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. wisdom (paññā).
These two important terms, tranquillity and insight (s. 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; s. tilakkhaṇa) of all bodily and mental phenomena of existence, included in the 5 groups of existence, namely, corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness; s. khandha.
Tranquillity, or concentration of mind, according to Saṅkhepavaṇṇana (Commentary to Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha), 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 (nīvaraṇa, q.v.), whilst insight (vipassanā) produces the 4 supra mundane stages of holiness and deliverance of mind. The Buddha therefore says: "May you develop mental concentration, o monks; for who is mentally concentrated, sees things according to reality" (S. 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, q.v.) by means of the following 40 meditation subjects (kammaṭṭhāna):
10 kasiṇa-exercises (s. kasiṇa). These produce the 4 absorptions
10 loathsome subjects (asubha, q.v.). These produce the 1st absorption.
10 Recollections (anussati, q.v.): of the Buddha (buddhānussati), the Doctrine (dhammānussati), the Brotherhood of the Noble Ones (saṃghānussati), morality, liberality, the heavenly beings, death (maraṇasati, q.v. ), the body (kāyagatāsati, q.v.), in-and-outbreathing (ānāpāna-sati, q.v.) and peace (upasamānussati, q.v.). Among these, the recollection (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, s. samādhi).
4 Sublime Abodes (brahma-vihāra, q.v.): loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, equanimity (mettā, karuṇā, muditā , upekkhā). Of these, the first 3 exercises may produce 3 absorptions, the last one the 4th absorption only.
4 Immaterial Spheres (arūpāyatana, s. 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 paṭikkūla-saññā), which may produce neighbourhood-concentration
1 Analysis of the 4 elements (catudhātu-vavatthāna, s. dhātu-vavatthāna), which may produce neighbourhood-concentration.
Mental development forms one of the 3 kinds of meritorious action (puñña-kiriya-vatthu, q.v.). 'Delight in meditation' (bhāvanā-rāmatā) is one of the noble usages (ariya-vaṃsa, q.v.) .
bhāvanā [bhāvanā] Mental development through meditation and concentration. Bhāvanā is a mental development. It is of two kinds: with regard to tranquillity (śamatha bhāvanā) [samatha bhāvanā], that is, concentration (samādhi), and with regard to the intuitive insight (vipaśyanā bhāvanā). Śamatha means tranquillity. Śamatha is mostly compounded with contemplation or insight. Śamatha pertains to the concentration of the formless realms. Vipaśyanā pertains mostly to the realms of desire and form.
Tranquillity is the undefiled peaceful state of mind. It ushers in favourable rebirth, happiness and purity of mind. The five hindrances vanish and then arises the Vipaśyanā, the intuitive insight into the impermanence, misery, and impersonality of the existence. In the fourth dhyāna of the realm of form, tranquillity and intuitive insight, both are blended. They bring in the four sublime states of brahma-vihāra and the wisdom of enlightenment.
Aṭṭhasālinī. I. 134, 268. A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma. IX. 329-330. Mahāyāna-Sūtrālaṅkāra. XI. 57; XIV 93-94; XVIII. 140. Saṃyutta Nikāya. Samathavipassanā.
bhāvanā
(Sanskrit, cultivation). The general term used in Buddhism for any type of meditational practice involving continuous attention by the mind to any suitable object. The two main kinds of meditation practised in Buddhism are calming meditation (śamatha) and insight meditation (vipaśyanā). See also samādhi; sādhana.
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. Diii.218, 219; Nett 8; with dānamaya & sīlamaya at It 19, 51; Vbh 135, 325. -- vidhāna arrangement of process of culture DhsA 168=Vism 122.
bhāvanā(āveti):>修習
【梵】bhāvanā
【滿】urebume gunire
【蒙】bisilgakhui
【漢】修習
【梵】bhāvanā
【梵】भावना【中】觀想
【中】修習
【藏】sgom pa
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