(rúpa, ka^ya, citta): ”elasticity” (of corporeality, mental factors, consciousness); s. khandha (I) and Tab. II.
s. lahuta^.
karmically: avya^kata (q.v.); n. feelings, s. vedana^.
mark, sign; image; target, object; cause, condition. These meanings are used in, and adapted to, many contexts of which only the doctrinal ones are mentioned here.
1.”Mental (reflex-) image”, obtained in meditation. In full clarity, it will appear in the mind by successful practice of certain concentration-exercises and will then appear as vividly as if seen by the eye. The object perceived at the very beginning of concentration is called the preparatory image (parikamma-nimitta). The still unsteady and unclear image, which arises when the mind has reached a weak degree of concentration, is called the acquired image (uggaha-nimitta). An entirely clear and immovable image arising at a higher degree of concentration is the counter-image (patibha^ga-nimitta). As soon as this image arises, the stage of neighbourhood (or access) concentration (upaca^ra-sama^dhi) is reached. For further details, s. kasina, sama^dhi.
2.”Sign of (previous) kamma” (kamma-nimitta) and ”sign of (the future) destiny” (gati-nimitta); these arise as mental objects of the last karmic consciousness before death (marana^sanna-kamma; s. karma, III, 3).
Usages (1) and (2) are commentarial (s. App.). In sutta usage, the term occurs, e.g. as:
3.”Outward appearance”: of one who has sense-control it is said- that "he does not seize upon the general appearance” of an object (na nimittagga^hi^; M. 38, D. 2; expl. Vis I, 54f; see si^la).
4.”Object”: the six objects, i.e. visual, etc. (rúpa-nimitta; S. XXII, 3). Also, when in explanation of animitta-cetovimutti, signless deliverance of mind (s. cetovimutti, vimokkha), it is said, ”sabba-nimitta^nam amanasika^ra^”, it refers to the 6 sense-objects (Com. to M. 43), and has therefore to be rendered "by paying no attention to any object (or object-ideas)." - A pleasant or beautiful object (subha-nimitta, q.v.) is a condition to the arising of the hindrance of sense-desire; a ”repellent object” (patigha-nimitta) for the hindrance of ill-will; contemplation on the impurity of an object (asubha-nimitta; s. asubha) is an antidote to sense-desire.
5. In Pts.M. II, in a repetitive series of terms, nimitta appears together with uppa^do (origin of existence), pavattam (continuity of existence), and may then be rendered by ”condition of existence” (s. Path, 194f.).
As signifying the mental reflex-image occurring in meditation, this term, singly or in compounds (parikkamma-, uggaha-, patibha^ga-n.), is found only in the Com., Vis.M., etc. The same holds good for kamma-nimitta, gati-nimitta.
”conception”, lit.”descent”, designates the appearance of the embryo in the mother”s womb, i.e. the beginning of the birth process (ja^ti, q.v.)."Through the concurrence of 3 circumstances arises the embryo. When father and mother have united, ... and the mother has her time, and the ”genius” (metaphorically for the karma energy) is ready; under these 3 circumstances does the embryo appear" (M. 38).
”moral dread”; s. hiri-ottappa.
up robes, the practice of wearing: is one of the ascetic rules of purification (dhutanga, q.v.).
- 1. In an ethical sense, it means: ”repugnance”, grudge, resentment, anger, and is a synonym of vya^pa^da, ”ill-will” (s. ni^varana) and dosa, ”hate” (s. múla). It is one of the proclivities (anusaya, q.v.).
2.”(Sense-) reaction”. Applied to five-sense cognition, p. occurs in the following contexts:
(a) as patigha-san~n~a^, ”perception of sense-reaction”, said to be absent in the immaterial absorptions (s. jha^na 5). Alternative renderings: resistance-perception, reflex-perception;
(b) as patigha-samphassa, ”(mental) impression caused by 5fold sensorial reaction” (D. 15); s. phassa;
(c) as sappatigha-rúpa, ”reacting corporeality”, and appatigha, ”not reacting”, which is an Abhidhammic classification of corporeality, occurring in Dhs. 659, 1050. Sappatigha are called the physical sense-organs as reacting (or responding) to sense stimuli; and also the physical sense-objects as impinging (or making an impact) on the sense-organs. All other corporeality is appatigha, non-reacting and non-impinging. These 2 terms have been variously rendered as resistant and not, responding and not, with and without impact.
one, the: tatha^gata (q.v.).
pi^ti (q.v.); further s. bojjhanga.
s. paramattha. - Vision and knowledge according to r.- s. vipassana^ 15.
s. patisandhi, paticcasamuppa^da (3,10), karma, punabbhava.
”tranquillity”, serenity, is a synonym of sama^dhi (coneentration), cittekaggata^ (one-pointedness of mind) and avikkhepa (undistractedness). It is one of the mental factors in ”wholesome consciousness. Cf. foll. and bha^vana^.
s. sacca.
ditthi (-va^da): ”eternity-belief”, is the belief in a soul or personality existing independently of the 5 groups of existence, and continuing after death eternally, as distinguished from the ”annihilation-belief” (uccheda-ditthi), i.e. the belief in a personality falling at death a prey to absolute annihilation. For more details, s. ditthi.
position, sleeping in: s. dhutanga.
Right: samma^-sankappa;.s. sacca, magga.