom from samsaric diffuseness”. - Dhp. 254: "Mankind delights in the diffuseness of the world, the Perfect Ones are free from such diffuseness" (papan~ca^bhirata^ paja^, nippapan~ca tatha^gata^). - The 8th of the ”thoughts of a great man” (maha^-purisa-vitakka; A. VIII, 30) has: "This Dhamma is for one who delights in non-diffuseness (the unworldly, Nibba^na); it is not for him who delights in worldliness (papan~ca)." - For the psychological sense of ”differentiation”, see M. 18 (Madhupindika Sutta): "Whatever man conceives (vitakketi) that he differentiates (papan~ceti); and what he differentiates, by reason thereof ideas and considerations of differentiation (papan~ca-san~n~a^-sankha^) arise in him." On this text and the term papan~ca, see Dr. Kurt Schmidt in German Buddhist Writers (WHEEL 74/75) p. 61ff. - See D. 21 (Sakka”s Quest; WHEEL 10, p.
In the commentaries, we often find a threefold classification tanha^-, ditthi-, ma^na-papan~ca, which probably means the world”s diffuseness created hy craving, false views and conceit. - See M. 123; A. IV, 173; A. VI, 14, Sn. 530, 874, 916.
n~a^nananda Bhikkhu, in Concept and Reality: An Essay on Papan~ca and Papan~ca-san~n~a^-sankha^ (Kandy 1971, Buddhist Publication Society), suggests that the term refers to man”s "tendency towards proliferation in the realm of concepts" and proposes a rendering by "conceptual proliferation," which appears convincing in psychological context, e.g. in two of the texts quoted above, A. IV, 173 and M. 18. - The threefold classification of papan~ca, by way of craving, false views and conceit, is explained by the author as three aspects, or instances, of the foremost of delusive conceptualisations, the ego-concept.
or forbearance (khanti): one of the 10 perfections (pa^rami^, q.v.).
For theory, practice and realization, s. pariyatti.
sense-: s. patigha.
kukkucca (q.v.).
”good conduct”, is 3-fold, in body, speech and mind, and comprises the 10 wholesome courses of action (s. kammapatha). According to A. X, 61, it has sense-control as its condition. See D. 33, A. II, 17; III, 2.
tathata^ (q.v.).
”restlessness”, belongs to the 10 fetters (samyojana, q.v.), and to the 5 hindrances (ni^varana, q.v.). It is one of those 4 mental factors inseparably associated with all unwholesome consciousness (akusala-sa^dha^rana, q.v.). Cf. Tab. II.
”moment of access”; s. javana.
lit.”That which cannot or should not be thought, the unthinkable, ...
lit.”That which cannot or should not be thought, the unthinkable, incomprehensible, impenetrable, that which transcends the limits of thinking and over which therefore one should not ponder.
These 4 unthinkables are:
the sphere of a Buddha (buddha-visaya),
of the meditative absorptions (jha^na-visaya),
of karma-result (kamma-vipa^ka), and
brooding over the world (loka-cinta^), especially over an absolute first beginning of it
(s. A.IV.77).
"Therefore, o monks, do not brood over the world as to whether it is eternal or temporal, limited or endless .... Such brooding, O monks, is senseless, has nothing to do with genuine pure conduct (s. a^dibrahmacariyaka-si^la), does not lead to aversion, detachment, extinction, nor to peace, to full comprehension, enlightenment and Nibba^na, etc." (S.56.41).
para^ma^sa (q.v.)
sikkha^ ”training in higher mentality”; s. sikkha^.
”mental obduracies”, are 5 things which stiffen and hinder the mind from making right exertion, namely: doubt about the Master, about the Doctrine, about the (holy) Brotherhood, about the training, and anger against one”s fellow-monks. For details s. A.V, 206, X 14; D. 33; M. 16. Cf. prec.
On the 6 kinds of human character, s. carita.
cf. kappa.
s. agati.
”evil conduct”, is threefold: in deeds, words and thoughts. See kammapatha (I).
bhava (q.v.) - The 5 groups of e.: khandha (q.v.) - The 4 substrata of e.: upadhi (q.v.). - Courses of e.: gati (q.v.). - Wheel of e.: samsa^ra (q.v.). - Craving for e.: bhava-tanha^; s. tanha^; - The 3 characteristics of e.: ti-lakkhana (q.v.).
indriya (q.v.); see also paccaya 16.
avijja^ (q.v.); further s. paticcasamuppa^da (1).
an alternative rendering for contiguity-condition, samanatara-paccaya, which is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.)
”wrongnesses” = prec.
the 10 o. of meditation: palibodha (q.v.); for the 5 mental obstacles, or hindrances, s. ni^varana.
(of mind to the object): a^vajjana, is one of the functions of consciousness (vin~n~a^na-kicca, q.v.). Cf. manasika^ra.
knowledge, the 4 kinds of: patisambhida^ (q.v.).
karuna^; s. brahma-viha^ra.
1. thought-c°: cf. vitakka-vica^ra.
2. (in the mother”s womb): okkanti (q.v.).
of existence, deliverance from the: see ceto-vimutti; vimokkha.
the 24: paccaya (q.v.).
s. saddha^.
samanantara-paccaya, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.).
(of body, subconsciousness, consciousness or groups of existence): santa^na (q.v.).
”death-consciousness”, lit.”departing consciousness”, is one of the 14 functions of consciousness (vin~n~a^na-kicca q.v.).
viveka (q.v.).